Infant: Daycare or nanny?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I'm a FTM and new to DC My LO will be 6 months in June and I am struggling to choose between either a daycare (or at-home daycare?) and a nanny/nanny share. For those who have done either option for an infant - what would you recommend for a 6m+ baby? And if there are any good daycare options that you could vouch for (I am in Edgewood NE DC) - please share, so that I don't start from scratch Thanks so much!!

[Anonymous]

I would do nanny or nanny share. I sent my first to daycare (which we loved!) but she was home half the time because she was constantly sick and it really impacted my job and parenting negatively. I didn’t realize this until I got a nanny for #2. There’s so just much pressure when you have to work and watch your kid. Wish we splurged on the nanny even though the small at-home daycare was lovely.

[Anonymous]

We’ve done nanny shares for all three of our kids with great success. Yes, it’s a little more expensive than daycare, but less illness, much better sleep, and a home environment. I’m a big fan.

[Anonymous]

Nanny

Late for daycare pick up pain in the neck.
Sick all the time

Not saying you will be late if an emergency occurs best not to worry.

[Anonymous]

Our DC started at a daycare center (out in Rockville so not helpful to you) at 5 months and have no regrets. We preferred not having to deal with being an employer and appreciated the oversight of the daycare (with a director and multiple employees). Our baby loved daycare, smiled a ton, got lots of love and attention from the caregivers. We were fortunate that DC did not get sick often, so we were fine on that point. Our DC stayed at the same small center until elementary school and I think that consistency was great. We were lucky that our center had very low turnover and the teachers all seemed happy to be there.

I will say that the process of taking baby to daycare and picking up every day was exhausting. As DC got older it was much easier, but with a baby it felt like 2 hours of each day were spent dealing with getting baby to and from daycare. So I totally get how having a nanny might be nice in that respect.

[Anonymous]

Nanny. Don’t underestimate how much time it takes to get out of the house with a baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve done nanny shares for all three of our kids with great success. Yes, it’s a little more expensive than daycare, but less illness, much better sleep, and a home environment. I’m a big fan.

This. If you can afford nanny or nanny share would be easier for you as parents. Less illness, a bit more flexibility, especially if your own nanny.

[Anonymous]

The consistency of the relationship with a nanny is much better for the baby’s development. Often center based care has staff turnover and changes that you can’t control. Your baby will sleep better and get sick less at home. Look for a warm nurturing nanny!

[Anonymous]

Piggy backing on OP's question, when is a good age to send LO to school? We currently have a nanny for the reasons mentioned above (better sleep, less illness, more personalized care, etc.), but we have an opportunity to send DC to preschool at 16 months. Currently on the fence about whether to keep the nanny and wait a year for school or start DC in school at 16 months, because that still seems a little young for a full day of school (we would have to put DC in after care). Would DC still benefit from being at home with a nanny at 16 months or would the benefits of being in school outweigh the benefits of being at home?

[Anonymous]

We have a nanny and put both of our kids in school starting at age 2 and 22 months. For the 22 month old we kept it to just two mornings a week so we could keep the nanny and make it work financially. Keeping the nanny was critical for dealing with sick days - even if you delay it by having a nanny at first, your kid will still get sick once they enter school (just not as much if they are a little older and it’s easier to deal with, in our case). It also worked out for our first that she could end the day at 3 pm and nanny handled pick up. I do think going until 5 is a long day for a 2 year old, but I’m sure they get used to it as all our friends with kids in daycare have had positive experiences. We just really valued the flexibility with the nanny!

[Anonymous]

I would not start at 16 months. Keep the nanny for another year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Piggy backing on OP's question, when is a good age to send LO to school? We currently have a nanny for the reasons mentioned above (better sleep, less illness, more personalized care, etc.), but we have an opportunity to send DC to preschool at 16 months. Currently on the fence about whether to keep the nanny and wait a year for school or start DC in school at 16 months, because that still seems a little young for a full day of school (we would have to put DC in after care). Would DC still benefit from being at home with a nanny at 16 months or would the benefits of being in school outweigh the benefits of being at home?

16 months is not preschool, regardless of them calling it that. It’s daycare..

[Anonymous]

Caregiver stability in the first three years is beneficial. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7793551/

Quality and stability both matter.

My background is as a RN, but I have worked in a gold standard AMI Montessori toddler environment. A high quality program. However, it can’t be as responsive as toddlers under age 2 need, simply because of the fact that there are ~4 toddlers per adult. My own child will start at age 3.

[Anonymous]

Nanny definitely.
Less sick, one to one attention can engage much more, in own home, no ride hassle.

[Anonymous]

I am an old mother so in those days I did a full-time, one on one nanny. Today, I would do day care.

Being an employer sucks. And I like the multiple eyes of day care.

Even if you manage people at work, this is different. And we had two outstanding nannies and two less-than over 6+ years.