Daycare or nanny: what to consider before deciding

Choosing who will care for your baby when the family needs to go back to work, study or simply reorganize its routine can raise a lot of questions. Daycare or nanny? Which option is the better fit?

There is no single answer. The best choice depends on the child's age and needs, the family's routine, the budget, the support network and, above all, the quality of the care being offered.

In Brazil, daycare (creche) is part of Early Childhood Education and serves children from 0 to 3 years old. So there is no general rule saying a baby must turn 1 before starting to attend. Early Childhood Education should combine care and education and contribute to the child's physical, emotional, intellectual and social development.

When can a nanny make sense?

Having a nanny allows the baby to stay in the home environment and receive more individualized attention.

This can make it easier to keep certain sleep and feeding times and other routines the child already knows. It can also be a good alternative for families whose schedules don't match well with a school's hours or who need more flexibility.

But hiring someone to care for a baby involves much more than finding someone who is available.

Before hiring, it's worth talking about:

• experience with children in the same age group;
• professional references;
• first aid knowledge;
• the baby's feeding and routine;
• hygiene and diaper changes;
• safe sleep;
• giving medicines;
• outings and transportation;
• phone use during working hours;
• what to do in case of fever, falls or other emergencies;
• how to communicate with the family.

It's also important to watch how the person interacts with the child. Patience, attention, affection and the ability to respond to the baby's cues are essential.

Pay attention to employment responsibilities

Hiring someone may also involve legal obligations.

According to Brazil's Ministry of Labor and Employment, when a person provides domestic services on an ongoing, personal, paid and subordinate basis to the same family for more than two days a week, they are considered a domestic employee. Nannies fall into this category when these conditions are met, and the employment relationship must be registered according to the rules for domestic work.

That's why, in addition to the salary, the family needs to consider costs and responsibilities such as paid vacation, the 13th-month salary, FGTS (Brazil's mandatory severance fund) and other employment rights when there is a formal employment relationship.

And when can daycare be a good choice?

Daycare is not just a place where the child stays while the caregivers work. It is part of the first stage of Basic Education and should offer planned experiences of care, social interaction, play and development.

Contact with other children and professionals also creates opportunities for interaction and new experiences.

But the quality of the institution makes all the difference.

Before enrolling, visit the place in person whenever possible.

Observe:

• how the adults talk to and interact with the babies;
• cleanliness of the spaces;
• safety of doors, stairs, outlets and outdoor areas;
• how the sleeping areas are organized;
• the diaper-changing area;
• the food provided;
• how many children each professional looks after;
• the educators' training;
• the routine of play and activities;
• the policy for sick children;
• communication between school and family;
• the educational approach;
• the institution's operating license.

Brazil's Ministry of Education also recommends that families check whether the institution has an operating license from the Municipal Department of Education, a health permit and an educational plan, and observe how communication with caregivers works.

Does settling into daycare need to be gradual?

Whenever possible, yes.

Starting to attend a new environment means getting to know different people, sounds, smells, schedules and routines. It's natural for some children to find this change strange at first.

Crying at goodbye also doesn't necessarily mean the child is suffering the whole time they are at school.

The Ministry of Education recommends strategies such as more family presence in the first days, a shorter stay at first and gradually increasing the hours as the child adapts. The institution should also get to know the child's preferences and routines and keep in close contact with the family.

Each child, however, has their own pace.

Daycare or nanny: what to compare?

Instead of looking for a universally better option, it may be more useful to compare how each alternative would work in your family's reality.

Individual attention

With a nanny, there is usually more room for individualized care.

At daycare, care happens in a group, but a good institution organizes staff, spaces and routines to meet the children's needs.

Routine

A nanny can more easily follow the schedule already used at home.

At daycare, the child joins a group routine, although quality institutions should take their individual needs into account, especially while they are settling in.

Interaction with other children

At daycare, being with other children is part of the routine.

At home, these experiences need to be provided in other ways, such as outings, family get-togethers, parks, activities and play.

Flexibility

A nanny can offer hours that adapt more easily to the caregivers' routine.

A school generally works with set times for drop-off, pick-up, meals and activities.

Plan B

This point deserves attention.

