https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:06:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2324641 Sun, 18 Oct 2015 03:42:18 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2324641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: Thanks again!</p> <p>@ladybee: Good to know that your instincts served you well! FX that one of our few "good" options is an excellent fit.</p> <p>@DesertDreams88: Thank you! What you're describing is very reassuring to me! :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2324199 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 10:17:50 +0000 DesertDreams88 2324199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked at a daycare for about 7 months, and worked in the infant room often. Our ratio was 1:4. Like others have said, the fact that the babies ages and personal schedules are staggered really helps. Most of the time, about half of the babies were sleeping, which meant it was usually a 1:2 ratio... which is like a SAHM with twins :) the bouncer, exersaucer, and swings help too, just like they help at home. Floaters came in during full days, and the oldest infant or two were usually on a transitional plan to spend half days or a couple hours in the next-age room. I never once felt any child was being neglected, even with a 1:4 ratio. I personally wouldn't be that worried about a 1:5 ratio, either, as long as it is a center you trust. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2324173 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 09:31:34 +0000 ladybee 2324173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: I'm a teacher and we just used the teacher daycare. I didn't look anywhere else. My first drop off day I had a gut feeling but thought I was being crazy. DS only lasted there 8 weeks where he attended maybe three total because he was so sick all the time. We pulled him out and kept him home till the school year ended. That summer I went to multiple centers and trusted my gut each time. I found the one he's at now (he's two) and when I walked in I just felt at peace. The baby room was amazing and he's so happy in the toddler room. </p> <p>The first day we dropped him off I had anxiety because it was new but it was so clear when I picked him up how happy he was. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2324144 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 07:55:18 +0000 LovelyPlum 2324144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: also, ps: one infant completely overwhelmed me, too. Daycare has been my salvation more than once!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2324143 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 07:51:12 +0000 LovelyPlum 2324143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: it has been amazing for us! And dont worry, I didn't do my most thorough research until LO was here, too. Full disclosure: the place we're in now wasn't the first place we looked. That place had all kinds of stuff for the kiddos, but it just felt...chaotic? It's hard to describe. They *did* a lot of the same things, but the atmosphere was totally different. I'm glad we chose what we did. Keeping my fingers crossed that you find something that fits well for your family! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2324050 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:08:49 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2324050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: You make a good point...I really hope that one of oilut available options will be a good fit for us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2324048 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:06:06 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2324048@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: That sounds wonderful. It's funny that it didn't occur to me to look into their infant activities/curriculum before LO arrived...but hopefully the center offers something similar to what you're describing.</p> <p>@sapphire: That, too, sounds great. And I do wish the ratio were lower here. The oversight is what is attractive to me about a center, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2323968 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 20:45:10 +0000 sapphire 2323968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our state limit is 1:4 and both centers our LO has gone to have 8 babies max. Both have had two main "teachers" and then a few people float in/out to cover breaks and the early morning. Often there are more than 2 in there because everyone likes hanging out with the babies! So sometimes when I've gone in there will be 3 caregivers. Our LO is super busy and happy at daycare. She does an art project (finger paint or hand/footprints) every day. They sing songs, read books to them, and have tons of toys. They track eating and diapers and basically rotate through the kids. She is fed on about the same schedule as we do at home. The really only negative for us has been that she has trouble napping there --too much excitement. But she's a great sleeper at night so it works out okay. I like that centers are highly regulated, have processes for reporting things, have established curriculums and a lot of oversight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2323963 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 20:43:05 +0000 LovelyPlum 2323963@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: yes, go hang out!! That was the thing that eased my fears the most. With LO, they had 8 babies and 3 adults. Sometimes, it was crazy, and everyone would cry at once. But that wasn't usually true. They would move the babies around: bouncer, jumperoo, swing, tummy time, ball pit, holding, etc. They had all sorts of visually stimulating things, like mobiles, mirrors, chew toys, books, music. It was hard for me at first, but even when she was little, it was very good for LO. They rocked her to sleep and held her for bottles. In the beginning, I would go in when I could to get to know the teachers, how they interacted with the kids, and let them know what I could about LO.