How to prepare your baby for daycare
Entering daycare can be a monumental step for both you and your child. Preparing yourself and your little one for this change can significantly ease the transition, making it a positive experience for everyone involved. Here are some essential steps to help you and your child get ready for daycare.
Exposing Your Baby to the New Environment and People
Before the official start date, arrange several visits to the daycare center with your child, or enquire whether they do short orientation settings (leaving baby for short periods of time) to gradually introduce your baby to the daycare setting. This will give your baby the opportunity to become familiar with the new surroundings and the caregivers they will be interacting with. Observing the daily activities and routines can make the environment feel more familiar and less intimidating, for both you and your baby.
If possible, try to arrange some visits to daycare when your baby is due for a feed. It can be helpful to observe how your baby feeds in a new, highly stimulating environment; if your baby does have difficulty maintaining focus while feeding, you can then work on exposing your baby to feeding with distractions while at home.
Gradually introduce your baby to the daycare staff. Building a rapport with the caregivers can help your child feel more comfortable and secure. You can start with brief visits and gradually increase the time spent at the daycare. This will allow your baby to form positive associations with the new people in their life.
Try incorporating some of the daycare’s routines into your daily schedule at home. This may include meal times, nap times, and playtimes that align with the daycare’s schedule. Consistency and familiarity can help your child adjust more quickly to the new environment.
Managing Feeding Needs in Daycare
Discuss your baby’s feeding schedule, preferences, and any dietary restrictions with the daycare staff. Provide detailed instructions on how to prepare and serve your baby’s meals if required, such as if your baby has a medical condition and can only have soft or pureed food.
If your baby has a history of a feeding aversion, or you are currently in the process of resolving their feeding aversion, it can be helpful to provide a short summary of Rowena Bennett’s feeding aversion program (such as the Carer’s Feeding Guide) or a copy of her book, “Your Baby’s Bottle-Feeding Aversion: Reasons and Solutions”. This will ensure that staff are aware of the best feeding practices to support your baby in developing, or maintaining, a positive bottle-feeding experience.
Be sure to include information relevant to your baby such as what their refusal/rejection cues look like, how they are currently being fed (position), and what caregivers can expect when feeding. A templated document such as this can be helpful to capture this information.
Overall, it’s important to emphasise the importance of not forcing your baby to drink against their will and to respect their cues. Clear communication is key to ensuring that your baby’s feeding needs are met consistently.
If your baby is bottle-fed, make sure to provide enough bottles and formula or breast milk for the day. Label everything clearly with your baby’s name and any special instructions. It might be helpful to practice having someone else feed your baby with a bottle to get them accustomed to being fed by someone other than you. If possible, letting another caregiver (such as your partner or a grandparent) feed your baby for all feeds over several consecutive days will fast-track them to becoming accustomed to others. You might also be able to work with the daycare centre and schedule visits or multiple orientation sessions during the times that your baby needs to be fed and allowing the daycare staff the opportunity to do this.
If your baby is transitioning to solid foods, inform the daycare staff about any new foods your baby is trying and any known allergies. Speak with the daycare centre and find out what types of foods they provide for the children in their care, and how these foods are served. Are they pre-packaged snacks and meals, or are they freshly cooked within the centre’s kitchen? Providing a list of foods your baby enjoys can also help the caregivers offer meals that are both nutritious and enjoyable for your little one.
It's important to ask how the daycare approaches feeding solid meals, particularly if your child has a history of a feeding aversion - do staff spoon feed babies, or do they allow babies to self-feed and adopt a baby-led weaning approach?
As with bottle-feeding, it’s important to communicate what your baby’s needs are and how they respond best at mealtimes. If your baby has a history of challenging or aversive behaviour towards solid foods, helping the daycare staff understand the importance of respectful, baby-led feeding practices will be necessary to prevent further feeding difficulties.
Setting Your Baby Up for Sleeping Success
Establishing a reliable sleeping routine is essential as your baby transitions to daycare. Consistency between your home and the daycare environment can help your little one adjust more smoothly and support their overall well-being.
