Naps for spirited LO starting nursery at 13 months

[NikkiSurrey]

Hi there

My LO is currenly 9.5 months old but will start nursery at 13 months.  He is very lively, has a lot of spirited characteristics, but has done well with BW methods and learned independent sleep.  However he takes some time to settle for naps (anywhere between 10 and 30 mins), making a fair bit of noise all the while.  I cannot picture him getting to sleep in a room with other babies at nursery - from January - I'm sure he will disturb other babies and will not be able to settle himself.

I think the nursery staff are great, I've already spoken to them about how they do their 'induction' and will be going there a few times in November/December when I'll have the chance to help them get to know my LO.

I know ultimately it'll just 'have to work' somehow but wondered if anyone else has similar experience which they can share?

Thanks
Nikki

[Colin Macs Mom]

Hi Nikki,

Colin also started nursery when he was about 13 mo, and he's also spirited.    I was terribly afraid of the sleeping situation. In fact I was just sure that he was never going to sleep one minute there at all. He proved me wrong! It did take him about two months to take a good nap there (longer than say 45 min) but he's been a champion ever since. I slept with his blankets for nursery for a few nights before, and I think that helped. He also sleeps apart from the rest of the kids - has since day 1 and still does. But he's also the youngest so he sleeps longer anyhow.

Would there be any way that your DS could sleep apart from the rest? What sort of nursery is it?

Ultimately, he will need some adjustment time at first but he will get there, I promise.    If Colin did, yours will too!

[NikkiSurrey]

Thanks very much Jessica,

It's worth being realistic and knowing that it won't be fantastic at first but he should get there!  I like the idea of the blankets.

As he's my first and has needed a lot of personal attention to help him to learn to sleep during the day (nighttime is completely different), it's hard to think that they just won't have that manpower available (3 babies:1 staff member with a key worker for each baby).  It is a relatively small nursery and I don't think there is a separate room or area where he'd be able to sleep on his own unfortunately.

Thankfully he won't tolerate being held much so they won't end up rocking him!

Anyway, will try to remember to report back in case I have something positive to share with others in our situation!

Thanks
Nikki

[Colin Macs Mom]

Colin also needed a lot of help to sleep independently, and we also had several months before he started at nursey. We focused very intently on his sleeping and worked very hard and it really paid off.    I bet he will surprise you and do really well.

[NikkiSurrey]

Hi there

Wanted to report back for anyone who might be vaguely curious about this situation.

In the 2-3 months before starting at nursery (beginning of January), Luka transitioned to 1 nap and started, incredibly, to have 1.5-2 hour, even 2.5 hour naps.  I never felt I could rely on it, but it was the majority of the time.  By Christmas, he started having trouble transitioning through 45 mins again and he had short naps for the two weeks before he started at nursery (very stressful - he doesn't like waking up too early).

I was also still dubious about him sleeping in a room with other babies.  However, with my DP's (partner) help, I wrote a clear summary of how Luka goes to sleep (ie independently), the principles behind not leaving him to cry but also not rescuing him, explained our little nap routine, and how best to react if/when he stirs at 45 mins.

Well, he has been having 2 hour naps every single day there!  They start to put all the babies down from around 12.30pm and he is one of the last, if not the last, to go in, when things are starting to settle down at around 1pm/1.15pm.  He settles immediately and goes right to sleep!  They are so impressed with his settling skills.  I am proud of him, proud of myself for all the hard work I put in with BW methods/philosophies (esp PU/PD which absolutely 100% works) and also grateful to my DP for helping me write the "sleep summary" (he is a master of 'plain English').

So there you go, just one more example that the BW approach works and that it is possible to explain to others and get them to follow your principles.  I will always be indebted to Tracy.

BTW I have been a mum for nearly 14 months and still have not met anyone in person who knows much about, let alone understands or even follows BW principles.

Nikki