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About Your Baby About
Your Baby - Main
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Day Care & Babysitters
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Day Care I think that, by far, one of the most difficult decisions facing new moms is the choice of going back to work after her baby is born. No matter how career-oriented a woman is before giving birth or bringing a new baby home, she will forever be 'different' in that she will know her precious infant is being taken care of by someone other than her. I truly think this is instinctual, whether a new mom suppresses this instinct or not. I worked the first two and a half years of my first daughter's life. There was no way I was giving up the intoxicating and very rewarding career I had worked years to build in a highly competitive industry. I was extremely lucky, however. I was able to work a majority of the time from my home, where I was able to watch the nanny and oversee her care of my precious daughter. This made it easy on me and my choice to continue working. Had I been dragging myself out of the house each morning and been gone most of the day, I might not have lasted two and a half years. I am not pro or anti 'working moms.' I am an unbiased, non-judgmental resource here. ;-) I'm just telling it like it was for me. You'll likely have your own stories to share. I am fully aware that a lot of moms have no choice but to return to work and, painfully, sooner than they would like. Even if Daddy is home and he is baby's main caretaker, there will be moments in the day that could potentially leave you breathless with longing for your child. Or, you could be the type of mom who, even though she loves her baby just as much as the next beguiled new parent, loves her work and/or career so much that she wouldn't dream of abandoning it and with no qualms whatsoever about leaving her baby with an able caretaker. Here's where daycare comes into play. Many a baby has been raised in daycare since most of you were aware of such a thing. I'm assuming you are under the age of 50 and didn't grow up in that idyllic (well, to some ...) generation, or generations before, when 99 percent of mothers did not work basically because they didn't have to. Well, this is the 21st Century and most moms don't have much of a choice. Yes, it's kind of sad but then again, it's a different world and not sad at all to a woman who can go after all her heart's desires in life. When choosing a daycare establishment for your baby, please do extensive research beforehand. Preferably talk to other parents whose baby is a regular resident to hear what they have to say about the facility, the staff and the feelings they have about the place and people running it. Most importantly, how do you feel about the daycare center? Would you want to spend your day there? Is it a clean, bright, happy place? Are the caretakers kind, compassionate and do they seem confident and able to handle babies at all times, not just in the morning when they've had a good night's sleep? Do they happily answer your questions and treat you with the respect you deserve? These are all questions you must ask yourself and you will need the answers to many more questions as well. Here are U.S. national child care resource numbers to help you make a wise choice for your baby:
Babysitters & Nannies Good babysitters will potentially become your best friends when your baby is older and you're one step from madness over needing a night or day out. When a baby sitter or nanny is going to be taking care of your newborn baby, however, they had best have a serious set of references, credentials and the ability to put you and your baby at complete ease. Always get references from potential babysitters, nannies or care givers. Conduct a thorough interview and screening of each prospective nanny. Install hidden cameras in every room of your home if you can before leaving baby with a new caregiver. If you find that this caregiver took wonderful care of baby all day long, great. You can now relax, knowing baby is in good hands. If the playback shows something else, you will spare your baby and yourselves the agony of a tormented, possibly harmed child and yes, you will need to report any abuse to the police. Consider this caregiver will be seeking employment with another unsuspecting family and innocent children. Fill out a babysitter's checklist, review it with your babysitter and explain anything that she/he doesn't understand. Leave it posted on the fridge or in a highly visible spot. Next to the phone works. Here is a free, one page babysitter's checklist that you can fill in, save and print from your computer: Babysitter Checklist. The following are articles and sites dealing with daycare and babysitters that I found particularly intelligent, thoughtful and that contain good information to help you make this all-important decision for you and your baby:
About Your Baby - Site Map This site provides general information and the author's opinions. It is designed for educational purposes only. Always consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about the health of your child. |
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