Working parents are often faced with a dilemma – how can a parent care for a newborn baby and balance work outside of the home at the same time?
The simple answer is – they can’t. So many parents make the choice to either work from home, entrust a family or friend to care for their baby while at work, or trust a daycare to watch over their precious baby.
But as one mom tragically found out, daycares aren’t always the safest place to have your infant cared for. And now, this mom is speaking up to warn other moms.
It all started when Hava dropped off her 9-week-old baby boy Joey at daycare.
While Hava admitted she was nervous leaving her young one there, her oldest daughter was already enrolled in the daycare, and Hava even drove down the street to watch the children play, hoping to observe how the teachers interacted with the children.
Still unsettled, but with no other readily accessible option, Hava decided to leave Joey at the daycare.
But then just days later, Hava received unthinkable news.
Every mother’s worst nightmare had just come true, as Hava learned her little baby boy Joey had died in the hands of daycare workers.
Café Mom reported:
“Joey’s death was initially reported as a tragic sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) case. But in the weeks and months following their loss, the Freidenreiches learned the disturbing circumstances of their son’s death at a licensed and well-respected daycare center.
According to news reports, the daycare workers admitted to putting baby Joey facedown in his crib while swaddled. He was left alone for two hours — even though Hava says he had never napped that long before.
These circumstances were recorded on video, but it’s not clear from video evidence or the testimony of the daycare worker in charge of the infant if Joey was even placed with his head turned to the side.
It is due to these contributing factors that the medical examiner ultimately declined to classify the death as a SIDS case.”
It’s bad enough the video showed the daycare worker placing Joey facedown, but even more horrifying, he was left alone for 2 hours.
Had the worker checked on him, regularly, perhaps his life could have been saved.
As it turns out, placing an infant at a daycare is one of the most dangerous places for them to be.
They are so fragile and young, and daycare workers are often not equipped to properly care for them.
Café Mom continued:
“According to the National Institute of Health, most SIDS deaths happen when babies are between 1 month and 4 months of age. That’s one reason that daycare can be one of the more dangerous places for infants — especially in the first weeks of life.
Hava told me, “It’s crazy that so many people start work the same time that their babies are most vulnerable.
Of course, going back to work is a reality for millions of families — and there are plenty of safe and loving options out there, when it comes to childcare.”
If you are a mom, who sends your child to daycare, don’t feel overwhelmed. While daycares aren’t always ideal, there are steps you can take to make sure your child is safe.
First, do your research. Don’t select a daycare because it’s the closet or the cheapest. You are trusting these workers to care for your precious child! It’s worth doing the research ahead of time to make sure your child is in safe hands.
Second, make sure the daycare has video cameras, ideally ones you are able to view from work. Do not send your child to any childcare facility without cameras.
Next, don’t be embarrassed to visit your child’s daycare during naptime. See how the workers are interacting with the children. Are they present? On their cell phones? Watching movies? Checking on the children? This is all important data you can gather from your visit.
Café Mom lists an important reminder for all moms:
“Even if parents do everything right at home, as Hava did, babies can be even more at risk if their caregivers do not. According to First Candle, a nonprofit dedicated to SIDS awareness, babies who usually sleep on their back are at a significantly increased risk of SIDS when placed to sleep on their stomach by a well-intentioned but ill-informed relative or caregiver.
So, when parents come to her asking for advice, Hava’s biggest piece is this: Don’t assume daycare workers, even those in licensed centers, know about safe sleep recommendations.
“The people watching your kids … may not be as well-informed about SIDS risks as parents,” Have told me. “Joey’s daycare worker insists she had no idea this could happen … There were three other people in the room and nobody noticed.”
And finally, don’t be afraid to fully trust your mother’s instinct. If things “seem” to check out, and you still have a bad feeling, trust your gut.
Do you think infants should be trusted in the hands of daycare workers? And should the daycare worker be held responsible for Joey’s death?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.