Ideas on Daily Infant Reports

[MarinaVanessa]

I was wondering if anyone else used daily infant reports to update their DC parent's about their babies days. I wanted to use a small form that I can print and cut up at home where I can mark down nap times, feedings, diaper changes and notes about each baby. Sometimes I forget how many diapers I go through per day and since I require all families to provide formula, breast milk, diapers, wipes, baby food etc. I wanted to know if anyone had a good idea for a form to keep track of all of the supplies.

I have a DC mom that always asks me how many diapers I went through in the day, how many bottles, how much food he ate etc. so I try to keep track but like I said, I forget sometimes and I think she feels like I may be using one child's diapers for other kids which I sooo don't. When I tell her that her supplies are running low she gets this pensive look on her face and will say something like "Oh, ok. I see. (short pause) And how many times do you change his diaper?" I feel like she thinks that I'm slowly stealing her diapers to hoard them so that I can sell them on the black market . The problem is that sometimes there are other moms here and they just look at us and I don't want them to start getting eerie feelings about their supplies. I thought that by keeping a record I can quickly nip it in the bud. Anyone have any ideas? I am open to any that anyone might have thanks!

[originalkat]

That is hilarious!!

I had twins once and the parents were divorced. There was an all out battle between who brought diapers last blaa...blaa...blaa... and the mom ended up pointing fingers at ME. Like I was somehow taking the diapers or something! ::

Anyway, I have a daily sheet for everyone (even preschoolers). I do not have infants anymore so I dont have a form for that. But what I made is a half sheet on the computer (2 per page) and just made a cute format with a place for Diapers with time and BM or Wet (I cirled the appropriate one for each change), naps with a space to write in the time slept, and bottles/baby food with a place to write ounces or what jar...peas or whatever. I put all my infant forms on a clipboard and filled them out throughout the day. Then when a parent needed to bring something, I stuck a bright sticky note with a note saying what they needed. You could also make quarter sheets on bright paper with all items listed and just check or circle the ones you need them to bring and by what day and staple it to the daily sheet. Here are a couple I found online for free...

http://www.juliefcc.com/InfantReport.html

http://childcareandbeyond.tripod.com/infantdaily4.html

https://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/forms/file.asp?id=45817

Or this one from Redleaf press is not too expensive

http://www.redleafpress.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=1355

Hope this helps!

[Childminder]

This is what I use. Couldn't get it to attach so here is the basics. When I get low on diapers for a child I write on the diaper with a sharpie that diapers are needed. The parent sees it when they change it next and I don't have to try to remember to tell them.

A DAY IN THE LIFE…
OF _________________________________________ ON: _____________________________
Meals:
___ Oz of __________ at _____. ___Oz of __________ at _____.
___ Oz of __________ at _____. ___Oz of __________ at _____.

Today I ate ____________________________________________________ at ______________.
Diaper Changes:
Time: _____ wet __ BM __ both __ Notes: _______________________________________
Time: _____ wet __ BM __ both __ _____________________________________________
Time: _____ wet __ BM __ both __ _____________________________________________
Time: _____ wet __ BM __ both __ _____________________________________________
Naps:
From _______ to ______. From _______ to ______. From _______ to _____.

NOTES________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please bring _________________________________________ to daycare by _______________

[MarinaVanessa]

These are all great ideas. I think making my own quarter size ones on bright paper is a great idea! I'm already typing something up. I'm still wondering how I'm going to keep them in the loop with their supplies though.

Maybe like add in somewhere how much formula/babyfood was used, how many diapers are left etc. Not sure what to do. Maybe I'll only do the diapers but the formula and babyfood are a problem sometimes too (the babies are given breast milk but also formula and some eat baby food too). Ugh, it just makes everything complicated, I want to pull my hair out!!! .

[grandmom]

This is the chart I use


7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6

M W C BM 5[------------] W 4
T
W
etc

Monday translation: wet diaper at 7:30, cereal at 8:ish, bm at 10, 5 oz formula at 10:45, then slept till 1, etc., etc. This form is one page, and has 2-4 weeks on it so the pattern become obvious.

