How do I prepare my 3-month-old for my return to work?

How do I prepare my 3-month-old son for my return to work and his introduction to day care? Is there a step-by-step process?

Odds are that you'll need much more emotional preparation for this change than your son will. Returning to work tends to be far more traumatic for parents than for their 3-month-old babies. The most important step is to make sure that you feel comfortable about the safety of your son while you're gone, whether you have someone coming to your house to care for him or he's in a child care center. Many books can give you information on how to evaluate a center for children this age and older. The child care provider should also welcome your calls to check on how your son is doing, especially during the first few weeks. Don't worry that your son will "forget" you. You're still the most important person in his life. Just make sure you spend lots of time with him when you're both at home.