Can you share your experiences with day care and how it affecting EASY?

[nossi]

Hello all!  My lo is currently 6.5 mo and we're considering day care when I go back to work in 1.5 mo.  The daycare seems wonderful, but I'm hesitant because of their "schedule".  They try to get all the babies on the same schedule - sleep at the same time, eat at the same time.  They say there is a little room for flexibility, but I saw their schedule and my DS needs more sleep than the average baby.  For the older infant room (6 mo - 1 yr), first nap is 10:30 to 11:30 and then next nap is 2:00 to 3:30.  But my DS currently takes two 1.5 -2 hr naps.  The first is from 11 - 12:30 or 1:00.  And the second is usually from 3/3:30 - 5/5:30.  He can stay up for longer periods of time because he naps so long.  And he also sleeps 12 hrs at night (lucky me   So I'm really concerned that he wouldn't get enough sleep and that when nap time is over the other kids would wake him up by playing.  Can you offer any help/advice/experience with daycare and how it affected your lo's EASY schedule?  I love the idea of my DS interacting with other kids and getting out of the house, but I don't love the idea of a "set" naptime and eating time.  Sometimes he needs to go down earlier and sometimes he can stay up a little longer.  So I'm always just reading his cues and usually never wake him up from his naps because it doesn't affect his night time sleep.  I'm really stressing over this and would love some help!!

[ark]

I would think they would be able to let him sleep a little longer than the "schedule".  My DS had an issue around about 9 mo or so because the older kids only took one nap and he wouldn't sleep if they were up.  So he started taking one nap a day very early.  Honestly though after a few weeks he adjusted and was ok.  We just had an earlier bed time.

Could your LO maybe take a catnap after daycare to help some?  Not sure what time you would be picking him up. 

Good luck.  If it's the right daycare it can be a great thing.  I know my DS has learned lots of things I wouldn't have been able to teach him myself.

[nossi]

Thanks Andrea - that's comforting.  When you would put your DS down for an earlier bedtime, would he just sleep an extra hour or so at night, or did he start waking up earlier because he was going to sleep earlier?  I thought about the catnap idea because I've heard of other parents doing that.  I'll be picking him up at 6:00.  Since he goes to bed around 8:30/9:00 nowadays, I could probably squeeze in a 20 minute catnap at 6:30 or so.  Thanks again!

[ark]

I can't remember for sure, but it seems like at that age we were having problems with him waking early no matter what time he went to bed.  Once he started walking it sorted itself out. 

My DS had a catnap from about 4:30 - 5:15 or so.  He would fall asleep in the car on the way home from daycare.  I just had to make sure he didn't sleep too long.

You'll just have to play with it and see what works for you, but I promise it does work itself out in time.