My recently turned 5-month-old daycare baby has taken a turn for the worst. He absolutely loved tummy time since he could hold his head up and he would literally play for hours if I let him.

Now......he screams and cries. LOUDLY. Everytime he is put down.

I put my daycare babies on a 15 minute rotation of:
Swing
Bumbo in front of the mirror
Exersaucer
Tummy-Time/Floor Play
Bouncer with toy bar or Bumbo with toy bar
(Up in the swing, down on the floor, up in a saucer, down on the floor, ect.)

He's fine when he's up in the swings or in a saucer, but put him in a bumbo or on the floor and he will screech like a girl. He's fed, has a dry diaper and we will give him gas drops or gripe water for his gas but it hasn't helped at all in the past couple weeks.

I miss my good baby

Normally I wouldn't care as much, but lately I've had a few of my daycare parents dropping off and making comments like, "Goodness what a cry!" or "Wow, he sure is a loud little fella, isn't he?". If I know a baby is fine and dandy, then I have no problems letting them cry until they are moved onto the next activity - but I don't want my parents thinking I just let babies cry all day, you know?

For those of you with screamers, what do you tell parents when they hear that screaming/crying on a regular basis? Do you just let the child cry and brush off any comments made?

TIA!

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I blamed teething Then baby (& I) got sympathy.

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Coming from the perspective of a day care provider whose own child was the screamer...it has to happen. Parents know that babies can not be held in day care 100% of the time. it's impossible, no matter how small the ratio is. If my screamer son had been in day care I certainly would have given the workers a pat on the back and a high-five knowing that they were able to put him down and still listen to him scream all day long when there was nothing wrong with him.

Honestly, if I walked into a situation where my son was screaming with whoever was caring for him, I'd feel awful for the provider. But that is because, again, my son is a screamer, and I wouldn't expect anything less from him.

NOW, if it were, say, my daughter we were talking about...she NEVER cried. She was NOT a screamer at all. I *did* have her in day care. Yet she was in the midst of crying every day when I picked her up. That was not a good sign to me. How does a very happy and secure little baby/toddler go from smiles to screams?

If I were in your position and they were questioning it, I'd be honest and tell them exactly how much their child cries during the day, and that you try your best to pacify their baby but it's not always in the best interest of the other children...and that sometimes it's best to prevent their baby from being overstimulated and give him/her a rest from being held.

If they are just making comments like that ("wow, what a scream!", I'd just smile and say, "Hopefully your baby gives you a better time this evening than he/she did for me today!" haha

EDIT: Whoops, you mean OTHER parents commenting! Oh honey, I've been there. I just smiled and said, "this is quiet!" and winked at them, LOL.

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Please do not take this the wrong way as I really mean it to be helpful but your 15 minute rotation with the baby equipment is probably the issue.

At 5 months old he is probably bored stiff. He is just beginning to value and LOVE interaction with humans. This is the age that being left to "play" in things such as a swing or Bumbo chair is just not enough.

He needs someone to interact with. He is noticing people and unique characteristics, he is seeing facial expressions and learning to communicate with all those interesting humans around him. He is going to start mimicing sounds and movements. He is craving "me" time!

I think it is probably time you switch up his routine and I bet you will find your happy little guy again!

I know that one-to-one attention is difficult in a group setting, so I will sometimes use a mirror for infants on the floor or I will have an older child play/talk with the baby when I am unable. HTH.

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