A Mommy's Guide to Getting Baby Ready for Daycare

For working mothers, sending your baby to daycare can be a traumatic experience. Leaving your little one in the care of strangers, however qualified they may be, still means missing precious hours of your baby's life. On the other hand, returning to the working world can be rewarding, and in most cases necessary to sustain a family's quality of life.

Sometimes just being prepared for a situation can make a big difference in the quality of the experience. If you know that you have provided everything you can to make your baby's daycare experience a successful and happy one, then you can rest assured that your baby will have everything she needs. Here are a few things that you can do to get your baby ready for daycare.

Getting Your Baby Ready for Daycare: Read your Daycare's Handbook

The first, and perhaps the most important, task in getting your baby ready for daycare is to read and be familiar with the policies and procedures required by your daycare. Most daycares have a policies and procedures manual for new clients that explain the basics. There will likely be a section on whether meals are provided, where to park, what security details you must know, and what the daycare's hours are.

In addition, there may be information on when to keep your child home in the event of illness, how to label food or bottles you bring to daycare, and what disciplinary policies the daycare has (such as how they deal with biting in the infant room). Ask any questions you have about these important issues now, before your baby's first day.

Getting Your Baby Ready for Daycare: Know the Contact Information

Make sure you know the phone number for the daycare's main office, your child's room assignment, and the phone number for your child's room. If the director of the daycare has her own extension or phone number, keep the number with the important contact information in case you need to discuss a problem that you cannot work out directly with your child's teacher.

Find out the daycare's policy for who you should call if your child is ill and will not be attending daycare for the day. Put all of the important contact information in a place where you can access it easily, like your planner or in your cell phone or Blackberry.

Getting Your Baby Ready for Daycare: Write a Note to your Baby's Teacher

Your baby is unique. Even though she/he may not be able to talk yet, you know your baby's special signals for "I'm sleepy," "I'm hungry," or "I'm wet." Find a way to verbalize your baby's signals and write them down for your child's daycare teacher. For instance, my baby son has a high-pitched, shrieking, loud cry when he is very tired and having trouble falling asleep.

The cry will only last a minute or two, but it can be pretty disturbing and unexpected if you do not know what it is. When he is crying like this, the only thing that will comfort him is to be held belly to belly and rocked from side to side. I put all of this in a note to my baby's daycare teacher, and she was able to comfort him on his first day of daycare.

Getting Your Baby Ready for Daycare: Pack the Essentials

Your daycare may provide a list of essential items that you should bring with your baby on the first day. These items may include extra premixed formula or frozen breast milk, blankets, bibs, burp cloths, a pacifier (if your baby uses one), a few extra outfits (including socks), diapers, and wipes. Pack all of these essentials in a spare diaper bag and have them ready well before your baby's first day. Having these items packed is one less thing to worry about on that difficult first day.

Getting Your Baby Ready for Daycare: Finalize Last Minute Details

A week or so before your baby's first day of daycare, review any materials provided by the daycare and make sure that you have completed all of the necessary paperwork. This paperwork may include verification of required immunizations, a doctor's note for required medications, or authorizations for emergency medical transportation. Complete and submit this paperwork before your child's first day to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Getting Your Baby Ready for Daycare: Take a Comfort Object

Does your baby have a favorite stuffed animal, toy, or blanket? If possible, get a second duplicate item and let you're your baby snuggle with it well before her first day of daycare. If your daycare allows it, take the item to school with your baby so that she has something familiar that reminds her of home and of you.