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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Youngest Age You Will Accept an Infant
jenh171 02:44 PM 08-19-2010
I'm curious...what is the youngest age you will take an infant into your child care? Also, outside of licensing regulations, do you have personal opinions as to how young is too young? Mainly safety/health concerns?
Childminder 02:48 PM 08-19-2010
Twice it's been 3 week olds
tenderhearts 02:52 PM 08-19-2010
I think in my state they have to be at least 6 weeks old. I've only taken them as young as 16 weeks.
melskids 03:14 PM 08-19-2010
I think here it is 6 weeks too. (New York) Thats the youngest i've ever had.
SunflowerMama 03:32 PM 08-19-2010
15 months 
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legomom922 03:43 PM 08-19-2010
That is all I take. I love babies, and toddlers drive me insane...so for me, babies are a TON easier. I will take them from wks-up to 18months, then I kick them out. LOL
ninosqueridos 03:56 PM 08-19-2010
6 months.
I would accept younger if I didn't have any toddlers at all and could focus all my attention on a potentially colicky infant.
I would accept younger if I didn't have any toddlers at all and could focus all my attention on a potentially colicky infant.
GretasLittleFriends 04:25 PM 08-19-2010
My license says 6 weeks to 10 years. I did have a mom need care for her infant at 4 weeks, so my 14 yr old daughter babysat him for two weeks. 
alyssyn 05:43 PM 08-19-2010
6 weeks is the youngest. Right now I have a 6 month old in care.
DanceMom 05:46 PM 08-19-2010
6 weeks ( which I believe is the youngest the state allows )
laundryduchess@yahoo.com 06:02 PM 08-19-2010
6 weeks here, but Ive had them as young as 3. my own were 3 days
melissa ann 05:45 AM 08-20-2010
I took one at 5 weeks. The 1/2 sibling was already here for over a year and mom couldn't take being at home so she went back a week earlier.
MarinaVanessa 08:48 AM 08-20-2010
Originally Posted by melissa ann:
mom couldn't take being at home so she went back a week earlier.
mom couldn't take being at home so she went back a week earlier.
Thank goodness for daycare.I also do 6 weeks. It's a preference for me since having another person's child in my care that is younger than that would make me nervous. I'm bad enough when I have my own kids and they're younger than 1, I constantly freak out that my kid will get SIDS or that I'll trip and fall and throw my kid or land on him/her
It's the strangest thing. When it's other people's kids it's worse lol.
jenh171 05:19 PM 08-20-2010
thanks, everyone. I am wondering if anyone thinks it is a risk to have a baby who is under 6 weeks old in child care and why. Is it because it's a health risk for the baby to be exposed to germs, etc.? Or is it more that perhaps the baby doesn't have all of his immunizations? I'm curious as to the reasoning and whether or not it is unsafe, and why this 6 week guideline is established.
momma2girls 11:41 AM 08-22-2010
Originally Posted by legomom922:
That is all I take. I love babies, and toddlers drive me insane...so for me, babies are a TON easier. I will take them from wks-up to 18months, then I kick them out. LOL
Please send them my way once they hit 18 months-LOL!!!!That is all I take. I love babies, and toddlers drive me insane...so for me, babies are a TON easier. I will take them from wks-up to 18months, then I kick them out. LOL
MarinaVanessa 03:11 PM 08-22-2010
Personally I'd just be a bit nervous to take a younger baby than 6 weeks. Usually as moms you can take maternity leave that will cover this time but not always. I could possibly be persuaded to take a baby that was younger than 6 weeks but I doubt I'd want to take one under 2 weeks. I think that any younger could poterntially be putting the baby at risk considring they recommend not taking a baby that young of your home, much less putting them in a daycare setting. JMO.
TGT09 04:47 PM 08-22-2010
I don't have an age restriction on how young but I think 6 weeks is definitely the youngest I would consider. Otherwise, it gets a little sticky for health reasons.
Unregistered 02:04 AM 11-26-2010
Thank God I live in Norway!! The state pays us to stay home for a year 
I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?
I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?
DCMomOf3 05:29 AM 11-26-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Thank God I live in Norway!! The state pays us to stay home for a year I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?
The babies get bottles, they either feed formula or pump their milk for later use.Thank God I live in Norway!! The state pays us to stay home for a year
I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?
KEG123 05:45 AM 11-26-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Thank God I live in Norway!! The state pays us to stay home for a year I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?
This reason is why I didn't go to work until my son was 18mo. I was very lucky we had tons of familial support. But most breastfeeding/working moms express their milk for bottles... some women also supplement with formula. Thank God I live in Norway!! The state pays us to stay home for a year
I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?Back on topic, I'd take a child 6 weeks up. I love babies!
nannyde 08:44 AM 11-26-2010
Straight from the hospital
Unregistered 01:28 PM 11-26-2010
How sad! Babies should be with their moms!
QualiTcare 08:38 PM 11-26-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Thank God I live in Norway!! The state pays us to stay home for a year I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?
maternity benefits are pathetic in the US compared to pretty much every other developed country.Thank God I live in Norway!! The state pays us to stay home for a year
I couldn't imagine leaving my 7 months old with a stranger! What do people do about beastfeeding whan they leave children this young?like others said, breastfeeding moms can pump, but a LOT of women quit breastfeeding due to work so it definitely has an effect.
nannyde 11:38 AM 11-27-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
How sad! Babies should be with their moms!
I do cradle care for an adoption agency who need interim care before the birth parents sign away parental rights. The youngest day care kid I've had is two weeks. Single Mom not on state funding who HAD to go back to work in order to survive. It happens.How sad! Babies should be with their moms!