I tell parents that I do this till I see a pattern so that I can know what to expect for their child. Then I don't do the form anymore. Filling out these forms takes so much time. I'd rather read a book to the children.

As for the comments/looks when you ask for more diapers, I send an email. Then I don't have to remember when they are here to pick up the child.

[grandmom]

ok, my tabs didn't work out, on the form idea above, but you get the idea.

[DBug]

When I was still printing my own forms, and before I got the actual ones from Funshine Express, I copied the sections from the website and just made it look like my own . Theirs have all the bases covered -- change times, bottles, meals, mood, etc. It's right here on their site (they also have toddler and preschool ones).

Hope that helps!

[momma2girls]

This is the chart I use


7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6

M W C BM 5[------------] W 4
T
W
etc

Monday translation: wet diaper at 7:30, cereal at 8:ish, bm at 10, 5 oz formula at 10:45, then slept till 1, etc., etc. This form is one page, and has 2-4 weeks on it so the pattern become obvious.

I tell parents that I do this till I see a pattern so that I can know what to expect for their child. Then I don't do the form anymore. Filling out these forms takes so much time. I'd rather read a book to the children.

As for the comments/looks when you ask for more diapers, I send an email. Then I don't have to remember when they are here to pick up the child.

I do the same similiar thing, til there is a pattern, then I stop filling these out. I always tell the parents if there is anything out of the ordinary. ANother thing I always tell them, when I am low on diapers, baby wipes, if using formula, and if they had a bm that day(if they are not pottying on their own)

[kitkat]

I make my own and adjust them for each families needs, but fill one out for each child, not just babies. Below is a current one I'm using for 2 sisters. I took out some of the lines so it wasn't so long for this post, but other wise, I just fill it in as we go through the day. The comments area I use for when supplies are needed, reminders, or cute things that happened during the day.

(Family Name's) DAILY SLIP

Eating
DCG1
___________________________
___________________________

DCG2
___________________________
___________________________

Nap
DCG1:___________________
DCG2:______________________

Diaper: ____________________
____________________________
____________________________

Comments

[MarinaVanessa]

Righ I understand. I never do this (keep track on a sheet) I check diapers frequently, feed babies on demand (or on the schedule that the parent's give me) but my problem is that I tell them how many times I changed a diaper (Usually 4 to 8 diapers a day per baby depending on how many hours they're here a day) and when I tell a particular mom that supplies are running low she gives me a look like I'm stealing her diapers and now the other parents are starting to question me.

This morning another mom asked me why I was using so many diapers and so I just replied with something along the lines of "Well, I check diapers frequently. Probably about every 30-45 minutes and if it's wet or dirty I change it. Even if it's just a little bit of pee. If you would rather that I not change him so frequently then I have no problem doing that but I will need that request in writing. Please be specific in the note as to how long you would like me to wait between diaper changes". She immediately was like "Oh, no. I didn't mean it like that, I was just curious but I'm glad that you're on top of it". It just frustrates me that one mom could start so many problems.

[momma2girls]

Righ I understand. I never do this (keep track on a sheet) I check diapers frequently, feed babies on demand (or on the schedule that the parent's give me) but my problem is that I tell them how many times I changed a diaper (Usually 4 to 8 diapers a day per baby depending on how many hours they're here a day) and when I tell a particular mom that supplies are running low she gives me a look like I'm stealing her diapers and now the other parents are starting to question me.

This morning another mom asked me why I was using so many diapers and so I just replied with something along the lines of "Well, I check diapers frequently. Probably about every 30-45 minutes and if it's wet or dirty I change it. Even if it's just a little bit of pee. If you would rather that I not change him so frequently then I have no problem doing that but I will need that request in writing. Please be specific in the note as to how long you would like me to wait between diaper changes". She immediately was like "Oh, no. I didn't mean it like that, I was just curious but I'm glad that you're on top of it". It just frustrates me that one mom could start so many problems.

