https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:32:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713898 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 05:09:42 +0000 MaisyMay 713898@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We use a small in-home daycare, and sometimes she naps, sometimes she doesn't. I tell daycare about how her morning went since LO gets dropped off at 10 or 11, and they try to go off of that. She didn't nap hardly at all from 7:30-11:00 Friday morning, so daycare got her to nap for about 2 1/2 hours between 11:00 and 4:30, when DH picked her up.<br /> I love that LO gets to be around other kids. She's a very social baby and the older kids love reading to her while she's in the swing or tickling her feet. She enjoys watching them play on the playground, just babbles and talks that whole time. It's great for her, and I am a much better mom when I work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713828 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 23:35:51 +0000 BeachMama 713828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think a big part of the decision should be based on how happy you'll be returning to work or staying home. For me, I'm a much happier person now that I'm working again. It surprised me because I don't exactly live my job but being at home with LO all day was driving me crazy. </p> <p>With daycare you have to accept that things aren't going to be 100% the way they'd be at home. I trust our daycare and know that they do more things with her than I'd be able to come up with. I also love that she gets to be around other babies too. Of course there are drawbacks. She had a lot of colds this winter, and she naps horribly there. But I still think our family is better with me wiring which means she goes to daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713618 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 20:25:55 +0000 Mrs. Bee 713618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i was so worried about napping because charlie and olive were also crib/blackout curtains/white noise nappers. but both napped great from the first day. in fact i think olive became a better napper because of daycare since she was used to sleeping with noise there. she used to nap a max of 2 hours (usually closer to an hour and a half), but she can go over 3 hours now. i had to wake her up today.</p> <p>overall daycare has been a very positive experience for us. although i did like having a nanny in the baby stage, overall i love daycare more than i love having a nanny. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713588 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 20:00:22 +0000 MamaBehr 713588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think daycare made DD a better at taking naps! She was terrible at home, but after daycare she was great. She did get sick pretty consistently, but it gets better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713562 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:40:26 +0000 kml636 713562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO has the same nap routine at home. And yes, naps are totally screwed up at day care. She naps in the swing w a bunch of other kids making noise around her. Honestly it hasn't really affected her night sleep that I can tell. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713529 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:19:17 +0000 AprilK 713529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It definitely does help to be picky during the selection process. If I wasn't completely sold on the place I'd never feel fully comfortable and would be looking for stuff to get ticked about. Everybody has different methods so if you're nitpicking then you'd always have something to complain about. Being fully at peace with the selection helps alleviate that a lot.i will say- the first few weeks sucks, you can't judge the experience on the first month or so and just have to push past the getting-used-to-it part. Then it gets soooo much better.</p> <p>As for how they all sleep in the same room, I have no idea how they do it but it doesn't seem to be a problem! Never has been. Who knows! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713506 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:57:10 +0000 MamaCate 713506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@googly-eyes: I remember being so nervous about LO starting daycare nearly a year ago but now we are so happy with the choices we have made and the experiences she gets to have there. We love our center and the peace of mind that I have that she is safely cared for and loved while I am at work makes it possible for me to WOH FT. She started at 5 months after two months home with my mom after my maternity leave.</p> <p>My LO was not a good napper and this continued through the infant room, but she seemed happy and content so it never became a huge issue. Many other kids in the room took longer age-appropriate naps--it just seemed like my LO did not want to miss anything, which is a tradeoff with the ondemand schedule that most infant rooms have. Now that she is in the toddler room, they all nap at the same time and her naps are a lot longer. </p> <p>Let me know if you have questions I can answer. It does help to be picky at the beginning! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713493 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:44:52 +0000 googly-eyes 713493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AprilK: Maybe it's that I have been to a few but not one I liked that's the problem! The thing that scared me was all the babies in the same room- how can they possibly fall asleep?! I'd definitely want her to be out and exposed to more people frequently by age 1.5-2 though.</p> <p>@edelweiss: I'm sure it will be ok! I think we will both just have to dive in! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713422 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:42:55 +0000 edelweiss 713422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AprilK: this makes me feel better. i know in my head that the daycare staff has way more experience with babies and i'll probably learn from them on how to improve LO's naps, but i'm nervous anyway. thanks so much for your response. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713405 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:35:37 +0000 AprilK 713405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son was the worst napper before daycare but they had him on a schedule in no time. There are some really positive things about him being cared for by people who know babies and really love them. I have always loved our daycares and we have had great experiences. There have been times that they may not do something the way I would but if it really bothers me I say something and they adjust. Sometime I even adopt their way bc after thinking about it, it seems better. So I would say don't worry! As long as you are comfortable with them when you pick them then that is most important. Tour daycares until you find one that clicks to you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713365 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:56:56 +0000 edelweiss 713365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i'm curious to hear other's responses. LO starts daycare on tuesday and i'm really nervous about his napping--he is the opposite of a good napper and i worry that he's not going to get enough sleep at daycare.</p> <p>i know this isn't helpful, but there are pros and cons to either option, and there is no wrong decision for you. for me, i always knew that LO would have to go to daycare, and i figure if tons of kids have done it before him, he can do it too and turn out just fine. plus i think the exposure to other people/babies/environments is a good thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-you-had-a-good-experience-with-daycare#post-713338 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:25:04 +0000 googly-eyes 713338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Long story short, it appears that MIL-care is not going to happen, which is ok. It was her idea and I got used to it, but it looks as though if I want to get a job we will have to go the daycare route. We can't afford a nanny.</p> <p>LO takes good naps and she's never had to adhere to a leaving the house first thing in the morning, daycare kind of schedule. (Neither have I and that's probably the real scare!) She's never been sick and I know that would quickly change with daycare. Also, even the 4:1 ratio makes me a little nervous, even though LO is pretty "independent."</p> <p>(ETA I'm worried she won't nap at daycare- she currently naps in her crib with a sound machine and a nap routine.)</p> <p>I guess I'm just looking to hear whether you think doing daycare would be worth starting a new job, or whether I should just stay at home for maybe the rest of the first year. </p> <p>Opinions? Stories? </p>