[excited2adoptsoon]

Hubby and I stated we'd only take one year old and above. I wouldn't mind a newborn at all except for the fact that we both must work full time and I think I'd feel intense guilt for that.

Anyone here work full time while fost adopting a newborn?

I currently have a three year old FD and we both work full time and things have gone perfectly. But I assume newborns are different. Thoughts?

[mom2behappy]

Im single i work fulltime and have a newborn a 2yr old, 4 yr old and 7 yr old and i have to be at work @ 8:30 am and drop the children off in 3 different locations. its doable if you set your mind to it.

[krindin]

Hi - So can a newborn go into daycare? I thought they had to be 6 weeks? Information would be great as I am just starting this process. Thanks!

[Bug-n-Bears-Mommy]

Our son was 6 weeks old when he went to daycare. He did until he was 10 months old. I actually think it had a great impact on why he is so social and loves to be around other children.

Reality is...it is very difficult to raise a family on a single income and the DSHS office staff realize this. We had one case worker who worked days while her DH worked graveyard. Families do what they have to do to survive. I don't think there is anything wrong with having a child in daycare.

[adopt2010]

Originally Posted by mom2behappy

Im single i work fulltime and have a newborn a 2yr old, 4 yr old and 7 yr old and i have to be at work @ 8:30 am and drop the children off in 3 different locations. its doable if you set your mind to it.

mom2behappy...that's how i envision myself to be after I get my license...although i hear AZ's not to keen on letting singles foster babies; so i'll have to see how that goes.

[kelceesmom]

Our baby was born, 8 days later returned from ICPC, that Monday was back to work. I never got maternity leave (long story). It was difficult. On my lunch I napped. I was in bed by 7:30 with the baby, then we got colic. I survived and so will you!

[greenrobin]

Everyone is right--you can do whatever you set your mind to. I teach in another town. We currently have 5 kids in our home, 1 bio, 4 fc, aged 2 mos to 11 yrs. It actually takes 2 vehicles to go anywhere, so we're splitting the work. I can't say it's easy, but then worthwhile things never really are.

Advice? Set your priorities and then your schedule. We have to roll out of bed at 5:00 am to get where we're going by 7:30 am. You can do it if you want to.

[tinatyme]

We have a 3.5 year old, a 3 year old , a 2 year old, and a 3 month old who we brought home from the hospital at 3 days old. It can be done. It depends on how flexible your job is, if you have a good childcare arrangement, and if you can arrange your lives around a newborn. I took a few weeks off of work using FMLA and stayed at home with the baby while my other children were going to daycare. This allowed us to get into a schedule and allowed me to ease the children into having a baby in the house.

My daycare provider is also wonderful and they LOVE the baby. I have to pry her away from them at the end of the day. Fortunately, she is also a wonderful baby who is not colicky, eats well, and doesn't have any health issues. I have had 2 other newborns in the past who have been reunited with family and the transition with them was relatively easy with them as well. This time I was worried because all of my children are toddlers or preschoolers and I was afraid of jealousy issues but I include them (where appropriate) in her care and they think of her as their own. They will go and get diapers, entertain her, give her kisses, etc. In fact most of the time I have to shoo them away because they all want to be little parents (not so much my 2 year old who still sees herself as the most important person in the room).

It can be done. It just depends on how open you are to it, how much adjustments you can make, and how little sleep you can survive on!

[SchmennaLeigh]

I worked from the time my son was 8 weeks old until he was almost 9 months old. We didn't have any issues.

[tinatyme]

Originally Posted by krindin

Hi - So can a newborn go into daycare? I thought they had to be 6 weeks? Information would be great as I am just starting this process. Thanks!

Yes, newborns can go into daycare it just depends on the center. My center makes an exception for foster children because they understand that there is no advanced planning and that suddenly you will have childcare needs that were unanticipated. Also, private licensed providers will also take newborns. If you can't take off a couple of weeks until the baby is 6 weeks old then I would start researching the centers/providers in your area that would take a baby that was a few days/weeks old. Also there might be other foster parents or former foster parents in your area that have home daycares and can watch the baby until it is old enough to go to a center.

[Boulderbabe]

DSS here won't place infants with parents who are working full-time. They say that infants who come into care are often way stressed out, neglected, developmentally delayed and in need of a lot of attention to catch up. Having seen a bunch of babies just entering the system (one of my friends only fosters infants), I have to say, I see their point. A lot of these babies really need full-time one on one care.

[tinatyme]

Originally Posted by Boulderbabe

DSS here won't place infants with parents who are working full-time. They say that infants who come into care are often way stressed out, neglected, developmentally delayed and in need of a lot of attention to catch up. Having seen a bunch of babies just entering the system (one of my friends only fosters infants), I have to say, I see their point. A lot of these babies really need full-time one on one care.

I've heard that about some states. That's unfortunate. In my state even with full time parents as placements there are many infants that end up staying in the hospital for weeks or ending up with multiple other babies in a temporary situation because there are not enough families or families that will take high risk placements. I'm glad that our workers understand that our babies ARE loved and nurtured all day by the child care providers that we have chosen and that they have my full attention at all other times and that they grow up loved and healthy. I would never move to a state that required you to be a stay at home mom (or dad) in order to be placed with an infant. I'm glad I have the choice or I wouldn't have my babies in my life.

[Kat-L]

Originally Posted by excited2adoptsoon

Hubby and I stated we'd only take one year old and above. I wouldn't mind a newborn at all except for the fact that we both must work full time and I think I'd feel intense guilt for that.

Anyone here work full time while fost adopting a newborn?

I currently have a three year old FD and we both work full time and things have gone perfectly. But I assume newborns are different. Thoughts?

I did it three times. As a single mom, I didn't have a choice. I had to work. I will say, it's exhausting in the beginning. I was able to take parenting leave all three times and that helped. But it's hard to get up at night for bottles and then get up early for work-the alarm always seemed to go off just as I was getting back to sleep.

You just have to make sure you have a daycare that would take a new baby. FMLA covers foster placements so you can take leave for the first few weeks. Also, if your company offers maternity leave for new parents, you would qualify for that as well. Then, you'll have time to set up a daycare situation where the baby will be nurtured.

[adopt2010]

Unfortuantely here in AZ, they try not to place newborns with singles, for the same reasons that Boulderbabe mentioned. They want a stay at home parent for the infants...which isn't fair to the child or the willing foster parents.

[dac_cincy]

I am curious- what would they do about a work at home single parent? My job allows me to work at home, my son is in daycare (with a family member). I could totally see sitting at my desk with a newborn in a snugli or ergo carrier for the first few weeks.

Love to you,

Originally Posted by adopt2010

Unfortuantely here in AZ, they try not to place newborns with singles, for the same reasons that Boulderbabe mentioned. They want a stay at home parent for the infants...which isn't fair to the child or the willing foster parents.