I used to write on sheets when I first started doing daycare, then other mothers would see that I did it for the one, then she wanted it done, then a 3 yr. old's mom wanted it done. All I did is write down things on there, and 1/2 the time I didn't have time to write on it as it happened, so it just got way too much!! I tell parents if they pooped and when they last ate. I have a monthly menu, so tells parents what I am feeding them, so that sums it up. I also make sure and tell them, if they didn't eat very much, didn't drink well, if they were fussy, etc. anything out of the ordinary.

[DBug]

This morning another mom asked me why I was using so many diapers and so I just replied with something along the lines of "Well, I check diapers frequently. Probably about every 30-45 minutes and if it's wet or dirty I change it. Even if it's just a little bit of pee. If you would rather that I not change him so frequently then I have no problem doing that but I will need that request in writing. Please be specific in the note as to how long you would like me to wait between diaper changes". She immediately was like "Oh, no. I didn't mean it like that, I was just curious but I'm glad that you're on top of it". It just frustrates me that one mom could start so many problems.

My own child has been with a caregiver who said, at the end of the 8 hour day, "Oh, I haven't checked her diaper yet. She may need a change." ARGH!

I am totally with you on changing the kids frequently. We do diaper checks 6 times a day (and of course, change poopy ones whenever needed), and honestly, how could you not? I point out to parents in interviews that we will likely go through more diapers here than they do at home, and I haven't had a issue yet. But in my books, checking/changing frequently is one of the signs of a GREAT Caregiver! Keep it up, and forget what the mom says. Tell her to buy the cheap diapers for daycare if she's so worried about money.

[MarinaVanessa]

I point out to parents in interviews that we will likely go through more diapers here than they do at home, and I haven't had a issue yet. But in my books, checking/changing frequently is one of the signs of a GREAT Caregiver!

This sounds like a great idea too. I think instead of filling out a form for each child I'll just add this to my handbook. Now I'm laughing because I can just imagine the looks on my DC parent's faces when I give them another emendment to my handbook ::. Especially the DC mom that started this whole thing. I got some promotional stuff from Pampers and Huggies today that parent's can sign up for to get coupons and stuff, I'm going to give one of these to her too.

[Unregistered]

I check diapers every 1 1/2 to 2 hours unless I notice the diaper seems wet or dirty and change as soon as needed. I track everything on a daily sheet, and at the bottom I have a spot for "notes for parents" where i list any supplies i am short on (diapers, wipes, formula etc) so they know what is needed. It helps keep myself and the parents organized better. It is hard sometimes to remember to fill it out after each thing we do however, so I try to keep them on a clipboard with a pen handy in main daycare room.

[Unregistered]

I have been in daycare for about 10+yrs now and i always fill out a daily sheet stating what the child has done. Here is an example of one of my reports:

A Day in the Life of…

Name: _____________________ Date: ________________


I ate: Breakfast: @____ ______________________
Lunch: @_____ ________________________
Snack: @______ _______________________


I slept from: ________ until _________ __________ until __________
________ until _________ __________ until __________

*Diapers:
8:30 Wet • BM • Dry • 2:30 Wet • BM • Dry •
10:30 Wet • BM • Dry • 4:30 Wet • BM • Dry •
12:30 Wet • BM • Dry •

My mood today was:
  
Happy Teething Sad

*Please Bring More Of:
•Diapers •Wipes •Ointment •Extra Clothes •Other: _______

Put whatever times work best for you or you can leave blanks & write in your own time, I change all diapers at the same time, if their child isnt at school, then i just cross it out & go on the next one, dirty diapers in between those hours, i usually just write out to the side. This is what works for me. With supplies being brough to daycare, is a hassle for some parents & easy for others. I usually warn them a few days before letting their child run out of diapers(even though we are a mile from a dollar general) on the day before the child runs out, i write at the top of the daily sheet or attach a bright colored piece of paper to the report saying : HAS __ DIAPERS LEFT! i have one parent who, i think NEVER reads the daily reports, so i have simply asked for a certain amount of money extra on her tuition to buy her child diapers & thats what she does(sad i know). I have also told parents that their child can not return to daycare until they bring more diapers, its not fair to use other ppls diapers for their child & if i do use someone elses diapers, i will remember how many & will put them back, when the child finally brings some. Hope this helps some of yall! have a blessed day!