First, communicate with the daycare staff about your baby’s typical sleep schedule, preferred sleep cues, and any rituals you use at home, such as a special lullaby, comfort toy, or white noise. Sharing details about your baby’s usual nap times and sleep habits allows caregivers to mimic familiar routines, helping your baby feel more secure.
If your baby sleeps in a darkened or quiet room at home, ask if the daycare can accommodate similar conditions, such as dimming the lights or playing gentle background noise during nap times. Providing a favourite sleep sack, blanket, or comfort item can offer additional reassurance and signal to your baby that it’s time for rest, even in a new setting.
To encourage consistency, start aligning your baby’s nap times at home with the daycare’s schedule in the weeks leading up to their first day. Gradually shifting your routine can help your baby’s body clock adapt, minimising disruptions when daycare begins.
Keep in mind that some variability is inevitable, especially in the early days. Your baby might sleep less or more at daycare as they adjust to new sounds, surroundings, and caregivers. If your baby finds it challenging to settle, discuss soothing techniques with staff and consider introducing familiar calming routines at home and in the centre.
Above all, be patient. Adjustment takes time, and small setbacks are normal. With clear communication, gentle transitions, and a focus on your baby’s individual needs, you can help create a supportive sleep environment—both at home and in daycare—that fosters healthy rest and development.
What to Expect When Your Baby Returns Home
Allow Time for Adjustment
Understand that the transition to daycare can be tiring and overwhelming for your baby. When they return home, they may need extra comfort and reassurance. Allow time for cuddling, quiet play, and perhaps an earlier bedtime to help them unwind and relax.
Maintain Open Communication
Keep the lines of communication open with the daycare staff. Regularly check in to discuss your baby’s progress, any concerns, and what activities they enjoyed during the day. This feedback can give you valuable insights into your baby’s experiences and help you support their transition.
Monitor Feeding and Sleeping Patterns
Be aware that your baby’s feeding and sleeping patterns may be disrupted initially. They may eat less or more during the day or have trouble settling down at night. Patience is key during this period of adjustment. Consistency in your home routine can help your baby adapt more smoothly.
Conclusion
Preparing yourself and your baby for daycare is a significant step that requires careful planning and a lot of patience. By familiarizing your baby with the new environment and people, managing feeding challenges effectively, supporting sleep and knowing what to expect when your baby returns home, you can ensure a smoother transition for both you and your little one. Embrace this new chapter with confidence, knowing that your preparation will help your child thrive in their new setting.
How Baby Care Advice can help
We appreciate that unless you have extensive experience in child development and understand the impact that different infant feeding and settling practices can have on a baby’s behavior, it can be difficult to know how and where to start to resolve a baby care problem. There are multiple ways in which we can help you gain a greater understanding of your baby’s needs and your role as your baby’s parent and caregiver.
Rowena Bennett’s parenting books
Written with the insights of decades of experience and backed by current evidence and research, Rowena’s books on healthy sleep practices, bottle-feeding aversion and baby-led feeding principles provide parents with a wealth of practical advice and information to help guide them through their baby care problems. Available in hard copy and e-books through our website and leading online book retailers.
Baby Care Advice Consultations
Baby Care Advice consultants have extensive experience in providing parenting education and assisting parents to resolve feeding and sleeping problems that affect healthy babies. A Baby Care Advice consultation will assist you to explore all possible reasons for your healthy baby’s discontentment. The information, guidance and advice you receive will help you to gain greater confidence in your ability to accurately interpret your baby’s behavioral cues and provide for their needs. For more on our consultation services visit here .
Baby Care Advice Online Programs
Our online content delivers valuable information in video format, designed for busy parents who are struggling to find time to read a book. Our programs are based on the principles of baby-led feeding and respect and provide a gentle and nurturing approach to building a positive, sustainable feeding practice with your baby.
By Rowena Bennett, RN, RM, CHN, MHN, IBCLC.