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Daycare questions
OK, so I am not ready for this, but I do need to start getting ready. I go back to work in 3 weeks.
I have a list from the daycare on what to bring, but I just want to check with those who have been there if there are any tips of what to bring/not bring?
Also, how exactly do I mark everything? Obviously I can put his name on the tags of clothes and stuff, but my burp rags don't have tags. Is this a stupid question? I think my brain did shrink.
I am trying to decide whether I should put him in on Monday (I will be working Tuesday, Wed, Thurs) just to see how he does but then I think what's the point.
The place has video monitoring. Did anyone have that? I like it but then I also worry that I will watch, see him having a screaming fit and feel guilty.
ok, finally, he seems to be suddenly rejecting bottles. Did anyone have an issue where your child would not eat at all during the day or nap? If so, did it last long?
Re: Daycare questions
We just followed the list of what to bring - they like to keep an extra 2-3 changes of clothes on hand, along with diapers and wipes. We also provided them with sunscreen (now that Miles is over 6 months) a hat, two crib sheets, and a blanket. I did a trial run the two days before I started work, just so that he could get adjusted over a few hours and I would be nearby in case there was a problem. It was really more for my peace of mind than for him.
We bought labels from www.stuckonyou.com - very cute - I love the fabric tattoos (iron on labels) because they last through the wash pretty well. Not necessary but cute. Also, their vinyl lables are great for bottles because they are microwave and dishwasher safe, and none have come off yet.
Our place does not have video monitoring, though others in our area do. I don't feel the need to watch my kid do whatever he's doing during the day, so it's fine.
Unfortunately I don't have much advice for rejecting bottles because Miles has always only used bottles. Maybe try to wean him to the bottle over the next 3 weeks?
For the first few months, he refused to nap anywhere but the bouncy seat, but they worked it out, and now he's napping in the crib. He's still not a great napper, but definitely better than before. I've found that dc really got him on a schedule, which is great.
Those labels are cute. I was wondering about something like that.
And yeah, Ryker is a bouncer napper. I have been working on getting him to sleep on his back unswaddled by nursing him to nap laying down. But he still startles awake flat on his back.
Speaking of bottles, did they wash them or did you send enough for the whole day? And should I buy double the amount so I don't have to wash every evening. I am bottle dumb?
I send enough for the day and just wash them when I get home. It would probably be easier to buy another set, but it doesn't take long to wash out three bottles but I'm cheap. I have enough to pump into the next days bottles at work.
Truthfully, I'm not sure the clothing tattoos are super worth it, but I like them and they do last. The vinyl labels are a must IMO and they are now on all his bowls and spoons too.
They don't wash bottles out, so I have to send enough for the whole day - Jason does drop off, and just throws the bottles and whatever food he's going to eat that day in the fridge at dc. It actually works out to just three bottles while he's there and I gave them some powder formula and an empty bottle to keep as an emergency stash (he's never used this, but I feel better knowing that it's there just in case I'm running super late one day).
I have enough bottles to not wash every night, but I end up washing them out each night anyway because I get easily overwhelmed when I see 10 dirty bottles awaiting me.
It's really tough to try to figure out all this stuff beforehand, but I found that once dc started, it was much easier than I had anticipated.
I followed the list of what they suggested we bring. We had to bring three bibs, which they just throw into a big basket and use for all the kids. We just had to bring a blanket, two changes of clothes, diapers, diaper cream, bottles, food, Tylenol and sunscreen. They also mark everything with their own system so we didn't have to worry about labels.
I just went all-in and left him at daycare for the first time, for a full day, when I went back to work. Plenty of kids at Ian's daycare come in gradually, so it's whatever you're comfortable with. We don't have video monitoring and I'm glad we don't. If I watched him having a bad day it would throw me off my game for the whole day. Sometimes I'll pop over to see him if he was grumpy in the morning, but otherwise I trust the providers care for him, and I know they'll call me if something is wrong.
They mix Ian's formula there and send home the dirty bottles. He takes two bottles during the day, so I send him with three just to have an extra.
I seriously wouldn't worry too much about labeling things like burp cloths. I also wouldn't get too worked up about losing those things either though. Our first daycare occasionally lost things like that (bottles, too) and it wasn't worth worrying about, honestly. Bottles were always labeled with tape / marker though, since we were required to have the date of any pumped milk on them.
With respect to bottles, I think all you can do is try to give him his daytime meals in bottles in the meantime to help get him used to that. Obviously, if he gets to choose between nursing and a bottle, he might opt for nursing. Without a choice, he'll eat from what's offered.
As for rejecting bottles, Ian has been fed primarily from bottles since he was about a week old, but he would occasionally go on hunger strikes. I'd just keep trying it, and when he's hungry enough he'll take it.
Daycare was great for getting Ian on a schedule and comfortable with napping in a crib rather than in a swing or on me. He had no choice, and those ladies are pros.
For bottles and future sippy cups, I got these bumpy name labels on Mulva's reco, and they are holding up well:
http://www.inchbug.com/
I have enough feeding bottles and pumping bottles to skip a day washing, and daycare always runs her feeding bottles through the dishwasher, but I still wash bottles every night.
I got the iron on labels too, but I've really only used them on her little jackets/sweaters, blankets, and extra 2 sets of clothese that stay there. I don't mark every piece of clothing. I didn't give them burp cloths, but did provide a stash of cloth bibs for bottle feeding drips and a rubbery bib for solid feeding, and I just marked those up with a sharpie and bring them home on the weekends to wash and bring back on Monday.
She's only ever refused a bottle if she's sick, so I'm no help there.
We don't have the video option and I'm glad I don't. It would be distracting and I know that there's always going to be an element of chaos and I'd just rather not see it.
She was having trouble napping longer than 30-45 minutes. We finally realized that she didn't have a white noise machine there like she did at home. That was a real "I'm an idiot" moment. She now has a sleep sheep in her daycare crib and usually gets at least one long (1.5-2 hr) nap in the crib in addition to her 30-45 min catnaps each day.
Mucho likes purple nails and purple cupcakes
I didn't have to label so I'm no help there.
But I usually packed a little more than she needed. Jo had a lovey that went with her (and still does) and if you have any special directions, let them know. I think the lovey helped her transition at first.
I packed bottles every day because I'd pump into them. She'd wash them and give them back to me. I had enough to last 3 days so I could wash them but not worry about the sterilizer last minute. Occasionally I'd give her the bags of pumped milk but it was just easier to fill them for her. You get into a routine. Your little daycare bag. I attached a little list to my front door so I could just be sure that I had everything before I left.
A warning though, he may not eat at daycare, or he may sleep all day. They sometimes get overwhelmed by all the new faces and places and just sort of sleep through it. It's worrisome but apparently very normal. Jo refused all food. And um, she was a good eater and quite the chunky baby so I was a little worried but after 3 weeks we were all set!
Oh and yeah Wendy's right about losing things. Burp cloths, receiving blankets, heck Jo's come home in William's shorts. Things just get mixed up sometimes. so have back ups and don't worry if that happens.
Soon daycare will be a fun place where you get to see what he's "accomplished' at the end of the day. Jo is always so eager to show me her drawings, her writing (she is learning the letters and can do a J) and to tell me all the fun she had.
I think with the next one it will be easier because my Jo did so well there, and will be able to tell mehow the day went for both of them.
It's a bit hard but you'll both get into a groove and it will seem like second nature after awhile.