Child Care

If you plan to go back to work or school after having a baby, you should start looking for quality child care as soon as possible.

Quality child care is friendly, warm, and loving care. Such care can be found in a caregiver’s home, in a child care center, or with someone who comes into your home. It goes beyond caring for your baby’s need for sleep, food, and physical comfort.

Look for a licensed child care center or home that is clean and safe. Be sure there are not too many babies for the caregiver to handle. Ask questions such as: “What will you do if my baby cries a lot?” “Do you take care of sick children?” “Will my baby have the same caregiver every day?”

The goal is for you to feel as comfortable as you can about the child care provider that you select. Find a caregiver you have a good feeling about. Ask other people you trust for referrals or contact a child care resource and referral agency in your state.

Once someone begins taking care of your baby, visit the site during the day. Is the caregiver giving your baby special, loving attention? Good child care is based on mutual respect and open communication between parents and caregivers.

How Does Maternal Employment Affect Children’s Development?

If the mom goes back to work after her baby is born, will this have an effect on the child? Lots of studies have been done. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer because researchers don't always agree on the subject.

One thing is clear. The more consistent the caregiver and the higher the quality of child care, the more likely a child will develop normally. No matter who the caregiver is, that person should be warm and loving, know how to care for a child, and be present in the child's life for long periods of time.

It's also clear that parents who are comfortable with their child care arrangements feel happier about working.