When can a premie go to daycare? If daycare takes infants at 6 weeks....... is that 6 weeks from birth? 6 weeks from their "full term date"? 6 weeks from the day they are released from the hospital? Once they have no "issues"?
Hubs and I are talking about taking an infant foster placement..... We can call daycares tomorrow, but thought one of you might know, which would help our discussions tonight as we need to answer tomorrow.
If these facts matter:
Was born about 10 weeks premature
Will be released from hospital this weekend
Is "caught up" developmentally, even though he has still not reached his "due date"
Fortunately, is not showing delays currently (although obviously may develop issues later)
Since we both work full time, just wondering how long the wait is before daycare is an option. We do have some time off avail, but want to limit what we take so it's avail throughout the year as needed for illnesses, appointments etc.
Thanks!
I do appreciate the votes for stay at home, it's just not an option for us. When we spoke to the worker there is only 1 other family in our county that has a space open and they don't have a SAHP either. They passed as they have several younger kids and didn't want to add a newborn.
Most foster families here do not have one parent that stays home. And the ones that do are typically a higher bracket, which means they only take kids with more severe disabilities or medical issues. This child has been classified as not needing a higher bracket of care based on his current physical condition.
Additionally, as Wee12adopt indicated, we can't use most in-home providers and a nanny is definitely not an option. We have to use the list of state approved centers who are also willing to take foster children. Even if we turn down the placement, this child will likely end up with a family that has a single working parent or two working parents, so day care will probably be needed.
We will have a more in depth conversation with the case worker tomorrow and can get more specifics about daycare availability based on his age. I was just thinking one of you might know the answer to what "counts" as 6 weeks. They definitely have physician sign off for daycare or he wouldn't have been offered to us to consider.
Thanks to those that gave the info they knew regarding the timeline they've seen used for other preemies.
I would not put an infant newborn in day care.. I would absolutely never put a premie newborn in day care.. baby will be sick all the time. he has no immune system at all.
find a home day care provider with very few children to watch him.
if this premie gets RSV or some other virus. they baby may be hospitalized or even die.
Really and truly, I hope I don't hurt your feelings with my answer. I really don't want to. You and your husband are so great to be willing to foster, but I think this is really important to hear, even if you disagree...
If you cannot stay at home with this preemie, let another foster family who CAN, keep this baby instead. A preemie needs to be at home, not at a daycare. Perhaps when a baby who is not a preemie comes along, you can foster that baby instead...
Again, I really don't mean to offend, but I really and truly believe this is best for the baby.
Are you really comfortable sending a child with possible immune issues to a daycare so early?
Yes, he is 10 weeks old by birth, but frequently the preemies have immune issues and doctors don't really want them in the general population for a while....
Preemies are so susceptible to so many more things than a full term infant. They are just at such a higher risk. I wouldn't do it.
You might also need to check with the foster care representative that you are working with. It is possible that they might not allow full time daycare for this infant anyway.
It's a nice thing that you want to foster but this may not be the child for you in your circumstances.
Honestly I'm surprised that newborn foster care is even an option for you with both of you working FT. In my state, infant foster care is restricted to households where the main caregiver is home. In any case, I think that for a preemie, staying home as long as possible (at least 12 weeks but ideally, months or years) would be very important. This doesn't sound like a great situation for the baby or your family.
I am guessing they will want medical clearance from a pediatrician any time before 6 weeks adjusted (after due date). If he is a foster, your foster care system likely has guidance for you (and maybe regulations).
My twin girls were premature, so my advice below is based on what I was told when they were in the hospital and by their pediatrician over their first year.
Babies are generally considered preemies when they're six or more weeks early. And most pediatricians say that preemies don't fully "catch up" for a year even if they appear developmentally ok. So, doctors and other people that care consider them preemies and thus subject to special consideration for a full year. The six weeks that most daycares use as their rule is six weeks from the due date. Therefore, you've got a few weeks until his due date plus the typical six weeks... so eight or nine weeks until a typical daycare would take him?
I don't love daycare for preemies (like many of the previous posters) but if that's your only option, then you'll make it work. Just be really aware of the risks of illness. If he's 10 weeks premature, how are his lungs? Will he qualify for RSV shots? (I would assume yes). Please make sure he gets the shots because RSV in a preemie can be disastrous. And talk to the pediatrician or other parents of preemies to get an idea of how much time you're going to have to take off for illness during the first year. I had a nanny -- it was the same cost as two infants in daycare -- but friends whose preemies went to daycare ended up taking weeks and weeks due to illnesses because many preemies are more susceptible. Any possibility there's an older lady in your neighborhood who could care for him for a few months until he's a bit older and his immune system is better developed? Someone at church who could help?
Whatever you decide, enjoy!
Talk to the pediatrician. My nephew was about 7 weeks early and entered daycare FT somewhere around 12 weeks chronological age, having been cleared by the doc and relieved of all extra medical equipment.
You might also consider a nanny vs a center.
I'd ask the state worker if the child is still under a doc's care and eligible for child care. They may not be. If they say it can go to child care then I'd make sure they do all they can to pick it and tell you where to take him....if they have legal custody they should help with that decision.
Because it's foster (at least in VA), you have to use a licensed facility, so in-home is not an option. Our son was placed just before 5 weeks and was placed with us because I was planning to be a SAHM. Had he been 6 weeks, he may have gone to someone else.
I would think 6 weeks from birth ... My nephew (adopted through an agency) could have gone to daycare at 6 weeks old, but their agency required someone be home with baby from 12 weeks for bonding. Your company may grant you FMLA leave for this foster child ... Mine did and it is one of the things listed for FMLA, so consider doing that for a couple of weeks just in case your center of choice wants him to be a little older.
This was interesting for your reference ... http://mo.childcareaware.org/Portals/0/Referral%20Center%...
I can't answer specifically as to the day care, but I'm wondering if you or your husband have spoken to your HR reps at work about time off when the baby comes home. In many states, parents of adopted babies are given the same maternity/paternity benefits as birth parents. You should find out if becoming a foster parent offers the same rights and how long you are entitled to take off. If you are both eligible, you might even be able to stagger the time so that one of you is home for the first few weeks, then the other takes time off when the first goes back to work.
California has a law called CFRA, also known as "baby bonding." It allows the parent 12 weeks of time off to bond with a new birth or adopted child. This time is unpaid (as opposed to the time when you're on disability following a birth), but some companies actually do pay for this time as well (money comes from the company, not the state).
I hope everything works out and that you're able to bring this little boy home.
I will put in a few cents here. My first were born 6 weeks premature. When I returned to work, we had a very hard time finding childcare. When I did look into childcare centers/providers, they would have been 8 weeks old (from time of birth) and all the centers/providers considered them to be 8 weeks old. They did not go back to actual due date. They did have a questionnaire though as to special care needed due to birth issues. Some told me that as long as they were not requiring any special equipment, or tubing etc, there would be no issues taking them in for care. I ended up not using any due to cost. My husband quit his day job and took care of them. I worked during the day and he went to work as soon as I got home. That was workable for us then.
If staying home is not an option, why would you foster a preemie or any poor baby for,that matter. Let someone who can give him the extra time and loving he needs. You have no idea about his development right now. He hasn't hit his due date yet. Give this poor child a chance. Either one of you quit working or you do not foster this baby.