</p> <p>It will work out. LO is going to do great, and so will you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2323937 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 20:08:55 +0000 Bluemasonjar 2323937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The max ratio is Georgia is 6:1 which was too high for me. We found a center that is 4:1 and every time I've visited they have had other teachers or the director in the room too. They also have 2 infant rooms so when they are more mobile they aren't crawling all over smaller babies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2323928 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 19:48:28 +0000 mediagirl 2323928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it really depends on the center. The one we sent our daughter to at 4m was fantastic. The infant teachers weren't teachers, they were grandmas. And they treated the babies like their babies. They fed on demand and by schedule as she got older. They always do the best they could with th crying babies. More often than not when I would pick up our baby, the director was in the room making the ratio lower than 3:1. Those ladies all loved snuggling babies. </p> <p>That being said, at the current center she is at, I would never send my baby there. There doesn't seem to be enough staff or they aren't as on demand for the crying babies. It feels like they don't mind if the babies cry, which kills me. </p> <p>It's hard sending your infant to a center. Really really hard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2323923 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 19:38:31 +0000 regberadaisy 2323923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you will find that babies will adapt and most of the time they are much much more well behaved at child care versus at home! I think any time an adult cares for more than one child at a time, there will be times where one had to cry. This is no different in a center versus in home or nanny. I actually feel more comfortable in this regard at a center versus in home or daycare. at least at a day care there are physically more hands in th building. At a in home or nanny situation the number of adults are set. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2323919 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 19:31:52 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2323919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: That would break my heart! The babies were all happy during my tour...but the last time I was there, one little girl was crying on the floor while babies were in the process of eating/getting changed...which peaked my anxiety about this whole endeavor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322810 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 23:21:10 +0000 78h2o 2322810@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Miss Ariel: My work schedule is somewhat variable, so I end up dropping off anywhere between 6:30-9:30am and picking up between 2:00-6:00pm. I've never seen more than one baby crying at a time. I hope it's the case at both our kids' centers that the babies aren't crying too often!</p> <p>It makes me a little sad to know that my LO might have to wait to eat or to be comforted, but fortunately, she is pretty easy going baby and only cries if she really needs something. I do worry that sometimes she might get ignored because other kids are fussing more. They have told me twice that she went longer between bottles than they realized because she wasn't letting them know. This makes me worry, but I generally really like and trust the caregivers, so I'm okay with it. I know she would let them know if she was super hungry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322802 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 23:07:31 +0000 Miss Ariel 2322802@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: ours has one of those giant strollers too </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322801 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 23:07:06 +0000 Miss Ariel 2322801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was visiting 1 daycare there was a teacher sitting on the floor with 4 or 5 babies around her and they were all screaming. She was holding one and trying to rock another's bouncer and looked miserable. That was one reason why we didn't choose that daycare and I've never seen a similar situation at the daycare we did choose. Most mornings when I drop dd there's two babies on their stomach on a play mat and another 1 or 2 in a bouncer. My dd at 10 months is the oldest in her room and the only mobile one. I think there's 5 or 6 total?</p> <p>But pretty much every time I'm there almost all the babies are happy. Which I guess could be luck or that the babies are just content there? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322763 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:53:16 +0000 78h2o 2322763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My only experience pertains to my children. My youngest is currently 4m and goes to a daycare center. She is the 2nd youngest in the room, there is a 10w old, my daughter, then 4 boys who are between 8-12m. There are two caregivers, so 3:1. They do have a swing, bouncer, and jumper, which my daughter uses from time to time. They also have one of those mat/gym things with dangling toys, a mat with a mirror on the wall so they can see themselves, etc. They have a 6-seat buggy and walk the babies through the halls and outside on nice days.</p> <p>The older babies that eat solids sit in a 4-seat table and I believe they eat at the same time. Bottles are staggered. This daycare is pretty good about feeding her on demand, based on cues (my older daughter's daycare was not so good about this and I believe they overfed her). The first two weeks I sent her with 3 x 3oz bottles plus a couple 1 and 2oz bottles. We played around with it and ultimately decided that 3 x 4oz breastmilk was our best bet. I am allowed to keep frozen bottles in the fridge, so I have a few 2oz bottles there in case she needs more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322759 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:40:16 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2322759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: I have also been told I would need to dictate how often DS would eat. I wonder how that may change over the next few weeks...