Searching for quality day care for infants is the most challenging task parents ever have. As a parent looking for infant daycare cumming GA, you want to ensure your infant is safe, loved, and nurtured while at work. But how do you find a high-quality daycare center you can trust for your little one?
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about choosing the right day care for your infant. We’ll cover what to look for, questions to ask, and tips to ensure you find a center that meets your baby’s needs.
Touring Day Care Facilities
The first step is touring potential day care centers in your area. Visit each one to get a feel for the environment and staff. As you walk through, consider the following:
Cleanliness
Infants put everything in their mouths, so cleanliness is critical. Look for tidy rooms, clean floors, and a lack of dirt in high-traffic areas. The facility should disinfect toys and surfaces regularly. Dirty conditions are a red flag.
Safety
Your baby’s safety is paramount. Infant rooms should have complete childproofing for all the areas including electrical outlets, secure furniture, baby gates on stairs, and protected hot water tanks. Ensure proper supervision with enough staff to watch each child closely. Also, check for security measures like sign-in procedures for authorized adults.
Staff Interactions
Observe how teachers engage with the infants. Do they get down on the baby’s level to play and make eye contact? Or are the babies left alone in bouncers and swings too much? Positive, attentive interactions nurture infant development.
Age Grouping
The best infant care groups babies from 6 weeks to 18 months together to meet their unique needs. Avoid places that group infants with much older toddlers. The activity level shouldn’t overwhelm your baby.
Questions to Ask the Day Care Director
Schedule an interview with the director of each daycare you tour. Come prepared with questions like:
- What is the teacher-to-baby ratio? Look for one teacher for every 3 to 4 infants.
- What training and education does the infant staff have? Teachers should have SIDS and safe sleep training. Early childhood education is preferred.
- What curriculum do you follow for infants? It should focus on healthy development through play, communication, and nurturing care.
- How do you comfort upset babies? Seek warm, responsive techniques like rocking, holding, and singing over, letting them “cry it out.”
- How do you communicate with parents? Daily reports via an app or written forms are ideal.
Ask thorough questions until you understand their infant care philosophy inside and out. This helps determine the best fit.
Top Practices To Look For At A Day Care For Infants
The highest-quality infant daycares tailor all their practices to a baby’s needs in the first year of life. Here are the top things to look for:
Primary Caregiving
Each teacher is assigned certain infants to care for consistently. This allows strong bonds to form, which enhance babies’ emotional development and security. Rotating teachers weekly can undermine this attachment.
Low Teacher Turnover
High turnover is unsettling for infants who thrive on consistency. Prioritize centers with minimal churn rate and tenured teachers in the infant room.
Tummy Time
Infants need daily “tummy time” while awake to build neck, arm, and core strength. Ensure the center dedicates time to this important activity.
Safe Sleep
All babies should be placed on their backs to sleep – it dramatically reduces SIDS risk. Ensure the center follows safe sleep standards. No loose bedding should be present.
Breastfeeding Support
A breastfeeding-friendly facility provides a comfortable, private area for moms to nurse or pump milk to feed babies while separated.
Infant Daily Schedule and Activities
The day care’s schedule and activities should nurture development, not just fill time. Ask the director to explain a typical infant day. It should include:
- Breastmilk or formula feedings based on each baby’s needs
- Nap times that allow for individual wake/sleep cycles
- Tummy time and other developmentally appropriate play
- Verbal interactions, songs, and reading to stimulate language
- Holding and individual attention
- Diapering and cleanliness routines
The schedule should balance stimulating activities with adequate rest based on each infant’s cues. Rigid timing prevents individualized care.
Visit Potential Providers Multiple Times
Don’t rely on your first impression. Visit potential infant day cares at different times of day and assess any differences. Pay attention to how staff interact with your child specifically. Ask if you can spend an hour or two with your baby on-site to observe. The more you evaluate first-hand, the better your final decision will be.
Trust Your Instincts
In addition to the checklist of factors, the single most important consideration is your gut feeling. You know your baby best. If a daycare feels right and you intuitively trust the staff with your infant, that matters. Listen to your inner voice above any words on paper.
Akers Academy – Best Day Care for Infants
At Akers Academy infant daycare Alpharetta GA, we understand how difficult and important it is to find quality infant care you can trust. As leading experts in infant daycare program, we empower parents to make the best childcare decisions for their families. Schedule a tour at one of our state-of-the-art infant centers today. Our experienced teachers and nurturing environment promote healthy development during these precious first months.
Join the Akers Academy family for premium infant care and peace of mind as you return to work. Our admissions team is here to answer all your questions and help you take the first step towards a brighter future for your child.
Conclusion
Finding day care for your new baby is a huge decision. While it requires diligent research, the effort will give your infant the nurturing start they deserve in those critical early months. Use this guide to focus your search on the highest quality infant care. With the right approach, you’ll find a day care for infants you feel good about that provides superior care tailored to your baby’s needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the average infant child care cost per month?
The average infant child care cost per month ranges from $500 to $1500+ depending on your geographic location, the center’s tuition rates, and number of days per week your child attends. Centers in expensive urban areas tend to have higher monthly costs.
2. What is included in basic infant care at daycares?
Basic infant care at daycares includes feeding, diapering, napping, playing, safety supervision, and meeting babies’ physical and emotional needs. High-quality centers have an infant curriculum focused on healthy development through communication, nurturing interactions, and play.
3. What are the benefits of infant care at daycare centers?
Some key benefits of infant care at daycare centers include social interaction with other babies, developing secure bonds with caregivers, nurturing by trained early childhood teachers, learning through play and exploration, and receiving well-rounded care while parents work. Group infant care supports development when delivered by staff trained in infant needs.
4. How much does infant daycare cost per week on average?
The average weekly infant daycare costs $150 to $375 per week, depending on the number of days enrolled, region, and center. Budget approximately $600 to $1500 monthly for full-time infant care.
5. What activities are included in a high-quality infant daycare program?
High-quality infant daycare programs include tummy time, reading, music, sensory play, infant-appropriate exercise, social interaction, breastmilk/formula feedings on demand, diapering, and nap times based on each baby’s needs and cues. A consistent schedule balances activities with unstructured play and individualized care.
6. How can you ensure an infant receives quality care at daycare?
To ensure quality infant care, tour facilities to observe cleanliness, safety, positive interactions between staff and infants, and appropriate age grouping. Interview directors about teacher-to-baby ratios, staff training, and infant curriculum. Policies like primary caregivers, safe sleep training, and breastfeeding support are also recommended.
