Infant Health

Half of parents have used pre-owned equipment for their child, while 4 in 5 have donated or sold pre-owned equipment. 2 in 3 parents feel it is hard to tell whether pre-owned equipment is safe for their child. Half of parents are comfortable only with pre-owned equipment shared by family or close friends.

9 in 10 parents agree that running a low-grade fever helps a child’s body fight off infection. 2 in 3 parents are very confident they know whether their child needs medication to reduce fever. 1 in 3 parents would give fever-reducing medication for elevated temperature below 100.4°.

Nearly 1 in 4 parents say they have worried their child was or might be delayed in their milestones. Among parents who suspected their child was behind in their milestones, nearly 1 in 5 did not seek advice from a healthcare or childcare provider. 9 in 10 parents are either confident or very confident they know when their children should achieve most of their milestones.

Location in a sketchy area or having a gun on the premises of a childcare or preschool would be deal-breakers for most parents. Only half of parents were confident that they could tell if a childcare or preschool is safe and healthy. 2 out of 3 parents agreed that it’s hard to find childcare options with the characteristics they want.

6 in 10 mothers have been criticized about parenting their young child, most commonly by family members. Discipline is the most common topic of criticism, followed by diet/nutrition and sleep. Half of criticized mothers say they avoid people who are too critical.

39% of parents say their child’s preschool or child care center has experienced an emergency within the past two years. 37% of parents say their child’s center or preschool has an emergency plan online. 63% of parents report their child’s preschool or child care center has a process in place to identify adults at pick-up time if an evacuation became necessary.

Three-quarters of parents think daycare providers should check vaccination records every year. Two-thirds of parents think they should be informed of the number of children at the daycare center who are not up-to date on vaccines. 41% of parents support a policy to exclude undervaccinated kids from daycare until they become up-to-date.

Most parents (81%) feel their baby’s healthcare provider is the best source of information about circumcision. The majority of parents (87%) say the best time to get information about circumcision is before the baby is born. Only 23% of parents say the provider should recommend what decision to make about circumcision.

26% of all parents with a child age 0-3 report having attended a breastfeeding class. 40% of first-time parents attend breastfeeding classes. Only 12% of uninsured parents attend breastfeeding classes.

72% of adults agree that parents have the right to insist that visitors receive the pertussis vaccine before visiting a newborn baby in the hospital. 61% of adults agree that parents should make sure all adults receive the pertussis vaccine before visiting a newborn baby at home.