Baby Wants To Be Held

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Baby Wants To Be Held

by Sherri
(Worthington, Mn, U.S.A)

My husband and I had our daughter in daycare (for about 8 hrs a day) from the time she was 5 months old til now.

She now is a little over one year old. While at daycare... she was a happy go lucky baby. She played well with the other children and was independant.

Recently my husband and I went on a three week vacation with her to visit friends and family.

Now when we drop her off at daycare... all she wants to do is be held by our daycare lady. If the daycare lady sets her down on the floor, she screams until she is picked up.

She's tried to give her toys to calm her down but nothing is helping. We did take her to the dr and found out that she has ear infections and a bacaterial infection which she is getting treating for with antibiotics.

What can we do to help her become the happy go luck little girl again at daycare?

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Baby Wants To Be Held

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Feb 27, 2009

Hold her...
by: Baby Help Line

Hi Sherri,

Relax, your daughter's behavior is showing that she a normal 1 year old, that she is able to communicate her needs and that she feels relatively safe with the daycare woman.

Think of it; she has just had the time of her life - three weeks nonstop with mom and dad. Flooded with love and attention from the people she loves the most.

Then all of the sudden it comes to an end. She didn't want it or asked for it. And now she is sad about the situation and showing it. Well, that is her right to do so. I know how heart-breaking it is as a parent to leave a crying child at daycare; I've done it many times myself too and every time I've felt so miserable and wanted to quit my job immediately...

But usually, giving it a few days or a week, babies get back into their routines. The fact that your daughter clings to her daycare nurse is actually very positive - it shows that she feels safe with her. It would have been much worse if she had cried and refused to be with anyone.

Tell your daycare woman to respond to her needs. Let her be the little clinging baby monkey she needs to be for a while. Maybe provide her with a baby sling if she needs to use both her hands and your daughter can accept sitting in one.

And if you can, consider shortening her days in day care for a week or so, to facilitate the transition period.

Also cuddle her as much as you can when you are together.

If she used to be happy and play at daycare, she will again soon. She just need to mourn a bit and get back into the routines.

Hope this helps,

Paula

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