Infant care is similar to child care for older children, except there are different requirements. Child care workers provide your child with a safe, nurturing place to stay while you take care of other responsibilities, such as working, attending classes, etc. Infants require special treatment to be happy and content, so childcare providers receive training to handle these nuances. 

If you're looking for a high-quality child care company that will take care of your infant, you might wonder what they do and what challenges they face. The trained workers will do many of the same things for your infant that you do at home, but they will do it on a larger scale since they'll likely have multiple infants at once. While it's true that they face many challenges taking care of infants compared to other-aged children, remember that they're trained and capable of doing their job with the care you'd hope for and expect. 

Bottle Feedings

You must feed infants every few hours via bottle, so the staff members must know how to do that correctly and keep a schedule for each child. Some children will drink formula, while others will drink pre-pumped breast milk from their mothers. The staff members will know how to store the formula or breast milk so everything stays fresh, and know how to prepare it when it's time for a feeding. 

Burping

It's essential to burp babies after their bottle feedings to help them get out any built-up gas. Babies have trouble burping on their own, so the staff members need to know how to burp them so they're comfortable and not fussy. 

Diaper Changes

Diaper changes are an essential part of taking care of infants. Their diapers will need to be changed regularly so they don't get rashes and to watch for constipation. The staff members should keep a regular schedule with each infant's diaper changes and pay attention to how often they're pooping.

Naps

The workers at childcare facilities must allow the infants to nap, which might mean rocking them to sleep, giving them bottles to fall asleep with, etc. When babies don't nap enough, they're often cranky and anxious. You want to be sure that your child gets plenty of rest while you're away. 

Caring for Multiple Infants

One of the struggles staff members face when caring for infants is dealing with many of them simultaneously. They might be caring for one child when another one starts crying. Luckily, they are trained to identify more serious needs and will pay special attention to every infant in their care.

To learn more, contact a local infant care program and speak with a professional.