Early Childcare – Adaptation does not equal well-being

Six Months Old – And Already in Daycare?

More and more parents are facing a difficult decision: after just a few months of parental leave, they have to place their baby in the care of strangers. Financial pressure, career ambitions, and social expectations often leave families with little choice. But what does it mean for a baby to be separated so early from their primary caregiver? What are the effects of early non-parental care on bonding, emotional development, and the child’s long-term psychological stability?

Attachment research shows that the first years of life are crucial for developing a secure attachment. During this time, babies need reliable, sensitive, and consistent caregivers—ideally one primary caregiver who responds to their signals and provides emotional security. But what happens when that consistency is missing?

What Attachment Means – And Why It’s So Crucial

Babies are born with an innate attachment system. They instinctively seek closeness to a familiar person because they know that their survival depends on it. A secure attachment forms when the caregiver reliably responds to the baby’s needs:

When the baby cries, it is comforted.
When it seeks closeness, it is held.
When it is afraid, it is protected.

This pattern of care shapes the child’s inner sense of safety. They learn: “My feelings matter. I am protected. I can trust the world.”

Babies who develop secure attachment show greater emotional resilience, higher social competence, and better stress management later in life.

But what happens when this attachment is interrupted?

Daycare at Six Months: A Critical Perspective

At just six months old, babies are still entirely dependent on their caregiver. Their brains are wired to experience emotional security through touch, smell, and voice. Spending many hours a day in an unfamiliar environment with changing caregivers can have deep and lasting effects.

Possible risks of early non-parental care:

Increased stress levels: Babies in daycare have been shown to have higher cortisol (stress hormone) levels than babies cared for by a consistent caregiver during the first years.
Insecure attachment: Children who experience frequent changes in caregivers during their early years are more likely to develop insecure or ambivalent attachment patterns, which may later lead to relationship problems and low self-esteem.
Less sensitivity: Daycare workers often care for several babies at once. An individual, attachment-oriented response to each child is hardly feasible. As a result, babies learn that their needs are not always met.
Higher risk of separation anxiety and behavioral issues: Studies show that children who were in early non-parental care tend to be more anxious, clingy, or aggressive than children who stayed longer in family care.

Of course, there are good daycare centers, dedicated caregivers, and positive experiences. But the fundamental question remains: Is such early separation truly in the baby’s best interest?

Counterarguments: “But Kids Adjust Quickly!”

It is often argued that babies adapt quickly to new caregivers and do well after a short adjustment period. But this is a misconception:

Yes, babies do adapt. But adaptation does not equal well-being.

A baby who stops crying when dropped off at daycare is not necessarily feeling secure. It may just as well mean the baby has given up. That it has learned: “No one is coming, so I’ll stop calling.”

From a neurobiological perspective, early non-parental care can have lasting effects on the child’s stress system. Children who are separated too early and for too long from their primary caregiver may later react more sensitively to stress and have difficulty forming emotional bonds.

Alternatives: Is There a Better Way?

If out-of-home care is necessary, parents can take several steps to protect the attachment bond:

Extended parental leave: If possible, the first three years should ideally be spent in parental care.
Attachment-oriented childminders instead of daycare: A stable caregiver who looks after only a small group of children is better for attachment than a large daycare group with rotating staff.
Slow adjustment period: An intensive, attachment-oriented adjustment over several weeks helps your child accept the new caregiver as a secure base.
Use part-time models and home office: If feasible, a mix of parental care and reduced external care can help lower your child’s stress.

A Shift in Societal Perspective Is Needed

In many Western countries, early non-parental care is considered normal—but there are other models. In Sweden, for example, generous parental leave policies allow parents to care for their children themselves until age three. In countries like Japan or Korea, it is socially more accepted and valued when parents care for their children during the early years.

The question is not: “How do we get babies used to daycare?”
The question should be: “How do we make it possible for parents to accompany their children themselves during the early years?”

As a society, we must ask ourselves:

Why has it become normal for babies to enter care at six months?
Why do parents often have to choose between career and child?
Why isn’t there more support for families who want to care for their children longer themselves?

These are uncomfortable questions—but they matter.

Attachment Takes Time

A baby is not a small adult. It needs closeness, protection, and a stable caregiver to grow up emotionally healthy. Research shows that secure attachment leads to greater self-confidence, better relationships, and more stable mental health in the long run.

Early non-parental care can work—but it carries risks that should not be ignored. Parents deserve honest information, not just what is socially accepted.