</p> <p>@MamaG: @Mrs. Goose: @mauxie: I know that this center does have bouncers and jumpers... Thank you so much for the input-- this gives me a good starting point for reasonable expectations! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322368 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 17:45:23 +0000 mauxie 2322368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I think you should definitely hang out and see how it works at the center you're interested in. </p> <p>My LOs went to center-based daycare as infants and the ratio was 3:1 (the state limit is 4:1) for a group of 12. There were also floater teachers around and separate nap room teachers. So, I think the "established" ratio is not entirely accurate in that there are extra hand on board to help. Are you sure yours is 5:1? </p> <p>Yes, there are instances when a child is crying while the teacher is holding/feeding another infant. I think it's pretty much like if you were at home with multiple babies. If you can't put the one you have in your arms down, you comfort the crying child in whatever way you can, by singing, talking, showing them a toy, etc. If another teacher is free, they help out. Our center does not have any swings/bouncers, etc, so it's really a lot of floor play (a baby in teacher's arms, one crawling over their legs, one playing next to them, one walking around, etc). </p> <p>They have some structured activities, music time, outdoor time, reading, etc throughout the day (small and large groups). And lots of bottles/meals, naps, diaper changes since kids are kind of on their own schedules. The teachers find their groove with the kids and it's amazing how they connect! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322362 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 17:38:52 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2322362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaG: you live on the floor in infant programs! And they are actually a lot of fun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322357 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 17:36:21 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2322357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have worked at a few daycare centres with infant programs. The ratio for infants here is 1 provider for every 3 children and anything more than that would be crazy, especially as only a small number of the infants were walking. </p> <p>Some centres are better than others at caring for infants and programming accordingly. The best one I worked at was focussed on the child's schedule for naps. We would eat lunch in small groups and then put babies down for naps at different times. Some children got bottles at various times and we just sort of went with the flow. We did do group activities and went outside to play together as either a large group or with only a few children. We had an extra helper who came to our room to help us in busy times too. </p> <p>I would be happy to send my infant to a program that ran like that. Definitely go sit in on one and see how you feel about how the team operates together and individually and the kind of care and activities provided for the children. Having a cohesive team and pleasant working environment makes a huge difference in childcare centres so I would definitely be on the look out for that, particularly in a young infant program because you really have to be flexible and be able to easily communicate with your coworkers.</p> <p>Your childcare should provide more than just basic needs and that is something you should be able to see or get a sense of when you are there observing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322349 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 17:31:13 +0000 MamaG 2322349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our center has a 4:1 ratio for under 12 months. You will be amazed by these women. They can feed two babies at one time and spend a lot of their time on the floor with them. I've always loved our infant teachers, they are a special group of women. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322338 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 17:19:12 +0000 LindsayInNY 2322338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My only insight is from DD being in daycare now. There are two infant rooms for under 12 months. I believe the ratio is 1:4 and above that there's another assistant teacher? I don't know for certain but I feel like they stagger the ages in each room so that one room isn't all newborn babies. So DD has babies in her room that can sit, hold a bottle, etc so that not everyone has the same needs. </p> <p>I did find that they weren't going to create a schedule for her per se. This might vary though. I had to tell them how often to be feeding her, I couldn't just say "watch her cues" so that was a little tough at first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-center-based-infant-care-to-me#post-2322307 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 16:48:44 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2322307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a (part-time, but crazy hours when I'm at work) WOHM and we have found a daycare that I think is going to meet our needs once I return from maternity leave in almost exactly one month..</p> <p>But, as a new parent (who is still somewhat overwhelmed with the care, feeding, and "emotional support" of my ONE baby...sleep deprivation's a #%*+!), I can't quite imagine how 5:1 (baby to caregiver ratio) works?! I understand that daycare can't *be* me...but a good center should be able to tend to babies' needs beyond the basic physical needs, right? But how???</p> <p>Does anyone have any insight? Has anyone worked in (super-)early childcare? I plan to hang out with B in the classroom with the other babies (&lt;12mos) and teachers in a week or two. Hopefully that will ease my worries? </p>