Oh the teachers would often bring the older babies (those who can crawl & walk) to look at mine (4 mths only so can only lie in cot or in bouncer chair. Sometimes the kids would also just go over on their own and smile, babble, make playful actions at her. So don't think my baby is too bored there.
infant care experience?
- Thread starter melbaby
- Start date
steffywoofy
Member
sigh... in a fix now.
always want to look after bb till at least 6mths old... but now the infant care center jus called to say there is vacancy.
dont know if i should send my baby in...
is it better to send bb in early? at least they learn and engage in some activities there.. or better to look after ourselves till they are slightly older...
always want to look after bb till at least 6mths old... but now the infant care center jus called to say there is vacancy.
dont know if i should send my baby in...
is it better to send bb in early? at least they learn and engage in some activities there.. or better to look after ourselves till they are slightly older...
fattyfatfat
Member
I had the exact same thinking steffywoofy! Had intented to send baby to infantcare when he is 6 months old. Then the call that got vacancy came early. I had lengthy discussion with hubby and decided to send baby in at 4 months for half day first, following month then full day. Reason is opportunity cost too high, the money will come in helpful (as oppose to taking no pay leave) for baby's enrichment classes, necessities, etc. Somemore I am not the kind of mummy who spend baby's every waking moment engage in something enriching. Baby end up watch tv with me sometimes or sit in rocker while I do some housework.
I still think if I made the right decision everyday.. Especially baby starting infantcare next week.. Sigh
I still think if I made the right decision everyday.. Especially baby starting infantcare next week.. Sigh
hi all,
thanks for starting and contributing to this thread, as I am heading back to work when my baby is four months old (aren't we all!) and I have no choice but to place her in infantcare.
those mums who are already doing it: with the singapore govt subsidy, do you only pay about $800 for full time infant care? does the infant care centre provide flexible hours arrangement (e.g. some days full day infant care, some days half, etc)? if so, which infant care centres are those?
also, the $800 you have to pay after govt subsidy - can you use the money from CDA to offset some of it too?
thank you!!
thanks for starting and contributing to this thread, as I am heading back to work when my baby is four months old (aren't we all!) and I have no choice but to place her in infantcare.
those mums who are already doing it: with the singapore govt subsidy, do you only pay about $800 for full time infant care? does the infant care centre provide flexible hours arrangement (e.g. some days full day infant care, some days half, etc)? if so, which infant care centres are those?
also, the $800 you have to pay after govt subsidy - can you use the money from CDA to offset some of it too?
thank you!!
Hi Reiann,
Most infantcare costs around $600 after subsidy, not $800 that high.
Some infantcare centres do offer flexible hours arrangement (so the sch fees is pro-rated), but usually there won't be any vacancies for that as they would fill up first with fulltime babies (more revenue earned that way). That's the reply I got from some centres I had asked, as I initially wanted to place baby there part-time only.
I'm not sure about other infantcare centres, but for mine, I can bring baby there and home anytime I want (7am ~ 7pm). Meaning, I can bring baby in at 7am, 9am or 2pm, and bring her home at any time too. However, sch fees remain the same at $600.
Yes, we can use the CDA account to pay the $600.
Most infantcare costs around $600 after subsidy, not $800 that high.
Some infantcare centres do offer flexible hours arrangement (so the sch fees is pro-rated), but usually there won't be any vacancies for that as they would fill up first with fulltime babies (more revenue earned that way). That's the reply I got from some centres I had asked, as I initially wanted to place baby there part-time only.
I'm not sure about other infantcare centres, but for mine, I can bring baby there and home anytime I want (7am ~ 7pm). Meaning, I can bring baby in at 7am, 9am or 2pm, and bring her home at any time too. However, sch fees remain the same at $600.
Yes, we can use the CDA account to pay the $600.
steffywoofy
Member
which infant care is that Klynn?
Most of the infant care is 1k plus i shortlist around my place after subsidize is around 700-900+
i find it damn expensive... think 500+ after subsidize is for toddler...
thats why i am thinking should i send her in earlier....
cos the fee is almost the same as getting a full time maid.
but i dont really trust them... headache
Most of the infant care is 1k plus i shortlist around my place after subsidize is around 700-900+
i find it damn expensive... think 500+ after subsidize is for toddler...
thats why i am thinking should i send her in earlier....
cos the fee is almost the same as getting a full time maid.
but i dont really trust them... headache
thank you kylnn! that helps a lot.
the infant care I was looking at is near my work place, and it costs $1450 without subsidy for full time infant care!
