How to Select a Child/Day Care for Your Baby

Few mothers are able to take their babies to work and be with them all day. Some, not all, companies do have a day care, but it's not common. Not every mother has the option of leaving their baby with the father or another relative. There are a lot of mothers out there that have to search around for the best high-quality child care service. Finding the best that will make you and your baby happy could take time.

Ask yourself before deciding on a child care facility.

-Do I want my baby's care giver to come to my home or even live in my home?
-Do I want a child care service near my home/work?
-Do I want someone who can bring my baby to work, so I can nurse him?
-Do I really want someone who also looks after other children?

What to look for.

-Cleanliness. How clean is the play area? You don't want your baby coming home sick each time you pick him up.
-Hazards. Are there any dangers? Check for exposed outlets, sharp edges, faulty toys, choking hazards, unstable shelves and bookcases.
-Authorities. How many children to how many adults? You don't want your baby to be one of 16 children to one care giver. There are legal issues if there are too many children and not enough watchers. One person can only take care of so many toddlers.
-Neglect. Will your baby be ignored? Again, check the number of babies vs. the number of adults watching them. Ask what the schedule is like, how much attention will they give your baby specifically.
-Other factors. Are you forgetting anything? Get as much information as possible about every child care facility and every person working there. Even about the other children, their behavior. This will help you to pick the best one suited for your needs.

Interview the care givers.

Don't be afraid to ask them anything and everything that you want to know. Even if you think it's not important, finding out about their character will let you know more about how they will treat your baby. Get a list of referrals, call them and get their opinions on the good and the bad. And always trust your intuition, if your gut is telling you no, then move on till you feel one that is right.
Ask them questions like:

-Are you licensed?
-How many children do you care for at one time?
-What are your rates?
-When is the payment due?
-How do you handle missed days?
-What do you do when a child is sick?
-Do you accept other kids while they are sick? (If so, your baby could get sick also.)
-Who will take care of my baby if you are not there?

Don't be shy, check out everything. After all this is the place your baby will be playing, without your watchful eye supervising.

Be clear about what you want and what you need. Let them know your rules and even your style of caring after your baby. If you plan to breast feed, alert them. You will need to pack enough, possibly extra, stored milk.
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Observe a session so you can see how the care givers interact with the other kids, especially babies. Everyone is different and you want to choose someone that you can trust.

Be sure they give your baby excellent physical care, are very gentle, and he's in a clean environment. They should be warm and affectionate to your baby, not cold and neglectful.