Naps at daycare

[Boyz:)]

Hello...

DS2 is now 12 months and a bit.  He naps fantastic at home but daycare is a whole other story and a rather sad one at that.  He has horrible naps there....15 mins here, 15 mins there.  Every now and then he sleeps for an hour but no more.  The workers have done all that I have asked them to do...dark corner, rub his back, bottle before going down....to no avail.  He's been going to bed at 6/6:30 and sleeping thru to 6:30.

He's been going to the daycare since mid July.  How long until he adjusts?  Weeks? Months? This is all coupled by separation anxiety as well.  There have been some NW as well for up to 2.5 hours....but not every night.

I'm at a loss....any thoughts, suggestions or what have you are more than welcome.

Kandace

[meri anne]

Hi Kandace,
For us it took 1 month or so. Now she is napping for 2.5 hours at daycare. I think the early bedtime is the right thing to do until your DS adjusts. HTH

[lewismummy]

Hiya

I havnt got much advice really but I am also having a few issues with nursery as ds has been given 2 short naps there instead of his 1 long nap at home, the earliest they have put him down was 9.15am!!! Needless to say I am a bit cheesed at this but they keep telling me he will adjust   so you are not alone. We also are having the seperation anxiety although ds has only recently started nursery and only goes 2 days a week. I hope your LO adjust and can only repeat the advice already given as I am having to put my ds to bed earlier also

Good luck

Vikki

[momtothomas]

Me too, me too!  My DS actually started at day care today and will go 3 days a week.  He's 15 months and still takes 2 naps a day at home on most days, but he is only allowed to take one at day care.  He slept 30 minutes today, which was a combination of several things (being overtired, opening his eyes at the end of his first sleep cycle and seeing he was somewhere new, etc.)... When I went to pick him up, the teacher asked if he always took a 30 minute nap?!?  I thought, "No way!" but I said it a little less emphatically.  I know it will take some time for him to adjust, but I'm wondering the same thing...  How long?  I feel bad asking after his first day, but he just looked so tired when I picked him up!  To make matters worse, he picked up a cold when we visited for a few minutes last week, so I'm sure it's just the beginning of a long era of runny nose time for us.

Anyway, I know the answer through all this will be an early bedtime, which was easy to do tonight since I left work early to get him on his first day.  However, I'm not sure how early I will be able to get him into bed - guess we'll be trying to dinner and bathtime in record time!

Ugh, being a mommy is tiring.

[Boyz:)]

Thank you ladies....it just helps to know that there are others out there trying to put together the same puzzle. 

Early to bed again tonight.  He had a 3 hour NW lastnight....didn't settle until after I gave him some Motrin and teething gel.  I have no idea if that was the issue or not...I was just out of answers and patience by that time. 

He did nap for an hour today at daycare.....as long as the worker was holding him...sigh... He only goes 3 days a week so tomorrow is the last day until Monday.  He has been catching up on his sleep on his days at home with DH so I guess it all balances out in the end??? 

Here's to us, ladies and for finding a solution sooner rather than later...


Kandace

[meri anne]

Could you talk to the people at daycare so that they put your LOs for 2 naps (and 1 nap for Vikki)? Our daycare does allow every LO have naps at different hours. DD was on a 2-nap routine, but it didn't work well at daycare because she has the 2nd nap too late, so we transitioned to 1 long nap. But there are 2 other toddlers still having 2 naps. They can be very flexible in terms of routine because there are 4 toddlers (and the max. number allowed is 6) in our class.
For the illness part, you are right! DD had 3 ear infections and 1 cold in 2 months  Our dr said that she would be ill for the first year of daycare  , but then she would have a very strong immune system.
And finally, early bedtime isn't always easy (we are back at home around 6.45) What I do is to make dinner ready the day before so I just heat and serve, and skip the bath part if DD is very tired.

[lewismummy]

Yep ill be talking to nursery on Fri when I drop him off as the 3 days he has been at home he has had his naps at normal times and normal duration i.e 1.5-2hrs, I suppose I can keeps him amused and entertained more with 1-1 time but I always thought nursery was supposed to be fun and busy for the LO's so why cant they keep him awake?

My ds is having a hard time adjusting so I was being lenient at first but I dont want to be in my new job worrying about ds and if he is settled/happy/well rested!! as I am in a caring profession and really need to concentrate better on my job.....when will it end lol

Good luck to us all, its wonderful being a mum but by god it can be hard work

[momtothomas]

At his second day there today, DS slept 1 hr 45 minutes...  Woo hoo!  We'll see if he does so well tomorrow.  Somehow I doubt it, but a girl can dream, right?

[Boyz:)]

DS2 had a good day at daycare today as well.  An hour nap in the morning and another hour in the afternoon, not being held and in the crib!!!!  It's only one day but I'll take it!  Baby steps...literally.

I told the daycare that I didn't mind if they did 2 naps or one...the goal is to get him napping there like he did when he started.

I've also been the one to pick the kids up the last 2 days.  I was wondering if it would help DS2's separation anxiety....I'm dropping him off and then coming back to get him at the end of the day.  A shot in the dark but I'm willing to try anything right now.

Take care all

Kandace