According to a study out of the Netherlands, children under one who spend their day at daycare are more stressed than babies who stay with a nanny or parent at home.
To reach this conclusion, educator and study author Esther Albers analyzed and compared the saliva of 64 three-month old babies. Those in daycare developed more cortisol, a hormone whose levels increase with stress.
Albers explains: "At daycare, just like at home, the little one requires a lot of personal attention to deal with him. Parents interact a lot with their children, while child care workers are just doing their job. They thus have a more functional approach."
It is therefore preferable to keep babies at home until they are at least one year old.