Gearing up for your child's first week of Infant care

After three years of COVID, we like you never thought this day would come — prepping for back to school. If you’re grappling with how best to transition your baby from being at home to being in their new daycare, you’re not alone. Here are some tips and products that keep this transition stress-free (and germ-free!) as possible.

Infant Daycare Checklist

Most childcare providers will provide you with a list of what they will and will not provide. Make sure you ask for an outline of what they expect you to provide but here are the basics:

Things to Pack Daily in their Diaper Bag:

• Bottles – Depending on how old your baby is you will want to pack a bottle for about every 3 hours. This can be frozen breast milk or baby formula.
• I typically sent 4 bottles with my son just in case. Most days he only took 3. All bottles need to be labeled with baby’s name, date and preparation notes.
• Baby Food – Depending on how old your baby is, you will likely need to provide infant cereal and baby food daily. We do try to provide snacks if baby needs them, but we find parents packing their own lunches is best to avoid allergy's.
• If you label each jar or container with your baby’s name, date, and time of day, our care givers try their best to make sure your infant gets feed the right food at the right time of day.
• Additional Snacks – Talk to your provider about their policy on this but you may want to send some additional snack for your baby. Maybe sliced fruit, cheerios, or a teething biscuit. Make sure you give strict instructions on when to offer these so not to interfere with normal feeds. You will need to label any snacks with your baby’s name and date.
• Bibs & Burp Cloths– If you have ever used a baby bib before then you know how gross they get after one feeding. Make sure to provide one for each feeding. Take them home daily and provide fresh ones the next day. Each bib/cloth needs to be labeled with your baby’s name. Send a few extra if your baby has a spit-up problem.
• Pacifier or Lovey – If your baby takes a paci or has a favorite “lovey” (blanket, toy, etc), send it daily and bring it home daily to clean. Again, have it labeled with you baby’s name on it, if possible.
• To clean their favorite toy or object each day consider a Nursery Sanitizer. Here's one that seems ideal for larger objects (link)
• Sippy Cup/ Water Bottle – If you are starting your baby on a sippy cup, I recommend sending 2 with them daily. They will need to be labeled of course, as they get older just one bottle for water will suffice.

Things to Provide Weekly:

• Crib Sheets/Blankets – Some child care providers will allow you to provide a crib sheet and or blanket depending on age. At Alpha Kids we provide crib sheets but recommend that parent(s) pack a blanket for nap time and wash it each week upon their return.
• I sent new sheets and a blanket on Mondays and took them home Fridays to wash; so they stayed there all week. You will need to label all sheets and blankets with your child’s name or label the bag in which you drop them off in. A simple duffle or zipLock Tote is most effective.
• Diapers – Typically you will send a pack or two of diapers at a time and your provider will notify you when you are running low. Some daycares provide diapers, some providers may want you to send diapers daily and not keep them on site so be sure you clarify. You can simply write your child’s name on the package of diapers.
• Wipes – Just like with diapers, send a container of wipes. It will be labeled with your baby’s name and refilled as needed. Some Infant care facilities provide wipes, make sure to ask.
• Diaper Cream – Great item to ensure they have on hand for your baby. You can give instructions on when to use the cream/powder.  Some parents prefer baby powder or just Vaseline. This is an item that you won’t be replacing often, so provide it once and you are good to go. Label with your baby’s name and any instructions you have.
• Sunscreen and Hat – Make sure you provide sunscreen for your baby. I prefer a simple stick although lotion is just as effective. If you prefer you could also lotion your child before drooping them off each day.
• Extra Clothes – This is a must as any parent of a baby knows. Depending on how messy your child might be, plan to provide at least 3 changes of clothes and extra shoes if need be. I typically took the extra clothes home every few weeks to switch them out and wash. At Alpha Kids we will give you any soiled clothes when you pick your child up and you just bring a replacement in the next day to replenish your kid's stash. You will need to label all clothes, jackets, shoes. A simple sharpie to the tag will do but they also sell clothing labels that work well too.

Prescription Medication

•  Any medicine your baby requires should be properly labeled and instructions should be given. Not only dosage but also frequency too. Don't forget to mention if it needs refrigeration.

This seems like a lot but if you can master these things the transition will get easier.  As the child ages, the amount of stuff you need to provide daily or weekly will diminish, and so will any apprehension.