Taking baby to nursery?! - Covid

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Hi fellow new mommies.

I have a 4 months old angel and I am planning to go back to work full time in October, but I am extremely worried about the Covid and nursery situation.

I mean separating from your baby the first time is stressful and emotional enough, without this f***g pandemic around us. Seriously I am so angry and sad, that this is that I brought my baby into.

Those of you with similar feelings and situation, how do you deal with this?

Is there any safer option than nursery? Would a childminder be safer? Or an au-pair? Should I stay at home, and just cut back on costs for another year till the pandemic settles.... IF settles...

What will/would you do?

P.S.: Please if you think Covid is a joke and the world is as safe as it gets, DO NOT REPLY. Thanks!

Is your concern for the safety of yourself or your child? Statistically if your child gets Covid (which isn’t very likely) then it’s not likely to affect them seriously. I’m very Covid conscious and anxious myself too. Clearly a setting with less children is likely to be safer but you’d need to make sure a childminder or au pair was taking precautions like the nursery would take too. I wouldn’t just wait it out though because who knows when the end will be.

It depends what precautions/changes your nursery have made in regards to Covid, and whether you are happy with these changes. My sons nursery was open for key worker children during Covid and not one child had Covid during that time. He went back as soon as they reopened normally and they have issued a new policy with around 70 points on that we had to agree to. Includes points such as no mixing between age groups anymore, more outdoor play where possible, temperatures and hand wash on arrival, drop off and pick up at door only. A lot of nurseries have reported a drop in even common colds and sickness as a result of them being more strict with cleaning. Less toys available and removal of soft toys that can’t be wiped down easily. Deep cleaning each night etc.

It depends on how comfortable you still feel about it and if it’s going to stress you too much it’s just not worth it tbh. The only difference with a childminder is I assume less children but your possibly looking at more mixing of ages. An au pair would work but you still have the risk that that person is potentially mixing with others outside of your house?

I also have a baby of a similar age and im going back to work in September - I have no choice.

My baby is going to nursery, he starts next month for one day a week to help him settle a bit before starting full time in Sept. I cant see any other way around it to be honest. Its a pay off between him being emotionally settled and reducing the COVID risk. The way I see it, hes more likely to become emotionally unsettled if thrown in at the deep end. The COVID risk is minimal to babies.

If I could afford it id have a live in nanny, but I cant.

Mine has been in nursery over a month now. If they’d take my school age one, I’d send her too!

Do you need to work? If so, send them. There’s probably more risk going to the supermarket or out to the pub (which people don’t seem to have trouble doing). There’s no telling what will happen between now and so I wouldn’t worry about it at the moment. Just enjoy your mat leave and do what you have to do then.

Nurseries and all childcare providers will be putting in even more safety measures than normal. Even though it is understandable you will feel anxious the risk is going to be minimal.

I'm theory an au pair or childminder would have less children so fewer potential contact points, but you still have no control over who they, the children or their parents interact with so I don't see is as that different to nursery. My ds will be attending nursery in the autumn as I need to return to work, they have very good measures in place already do I'm comfortable with it.

It's very unlikely your baby would come into contact with anyone infected, and even less likely they would become seriously ill (barring any conditions but you've not mentioned any).

It's entirely your decision though, if you are uncomfortable with it and can afford to take extended leave then go ahead.

@LouiseTrees

For both us and baby. I know children generally have lower risks, however that stands for those who are older than 1 year, as they have been through colds and flu, so their immune system is somewhat more prepared. But they say babies under a year old are at higher risk.

Also, if she gets it, and even if she doesn't have symptoms, she can spread it to us. And we might be at higher risk as well. My husband has blood pressure issues, and I am obese with allergies.

And yeah... I thought of that regarding childminders and aupairs. I was actually thinking I should get an aupair and lock her in the house. haha. But yeah... it wouldn't be fair.

@charley39

This was very useful, thanks!

Honestly, I don’t think the risk is that high. If there had been outbreaks in nurseries it would have been in the news. Very few children have been seriously ill/died with Covid - there’s a reason the ones on the news are in the news - because they are rare.

@modgepodge
Children do get ill from Covid, it's just their symptoms may not be as serious. But they still spread it the same way as anyone else. So me and my husband would be at greater risk catching it from her.

This disease isnt going away anytime soon, so we're going to have to live with it and get on with life at some point. I guess it depends when you think its safe and appropriate to do that.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene
Yeah, obviously. It's just difficult to know when... We have great opportunities to earn a lot of money the next year, but our baby would have to go to nursery. This would help us out in buying our first home. But is it worth the risk?! I mean, we are in that lucky position that my husband could remain at his current position and work from home and I could get a job and work from home, but we would earn the fraction of that money this way, but we would be okay.

So take the risk and earn more money and possibly have a better future.
Or stay home, earn just enough, but be safe.

What would you do?

[quote whitelanner]@modgepodge
Children do get ill from Covid, it's just their symptoms may not be as serious. But they still spread it the same way as anyone else. So me and my husband would be at greater risk catching it from her.[/quote]
Yes, they do get Covid, but as I said, they don’t usually get seriously ill, which for me was the key decision in sending my child back.

How old are you? Do you have an underlying health condition which means you’d be more at risk of complications? Assuming you’re not over 70 and otherwise healthy, the risk to you from Covid is also low.

Personally I’d be going back to work (I am and my daughter goes to childcare). Life has risks. Every time you step out the door there’s a chance of catching something, this was true before coronavirus entered the UK and will still be true if we manage to eradicate it.

Maybe just stay at home if it's worrying you this much? We all have our own perception of risk don't we, and it sounds to me like you're really worried about the risk to your family so if you can keep her at home perhaps just do that. If you're just going to worry and be anxious all the time what's the point.

Id go to work. Thats the reality for me though, I am going back to work and my son is going to nursery in september. I guess it depends what your cut off point is. Will your little one go to nursery when theres a vaccine available? When enough people have had the vaccine?