I have a secret. I cried tears of joy every time my babies started daycare. Please don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my babies and my time home with them, but at that 3-month mark, I was yearning for a new sense of routine and a sense to feel like myself again. Other moms tell me how much they cry, or how hard it is for them to drop their babies off to start daycare. For some reason, that was never me. I felt like daycare was just as good for me as it was for my baby.
I wasn’t the best at getting my babies on a routine, and honestly 0-3 months full daily routines don’t really exist right?
I just dropped my 3rd baby off to start daycare, and as I did with my first 2 babies, I felt this instant sense of relief as I sat in the car, in complete silence.
I am the mom that loves dropping the babies off but I also can’t wait to get them by the end of the day.
The 6-7 hour break gives me just what I need to feel rejuvenated and present with them as we go into the late afternoon and evening. And I have found daycare has always been better at getting them on a good sleep schedule throughout the day. This is something I could never get right. Every time I put my babies down to sleep during the day, 5 minutes later they woke up. But if I held them, they would sleep for hours.
Daycare gets me on a schedule as well as them on a schedule. I feel better about knowing what to expect in my day than feeling like I am playing it hour by hour.
If you’re like me and felt the relief at drop off and then felt bad because you think you aren’t supposed to feel this way, I am here to tell you, you aren’t the only one! And It’s ok, you’re doing great Momma.