steffywoofy: it's not about trusting a helper.. I just hired a helper (just before I delivered!) and she is really great. I"m very lucky. she cooks well, is experienced, yet very trust worthy, but for a helper to take care of a baby, hm. it's just that there are not many people I trust with my baby, not even my brother or my mum!! but an infant care - they are qualified and trained, so...
the infant care I was looking at is near my work place, and it costs $1450 without subsidy for full time infant care!
steffywoofy: it's not about trusting a helper.. I just hired a helper (just before I delivered!) and she is really great. I"m very lucky. she cooks well, is experienced, yet very trust worthy, but for a helper to take care of a baby, hm. it's just that there are not many people I trust with my baby, not even my brother or my mum!! but an infant care - they are qualified and trained, so...
Thank you so much to every who replied to this thread, really means a lot 
kylnn: You're an angel! Thank you so much for sharing your story, i feel much better and assured about letting my gal to infant care now She'll start next month in Nov. Meanwhile I'm thinking of getting some probiotics fr pediatrician to give my gal to increase her immunity.
Steffywoffy: I've also thought of getting a full time maid before to take care of baby. It seems like the cheapest option. But then we still need to feed the maid, baby & her whole day at home will also inccur extra water & electricity, so to me actually the cost is not much difference. My house also not that big to need a helper. Furthermore I got no one to help me monitor her, even if we install camera all over the house, if something happens it may be too late. Getting a maid is like a gamble, if lucky then good, if not, baby will pay the price.
Meanwhile getting a nanny is also such gamble. When i was pregnant, 2 nannies near my house approached me, asking whether wanna hire them. But they already taking care of other babies. So i feel these nannies js care about earning money, not sure if they will really give that so-called 1 to 1 attention. Furthermore in their home there is no one to supervise them, unlike in infant care. Some nannies their methods of taking care may also be questionable, cos they think their experience very good, no need to improvise, as my friend put it: like arguing with mother in-law
Meanwhile my gal's infant care is $860 after subsidy (weekday full day & sat half day).
kylnn: You're an angel! Thank you so much for sharing your story, i feel much better and assured about letting my gal to infant care now
She'll start next month in Nov. Meanwhile I'm thinking of getting some probiotics fr pediatrician to give my gal to increase her immunity. Steffywoffy: I've also thought of getting a full time maid before to take care of baby. It seems like the cheapest option. But then we still need to feed the maid, baby & her whole day at home will also inccur extra water & electricity, so to me actually the cost is not much difference. My house also not that big to need a helper. Furthermore I got no one to help me monitor her, even if we install camera all over the house, if something happens it may be too late. Getting a maid is like a gamble, if lucky then good, if not, baby will pay the price.
Meanwhile getting a nanny is also such gamble. When i was pregnant, 2 nannies near my house approached me, asking whether wanna hire them. But they already taking care of other babies. So i feel these nannies js care about earning money, not sure if they will really give that so-called 1 to 1 attention. Furthermore in their home there is no one to supervise them, unlike in infant care. Some nannies their methods of taking care may also be questionable, cos they think their experience very good, no need to improvise, as my friend put it: like arguing with mother in-law
Meanwhile my gal's infant care is $860 after subsidy (weekday full day & sat half day).
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i also trust school rather than maid or nanny. like mention, if trusted maid or nanny then its a bonus but we cannot be sure whether they wan be trusted. the 1st infant care was $585 but increased to $650 then also bcuz my son kept getting sick so i change to another infant care, its $570. Cheaper and better, i like the environment and my son is more happier in the new school.
steffywoofy
Member
Sigh but not easy to get into infant care nowadays.. I reg with 3 centres in diff locations at my first skool in may this year for jan intake. And I'm still on the waiting list with 20+ babies ahead of me....
I sent my 2.5 month old baby into infantcare this week. Surprisingly she's actually doing very well. Guess it's true that the younger they are the more adaptable they are. while she refuse to take a bottle at home, screams n screams once the teat touch her lips, she actually took it without problems there. I enjoy picking her up a lot coz the other kids are so cute! Look forward to see all of the kids there everyday. I do miss my baby terribly during the day though n it feels weird not having her around. Think I'm the one suffering from separation anxiety while she's adapting very well...
I read fr another forummer that during the 1st month in infant care her bb fell sick for a month, but by the time her bb 10mth old she noticed the immunity improved & the turnout time fr illness was down to 3 days. I think kids falling sick during this period is part and parcel of helping them to build up immune system.
jonquil, I feel the same as you! Love picking my daughter up from infantcare and seeing all the other babies! All so cute and grinning happily. I especially like seeing these particular 3 boys and their antics together... once, they were like all trying to squeeze behind the high chairs. Another time, boy A took boy B's milk bottle while he was drinking and rolled it around the floor. The teacher was like 'haiyoooo'. I nickname them the 3 musketeers.
fattyfatfat
Member
Same! The kids at infantcare are all so cute and they looked happy, which is what makes me reassured that baby will be happy there too.
