To feel sad seeing a 7 week old baby at DC's nursery today

[comfysketchers]

Dropping my 15 month old off at nursery today before work and there was another woman there at the same time handing over a 7 week old sleeping baby.

He was absolutely tiny and I just felt so sad looking at him thinking that he barely even knows he is out of the womb and his mum is dropping him off to spend all day with strangers in a noisy nursery environment.

I should also add that I live in a country that has excellent parental leave from the government plus most private companies pay at least 10 weeks of full pay on top of that, with many paying much more than that.

YABU - It’s perfectly normal for a 7 week old baby to spend 8 hours per day in a nursery.

YANBU - A 7 week old baby should be at home with its mum.

@comfysketchers let's turn this around a bit. I can't imagine leaving a 15 month old baby in nursery all day. I didn't. In fact it's one of the reasons why I wouldn't have a second , because I knew I'd have to do it before the baby or I would be ready. I can't imagine anyone doing it.

How does THAT feel?

Unbelievable. No 'normal' mother?!!!

Women being forced to give up work when they get married, probably.

The practitioners at the nursery and the nursery staff taking of the baby will be highly skilled and trained in child development. They’ll know about the fourth trimester. How to develop secure attachment, speech, so many cuddles etc I promise you that baby will be so loved and taken care of at nursery by the staff and the children alike.

life isn’t black and white. Sounds hard for the mum though but you don’t know peoples circumstances.

Yet one poster thinks nursery ages should be raised so if that miraculous was agreed you would have been screwed. Yet the poster doesn’t worry about how you would have provided for your family, do they?

Some attitudes on this thread are appalling. Particularly from the SAHP who are commenting on how they would NEVER leave their children but failing to mention that they are only at home because their husbands earn enough to allow them to do so.

I’m alright, Jack.

Hmmmm….i feel sad seeing under 3’s in daycare. Unpop opinion but it’s not great for the kids (cortisol, aggression etc) but people have to be allowed to make decisions that fit with their lives. Glass houses and all that.

Feminism doesn’t mean we pretend that women’s biological differences don’t exist.

it means we accommodate them such that women and the babies they bear are not negatively impacted by those differences.

Market capitalism has co-opted feminism and sold you back a lie.

I think you would really benefit from reading/listening to the audiobook of Maid by Stephanie Land.

The thing is though, us women get judged for everything. I'm sure there are people out there who homeschool and would judge you (and me when the time comes!) for sending our children out to an education factory. In fact, I've seen a couple of judgy homeschoolers on social media.

I don't mean that to be nasty so please don't take it that way, I'm just making the point that everyone can be judged in one way or another.

I guarantee, there isn't a single person on this thread who is above reproach from judgemental people.

How, just how is this poisonous shit still standing?!

Why do you feel sad? Mine were at nursery a long time before 3. They were (and are still) very happy.

Correlation does not equal causation.
I think the developmental studies are overwhelmingly in favour of early educational settings so long as the child is provided with enough stimulation, contact and affection. I would not willingly put a 7 week old into nursery but this doesn't mean that putting a child into nursery or arranging an alternative childcare at an early age will result in a mental health disorder. If anything, children were routinely looked after by relatives/"villages" in the past from a much younger age and maternity pay is a relatively new phenomenon (and doesn't exist at all in some countries) allowing children to remain in care of their parents for longer. So your theory doesn't quite hold.

There are so many reasons someone may do this. My mother went back to work when I was 2 weeks old. I’m fine. Move on with your life

15 months is too young to leave a child in a nursery or creche?

Are you insane? I mean, don't if you don't want to but what do you suggest all the mothers with jobs do? You can take extended leave but not that extended - and how should they pay for it?

But the world isn't that perfect is it? Men will always have the upper hand if they playing field isn't levelled for women.

Um, yes, did you read my first post? Everyone’s situations and preferences are different.

A baby factory? Get a grip

Yes 7 weeks is very young for a baby to be in a nursery away from his/her mother, but I have no idea of the reasons and it’s none of my business.

I bet you'd have a different view if it was the dad dropping the infant off before he goes to work because the mothers absent.

More nonsense but do feel free to come back with some evidence-based research on this 🙄

Yes Op you are the better parent 😒

@EarringsandLipstick It’s an opinion. You don’t have to like it or agree with it BUT I am entitled to it. 🤷🏼‍♀️

The Great maternity pay that's offered hasn't been in place forever. I went back at 12 weeks. Full leave was 6 weeks full pay 6 weeks half pay then nothing. I worked until 39 weeks then back to it... because 25 years ago we had to!

well, maybe a maternity allowance that meant that no one has to put a newborn in nursery? Just thinking aloud.

I can't imaging having enough spare moments to look around and judge the other parents at drop off when I took mine. I just minded my own business and got on with my day.