We understand how stressful it can be when you have to spend long hours apart from your baby for the first time. It’s common and normal for some parents and babies to feel anxious about the changes.
Wondering how to prepare your baby so the transition to infant care can be a smoother one? Find out how to keep calm as you take on the infant care preparation task with confidence.
How to prepare your baby before starting infant care in Singapore
1. Visit the infant care centre with your baby
Before your baby’s first day, schedule a visit to the infant care centre to introduce your child to the new environment and her new carers. Doing so allows your baby to have an idea about the new space and arrangements. For parents, you get to familiarise yourself with the routine, meet the caregivers, and observe how they interact with the children on a regular day.
2. Start the new routine at home
There are ways for parents to introduce familiarity and consistency to your baby so that she adapts more easily when she starts infant care. Start establishing a consistent routine at home that mirrors the infant care’s schedule. This can include feeding, sleeping, and playtime routines.
3. Practice separation
If your child has never been away from you for several hours before, it would be helpful to start practicing short periods of separation from him/her. Next, gradually increase the duration over time and if possible, for as long as the intended duration your child will be at the infant care centre for. Leave her with someone he/she knows so they feel safe in your absence.
4. Communicate with caregivers
Before your baby’s first day, you can share important information such as their feeding schedule, sleep preferences, and any special needs or preferences he/she may have, with the infant care educarers. It would also be helpful to share any concerns you may have; your child’s likes or dislikes or certain behaviours that he/she may display under different situations. Keeping an open communication can help ensure that your baby's needs are met while he/she is at infant care, and establishes trust between parents and educarers too.
5. Pack in a comfort item
Does your baby have a favourite blanket or stuffed toy? Having familiar objects can provide comfort and security in a new environment. Do pack it into your child’s diaper bag as part of your infant care preparation too.
6. Pack and check
Do you have an infant care preparation checklist from the educarers? To keep things organised, pack a diaper bag with all the essentials your baby will need for their day, including diapers, breastmilk or formula milk powder, wipes, a change of clothes, blanket, and any comfort items they may need. Be sure to follow any guidelines provided by the infant care centre for packing items.
7. Label baby’s belongings
It may sound like you’re preparing for a camp, but labelling your baby’s belongings can help prevent mix-ups. Label all milk bottles, breastmilk packs, formula milk containers, pacifiers, blankets, and clothing, with his or her name. This also helps caregivers to ensure that items are returned to the right child daily.
8. Create a special drop off and pick up ritual
Separation anxiety is common and a part of your child’s developmental milestone. To help ease your child’s fear, try establishing a fun goodbye ritual that you can use each day when you drop your baby off at infant care. This can be a special hug and kiss, a short song or rhyme, or blow flying kisses through the window.
When you return at the end of the day to pick your child up, use comforting words like, “See, mummy is here to pick you!” and give them a big hug. Science has shown that hugging triggers the release of oxytocin, which helps balance out the stress both parent and child might be holding in all day. Consistency in your drop off and pick up mannerisms can help reassure your baby that you will return despite the hours apart.
9. Stay positive amidst the infant care preparation
Maintain a positive attitude about infant care and the experiences your baby will have there. It’s more than just having someone to feed, make her sleep and change her diapers – babies pick up many essential skills at infant care too. Babies are highly attuned to their parents' emotions, so staying calm and positive can help reassure your baby that daycare is a safe and fun place to be.
10. Take care of yourself too
Finally, don't forget to take care of yourself during this transition period. It's normal to feel emotional about leaving your baby with someone else for the first time. For some mums, they may feel guilty about having to return to work after maternity leave ends. See things from a new light that your baby is receiving care and learning more about her world with other children and adults too.
Nurturing Our Infant Care Babies with Our Hearts at Little Footprints Preschool
At the heart of nurturing babies’ holistic development from a tender age, our educarers at the Little Footprints Preschool infant care centres are guided by the C.A.R.E Philosophy. C.A.R.E. stands for Caregiving, Authenticity, Relationships, and Engagement, each playing an instrumental role in providing a nurturing, responsive environment where every child is respected, supported, establishing strong bonds between our children, parents and our educarers.
Visit the nearest Little Footprints Preschool centre with infant care services to find out more.
Follow us on social media to stay updated on our latest updates and happenings: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
