Would You Take A Child At Six Weeks?
 

That's the minimum age in my state. I have a family that lives around the corner and is looking into their options.

They seem like they'd be a good fit, but I'm concerned about immunity and the frequency of feeding/naps/changes. I have previously only taken infants 3mos and older.

Thoughts?

I take them from birth. Standard precautions is all that is required. I have not had an issue. :Sunny:

School contracts are hard to come by for teachers, here. Sort of like a full-ride scholarship with food and housing. ;) They go back to work in 2-3 days, usually.

I take them at 6 weeks, and for CPS, have taken them as young as 4 weeks (the minimum for CPS to allow daycare, though my state has no minimum for an age from a private family). I don't find them to be more work at all at that age, and enjoy having them younger.

I take babies at 6 weeks too! They do really well and they adjust into our routine very easily.

Originally Posted by Pestle:
That's the minimum age in my state. I have a family that lives around the corner and is looking into their options.

They seem like they'd be a good fit, but I'm concerned about immunity and the frequency of feeding/naps/changes. I have previously only taken infants 3mos and older.

Thoughts?

I'm an infants only home and have been been for years; I take them at 6 weeks all the time. Being legally licensed exempt & a certified Postpartum Doula, I have taken a few @ 4 weeks (extreme situations). I sanitize daily with a Hospital grade disinfectant & have a PnP, bouncer, bassinet set up for each child that is not used by others. I actually prefer the tinies over older kids.

The youngest I've ever taken is 8 weeks, but I wouldn't have a problem with it at 6.

The youngest I took was 3 days. Her brother was 2 weeks.

Now, I don't take under 18 months.

When I worked in the infant room, my experience was the younger the better. They adjust better to daycare. Learn to sleep through the noise, and safe sleep practices. The haven't learned all the bad habits yet!

6 weeks is when disability runs out here and moms go back to work, so yep. MOst of my babies start at 6 weeks. I've had one at 3 weeks. Mom was a dentist and her partner in practice passed away so there was no other dentist to cover.

Heck yes. The younger the better. I LOVE newborns. They are my favorite part of the job!

Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
6 weeks is when disability runs out here and moms go back to work

That is not even an option here; in many state's actually. At will employment states are a bit tougher. Pregnancy is considered a choice, not a disability. ;)

"The implied contract exception applies in states where employers have employees sign at-will employment contracts but include in the contract or employee handbook the statement that they will only be terminated for "just cause" or something similar. It is also broadly applied, and the only states that do not recognize it are:
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• Missouri
• Montana
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Texas
• Virginia"

Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
That is not even an option here; in many state's actually. At will employment states are a bit tougher. Pregnancy is considered a choice, not a disability. ;)

"The implied contract exception applies in states where employers have employees sign at-will employment contracts but include in the contract or employee handbook the statement that they will only be terminated for "just cause" or something similar. It is also broadly applied, and the only states that do not recognize it are:
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• Missouri
• Montana
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Texas
• Virginia"

In California it's covered under the family leave act and is protected.

Originally Posted by nannyde:
Heck yes. The younger the better. I LOVE newborns. They are my favorite part of the job!

I am not a provider, but I 100% agree with this. My kids do SO WELL in daycare and I think it's because they both started really young.

My first was 12 weeks (we had a nanny since 5 weeks, but that didn't work out), and my second was 4.5 weeks. No judgement please :)

If I took infants yes I would, I agree the earlier the better in terms of infants. That said, I have never watching infants in-home and only take child 2+ (I would only take 3+ if I could get away with it!)

The babies I have had that started at 6 weeks have generally adjusted to daycare better than those who came at 10 or 12 weeks. I love having the little start, it is so much easier to train them to our routine, and I get my baby snuggles.

Originally Posted by happymom:
I am not a provider, but I 100% agree with this. My kids do SO WELL in daycare and I think it's because they both started really young.

My first was 12 weeks (we had a nanny since 5 weeks, but that didn't work out), and my second was 4.5 weeks. No judgement please :)

Why would we judge for 4.5 weeks? My dd7 was born on a Thursday and I was back at daycare rhatnmonday! I only had one dcg2 and it was because their new nanny quit and left them in a bind. My dd5 who is special needs started daycare with me at about 3-4weeks :)