Baby has started infantcare for the second week now. What I've learned is that there will be crying and the teachers will response, just maybe not immediately because they need take care of other babies too. It also depends on the situation whether baby needs immediate attention. Sleep wise, they use a rocking chair type to sooth baby to sleep - no carry unless baby really wants to be carried. And the environment is quite lively with so many other babies and toddlers around which I believe is good exposure for baby.
Hygiene wise, teacher will use fresh disposable gloves for each diaper change and use q tip to apply bottom balm. Milk bottles also washed and sterilised after each use. Pacifier keep in steriliser if not in use. Weekly change of bed sheets and toys and daily cleaning of floor. Diaper standard change every 3 hourly.
So all in all, it is quite a positive experience for me - used to worried like hell how will baby cope in infantcare. The teachers also seem to genuinely like babies. Only concern is they do like to feed on schedule although I prefer on demand. I intend to try baby-led weaning so still considering how to get the teachers on board with me. Well, will cross that bridge when it comes
Baby has started infantcare for the second week now. What I've learned is that there will be crying and the teachers will response, just maybe not immediately because they need take care of other babies too. It also depends on the situation whether baby needs immediate attention. Sleep wise, they use a rocking chair type to sooth baby to sleep - no carry unless baby really wants to be carried. And the environment is quite lively with so many other babies and toddlers around which I believe is good exposure for baby.
Hygiene wise, teacher will use fresh disposable gloves for each diaper change and use q tip to apply bottom balm. Milk bottles also washed and sterilised after each use. Pacifier keep in steriliser if not in use. Weekly change of bed sheets and toys and daily cleaning of floor. Diaper standard change every 3 hourly.
So all in all, it is quite a positive experience for me - used to worried like hell how will baby cope in infantcare. The teachers also seem to genuinely like babies. Only concern is they do like to feed on schedule although I prefer on demand. I intend to try baby-led weaning so still considering how to get the teachers on board with me. Well, will cross that bridge when it comes
Previously I tried registering my baby at My First Skool (okay reputation & decent sch fee), but queue of 40+ babies. *Faint*
Hiring maid to look after baby is very risky. It's already difficult to train them to do the household chores properly, let alone look after baby! If there was someone else in the house to watch over (e.g. mom, mom-in-law) then not so bad.
Nanny is a better option, but also has its risks. Have heard so many horror stories about bad nannies who do nonsense when the parents aren't around. Ugh!
Infantcare centres, in my opinion, have to maintain a certain basic standard set by the govt in looking after the babies otherwise they will be closed down. So they can't do too much nonsense. Only worry is that my baby may get infected with other babies' sickness. Last week she got infected with a phelgmy cough and slight fever. Poor thing. Hopefully she didn't spread it back to the other babies haha.
Hiring maid to look after baby is very risky. It's already difficult to train them to do the household chores properly, let alone look after baby! If there was someone else in the house to watch over (e.g. mom, mom-in-law) then not so bad.
Nanny is a better option, but also has its risks. Have heard so many horror stories about bad nannies who do nonsense when the parents aren't around. Ugh!
Infantcare centres, in my opinion, have to maintain a certain basic standard set by the govt in looking after the babies otherwise they will be closed down. So they can't do too much nonsense. Only worry is that my baby may get infected with other babies' sickness. Last week she got infected with a phelgmy cough and slight fever. Poor thing. Hopefully she didn't spread it back to the other babies haha.
thanks fattyfatfat! (so strange calling you by your username.. hm). I also believe in infant care - the environment of 'more germs' exposure (i'm going to be the sort of parents who let my baby crawl and walk barefooted, ha) ( to a certain extent), and also interact with more people - not just me and me and me!
do you know whether we have to provide diapers or does the infant care center provide diapers? if it's the latter, do we pay extra for it?
are infant care centers willing to 100% give breast milk for babies even after 6 months mark? if baby is slowly eating food, how do they provide the food - do parents provide or does the center provide?
do you know whether we have to provide diapers or does the infant care center provide diapers? if it's the latter, do we pay extra for it?
are infant care centers willing to 100% give breast milk for babies even after 6 months mark? if baby is slowly eating food, how do they provide the food - do parents provide or does the center provide?