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Daycares definitely don't run to pick up a crying baby thats for sure. Did you know the teachers were doing while the crying was going on? I would be bothered if they were just sitting there doing nothing, but if they were in the middle of a task that would be understandable.
When I have had an infant child what I usually do if I see a crying baby that seems unattended I walk over and talk to the baby and that usually gets a teacher there asap.
Having said all that you have to trust your gut. I had issues with my son's daycare and i really wanted to like it since the DD in thr older class loved it but just didnt feel fully right, we moved to a new home and switched daycares and all my concerns disappeared and I can't believe how uncaring some of the old teachers seem in comparison to the new place

Can you do more midday drop-ins?

When mine were in infant, even if the teachers were busy, they would not let babies cry (not fuss) without verbally reassuring them by name. The teachers didn't seem concerned that you were there watching unattended crying, so that to me seems to add up to that it's either normal there (does the school have guidelines for this?) or an excuse like the babies were just starting daycare/transitioning in.

I used to be able to drop in on lunch, parent visitors are frequent at our location, and I never saw babies crying for lengths of time that made me uncomfortable. I would definitely want to know more.

Yes, this would upset me. Sometimes babies cry and there's nothing that can be done to soothe them, and sometimes teachers are just covered up and will get to the baby as soon as they can, but in this case it seems like the teachers just aren't trying. Our daycare actually has policy that babies can not be left to cry in their cribs for more than 5 minutes which I remember because they told me that the teachers basically can't do CIO with your kid if they cry for more than 5 minutes before settling.

This would def bother me and I'd ask about it. And depending on the answer and how I felt about it I'd decide from there.

I would trust your gut too, but maybe do a little more "investigating" before finalizing a decision. Maybe next time casually chat about how boy, these babies are like that every time I stop by! Are they ok? And see what they say?

agree with pp's that there can be many variables that factor into these kinds of decisions, but as you describe this particular scenario: yes, this would upset me, and I'm sure you've noticed in all the daycare threads on HB that the predominant theme/conclusion is *always* "go with your gut". I think if I were you I'd switch to one of the new ones and not look back. also, he's still so little that I don't think this will impact him much. no advice on which one of the new ones as I don't know the nuances of those centers and your feeling of urgency that something isn't good at your current place. are you for sure going to still be in your city for the next year plus? maybe that factors in, too. finding childcare that you feel good about is the most stressful thing I can think of--when I was looking for a new daycare/nanny/sitter situation for our upcoming move I would wake up in the middle of the night worrying about it, so I feel you. just make a decision that you think is best and you will settle into it.
ETA I'm sure you've done this, but throwing it out there that talking to parents who send/sent their kids to the new daycares is invaluable. I did that and also made a fake Facebook profile just to join a (huge) local moms group so I could research if anyone had anything positive/negative to say about the places I was looking at. I've also been a reference for people shopping and considering our current daycare that we're about to move away from, and I've been very honest about what I like and dislike--I think most moms would be. hang in there

@periwinklebee: I am always for trusting your gut with regards to childcare, but I would ask for context via the director.

For what its worth, at my kids' daycare, a baby would never be left to cry for 15 minutes and they have recently talked about limiting the on-boarding of new toddlers into our youngest child's room even though there is capacity because the transition period is so hard for the babies (and the teachers) that they require a lot more hands-on attention from the teachers to keep them from crying so much and that if they moved to capacity and had that many crying babies, it would be untenable for the teachers. Essentially, they want more time to transition this current set of newbies and then delay bringing more kids off the waitlist until the newbs are settled.

@periwinklebee: I hope you will be able to get a little more info that way! I know for DD2's room currently, all the kids are pretty clingy. Every time anyone walks in for pick up they all congregate by the front and start crying lol.

@periwinklebee: I think someone above made a great point that you would expect the teachers to at least be talking to the babies, even half heartedly, to get them to settle or at least say "I know, baby, ill be there in a minute" almost for your benefit? If that makes sense. That's what Ill do at work, as a pedi nurse, if I don't have parents with my patients, and they all decide to cry at once, I do talk to them from across the room (its a nursery set up with 5 cribs in one room separated by curtains), and even more so if another patient has parents that are listening in. I don't want the babies to cry of course but I also don't want anyone to think I am neglecting them... if that makes sense.

@periwinklebee: ugh yeah, that makes it really tough to decide. I thought the June place requires a year long contract though? I suppose one way to look at it is if you just have no way of knowing yet whether you'll be there long term, you could plan as if you were going to be--then if you stay, great, and if you guys move, then you'll just have gone through some stressful/annoying rigmarole which ultimately will be water under the bridge.

I would want to keep monitoring the situation. My first reaction is that 15 min does seem like a long time for full wailing/crying with absolutely no interaction/acknowledgment from adults.

It could be that certain babies are just "higher maintenance" than others and it's also possible they are assigned to a particular teacher (that's how it was where I worked) and it could be more of a matter of how the teachers interact (which may or may not be something you can live with.) Another perspective on the teachers not jumping in could be that the "low maintenance" babies are still being interacted with rather than just being left alone because they don't cry a lot.

All this depends on a lot of different factors that could be affecting the class dynamics and the moods of the babies so I'd just want to keep observing for a bit. Ultimately it's you that has to be ok with leaving your child in their care.

Omg this breaks my heart!!! A 3 month old is still like a tiny newborn and shouldn’t be left alone to cry it out I would steer clear of daycare centres for such a young age and have a nanny for at least the first year or two so baby could have one on one care.

Yes, this would bother me a lot and would be a deal breaker. I get some babies cry more than others, but no, I would not be okay with babies being left that long to cry. I could have seen this being my first DD and it would have broken my heart. No, just no!

@periwinklebee: yay!!!

@periwinklebee: I am so glad to hear you have a plan that you feel good about! I think some transitions this first year are tolerable if it gets you to a long term good fit. My friend just transitioned her 2 y/o twins from an in home to a center and it has been challenging.

@periwinklebee: great update, I'm glad you can move to a better center!