If the nanny gets sick or needs to miss work, who will stay with the baby?

If the child is sick and can't go to daycare, who will be able to care for them?

Whatever option you choose, having a small support network or a backup plan can save a lot of stress when the unexpected happens.

Costs

Don't just compare the school's monthly fee with the nanny's salary.

For daycare, consider the enrollment fee, monthly fee, meals when charged separately, transportation, supplies and extra hours.

When hiring a nanny as a formal employee, the corresponding employment charges and rights also need to be included in the calculation.

What about a baby monitor?

Audio or video baby monitors can help caregivers keep an eye on the baby while they are in another room.

They can be especially useful during naps and at night.

But they are support tools, and they don't replace the presence and proper supervision of an adult.

Even when using cameras or sensors, parents or caregivers still need to check on the baby in person when necessary.

Some challenges exist with both choices

Whether at home, with a nanny, or with the support of an institution, some situations are simply part of caring for a baby.

When the baby won't stop crying

The first step is to check common needs: hunger, diaper, sleep, discomfort, temperature, wanting to be held or signs of illness.

Sometimes, though, even after several attempts, the baby keeps crying.

If the person caring for the baby notices they are getting very irritated or overwhelmed, it's safer to put the baby down in an appropriate, safe place, such as the crib, step away for a few minutes to calm down and ask for help when possible.

**Never shake a baby.**

The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics specifically advise overwhelmed caregivers to take a short break while the child stays safe.

If the crying is different from usual, very intense or accompanied by signs of illness, seek advice from the pediatrician.

Caregivers' lack of sleep

The first months can mean very broken nights.

When two or more adults are available to provide care, taking turns can allow each person to get a stretch of more continuous sleep.

Accepting help from your support network can also make a difference.

There's no need for a single person to take on all the feedings, changes, baths, appointments and night wakings.

Caring for the caregiver is also part of caring for the baby.

Reactions after vaccines

Pain or tenderness at the injection site and a moderate fever can happen after some vaccines and are usually temporary. Brazil's Ministry of Health reinforces that vaccines are safe and that these discomforts tend to pass quickly.

If intense or persistent symptoms appear, or anything that worries the family, seek advice from a health professional.

Medicines should not be given to the baby on your own just to prevent possible reactions.

A simple question can help:

“Which of these options lets us provide safe, loving and consistent care for our baby without making our family routine unsustainable?”

Then, look at a few points:

For the baby:

Does the baby have any specific needs? How do they react to new environments? Which option can best respect their feeding, sleep, safety and need for interaction?

For the caregivers:

What are the work schedules? Is there flexibility? How much time will be spent commuting? Is someone available for emergencies?

For the budget:

What is the real cost of each alternative, considering all expenses?

For the family's peace of mind:

Do you trust the person or institution you chose? Do you feel you can talk openly, ask questions and get information about your child's day?

Trust matters — but it should go hand in hand with safety, good practices and follow-up.

It doesn't have to be a permanent choice

The solution that works at 4 months may not be the same one at 18 months.

Some families start with a nanny and later choose daycare. Others do the opposite. There are also families who combine part-time school with care at home.

Reassessing the decision as the baby grows doesn't mean the first choice was wrong.

It simply means that the needs of the child and the family change over time.

To keep in Nilu 🪺

It's not a competition between “daycare” and “nanny”.

There are different ways to organize a care network.

A good decision is one that takes into account safety, affection, quality of care, the child's development, trust and the family's reality.

Visit, talk, ask, observe and leave room for adjustments.

And if any questions come up about this new phase, you can also talk to Luna, the Nilu assistant. She can help you organize questions to take to the school, put together a list for interviewing a nanny or help your family compare the options more calmly.

Sources consulted

• Brazil's Ministry of Education — National Early Childhood Education Policy and guidance for families and institutions.
• Brazil's Ministry of Education and UNICEF — Quality indicators and standards for Early Childhood Education.
• Brazil's Ministry of Labor and Employment / eSocial — rules and rights related to domestic work and hiring nannies.
• Brazil's Ministry of Health — National Immunization Program.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics — safety guidance for dealing with a baby's intense crying.