To be upset I caught my baby about to eat a stone a crèche?

[Cheekylittle88]

My gym offers a crèche service. I have an eight month old baby and thought I’d start using it for 30 minutes to squeeze in a quick workout. I have used it two times before and been soooo worried about handing him over to strangers but he seemed to be absolutely fine and the staff seemed nice and caring. There have been no tears so I was really pleased.

I went to pick him up today and they had opened up the double doors to the little outdoor area. I walked in and they were surprised to see me as most parents leave their baby’s for the full hour but I wasn’t yet comfortable with that.

I saw him in the outdoor area on his own, he had his back to the staff who were inside chatting with the other babies. (closest member of staff was about 2m away and not paying attention to him). He was picking stuff up off the floor, I walked over to him and he was about to put a stone in his mouth. I quickly pulled it out of his grasp and picked him up. He was chewing something but I couldn’t see what, I tried to get it out with my finger but he wasn’t letting me.

I was with my Mum and we spoke to the staff and said we were unhappy that he was out there on his own putting stuff in his mouth. Her response was that someone was out there with him not long ago. We said he had something in his mouth and she said “yes that’s the problem with the [asphalt] floor out there, they can pull it apart”. My mum said someone should be watching him out there all the time and she said “yeah fair enough”. There wasn’t an apology.

Took him home and in the car I managed to get out some tiny little bits of the asphalt floor out of his mouth.

I am so upset and angry as I wonder what else he has eaten out there, plus If I had come a second later he would have eaten the stone. I am a first time Mum and have a nagging doubt in my head that I am being precious and that it is normal for kids to put stones etc in their mouth …. But no, surely this is completely unacceptable?

Just to add to it, he also smelled of poo when I picked him up and when I changed his nappy it was a ginormous poo so I also felt guilty that he has been sitting in that - but I guess it’s difficult to keep every single baby’s nappy fresh when you’re looking after lots?

Would really appreciate some advice. I want to escalate the fact that he was outside eating whatever he wanted off the floor but I’m concerned that I’m going to come across as overly anxious or precious?

mistake in the title … about to eat a stone IN crèche

I guess the poo could have been done not just long ago.
But you're right about him being alone he shouldn't be alone outside.
And they should have been more apologetic about it as well!
I would follow that up if I were you

You wouldn’t be coming across as overly anxious or precious. I would probably escalate to the management company and would definitely not use them again.

Little children put things in their mouths, it’s part of how they explore the world, and is important for their immune system. You are not being unreasonable if you were concerned about a choking hazard, but you are if it was just about putting something in their mouth.

Little kids put stuff in their mouths all the time. And if they're playing happily it can be good to give them independence. And the poo could've been fresh.

But, the whole picture isn't reassuring.

My kids have been full time in nursery from about 9 months, so no judgement here, but I personally don't know if I would be happy with a casual set up like that where they won't get to know him, his ways, his moods etc. That might just be me though.

Yes totally understand, he loves putting everything in his mouth and gnawing on it and tasting it! That’s why I ALWAYS watch him because otherwise he will put literally anything in there and could choke. I was so upset that he was being left to put whatever he liked in his mouth in the outside area where there were leaves and stones and probably sweet wrappers which had blown in and whatever else! Xx

Honestly I thought crèches had died out years ago! I remember supermarkets used to have them but I don't think I would leave such a small baby in a gym crèche if I'm honest as it seems such a casual set-up v a nursery with assigned key workers and stuff. Maybe an older toddler or preschool child, but not a 8mo.

Obviously they should supervise properly but I'd wonder about staff training and ratios. Are they to the same standard as nurseries? Are the staff consistent? If they're offering care to babies so young then they should be offering it safely so definitely raise it.

Not in the UK so unsure how a drop in situation in a gym works? Are staff qualified? Are there ratios of staff to children?
Its entirely to be expected for a baby to put things in their mouth, as PP said its how they explore the world. That's exactly why they need to be supervised if sitting in an area where staff obviously know there is stuff they can put in their mouth eg the stones and piece of flooring. Either they have no experience or training or they just dont grasp the importance of supervision or there are too many children for them to supervise everyone inside and outside.

I wouldn't leave him there again. The staff were negligent and unapologetic, oh baby can just eat asphalt, no big deal??? The management are negligent as they shouldn't have an asphalt surface babies can eat! It's like the MC Donald's of childcare. Just take your baby out for long walks for exercise. That's how l kept sane.

My DD went to nursery from 9 months so I’m absolutely not precious about using childcare for babies - but a casual crèche where they’ve never met the child before and there’s no concept of settling in is something I’d leave until they were a bit older I think.

Yes, babies go through a putting everything in their mouth phase - so they need to be watched constantly. And the crèche obviously can’t offer that so I wouldn’t use it again.

Agree with pp - I wouldn’t put a young baby in a crèche in the first place. It’s not the same as nursery where the workers know the children etc. I’d only feel comfortable leaving an older child who could communicate what they need.

YANBU. He was not being adequately supervised in an area that staff already knew could present choking hazards. He's a baby, and babies explore primarily with their mouths; the staff should know this and take appropriate steps, either by providing direct supervision or restricted access. I would complain.

I'd also add that, while it may be a valid point, a drop-in crèche not knowing your child the way a nursery would is not particularly relevant in this situation - I don't need to be familiar with a 8-month-old baby to know they're more than likely going to put things in their mouth.

Yeah for half an hour to an hour they really don't need to get to know his moods & stuff. However they DO need to keep them SAFE.

@Cheekylittle88 I'm pretty chilled about the 'germs' aspect of putting stuff in their mouths though licking the pram wheels was a bit of a low point 🤢🤮

but they can't leave the babies alone outside if the babies can pull the ground covering up. They need to be out there ALL the time the baby is (not just some of the time) OR get the ground cover replaced.

what standards/regulation are in place at the gym crèche? It used to be very unregulated, not sure now.

I would let management know about what happenes

Fwiw

My DCs started nursery at 6 months old so i have nothing against leaving them alone at young age.
But i would never use a gym creche for such small kids.

I don't really know what the usual set-up is with a creche, and I don't have kids myself, but it seems a bit shit that a baby that young was in the outside area on his own and not being watched.

As PPs have said, babies obviously put any old shite in their mouths so this stuff happens, but that's exactly why they should have been keeping an eye on him. Especially as they are aware that it's easy for the kids to pick bits out of the asphalt.

That is a very valid point. I suppose I was thinking in terms of my relationship with the nursery as well - we've used it for years and trust them, so if at pickup there was a dirty nappy I'd know it had just happened, or if DC was under the weather I know they'll notice, things like that.

The floor should be appropriate for young babies then, or a large mat covering the area.

Personally I'd love to see creches around, a creche in a supermarket, as someone mentioned, sounds like a dream. Never heard of it though.

YANBU
He could have choked on that stone or a piece of asphalt!

I wouldn't leave my baby there again.