Daycare- napping my cosleeper. How?

[is it puppies?]

Hi all,

I went to the daycare where I will probably be putting DD in when she's 1 year old in June. I really don't know yet what my work situation will be, so it might be anywhere from 1-5 days a week. Sigh. I started crying before we even went in and couldn't stop the whole visit. Off topic.

Anyways, my question- how on earth do they make babies sleep there? DD NEEDS her naps, but she's normally either bounced to sleep on the ball (this is usually DHs solution, then he has to hold her or she'll awaken), nursed to sleep in bed, falls asleep in a stroller sometimes, or possibly in the car (if she's not screaming her head off, heh.) They say they put the wee ones into a crib for the first month, then they get to sleep on the mats.

She has NEVER even been in a crib. She won't even lay down in bed once asleep without waking up unless there's a boobie in her mouth for a few minutes (hence, DH has to hold her if she naps and I'm not home).

I have read "they have their ways" but I am DYING to know what these are.

thanks for any input.

[PatioGardener]

my ds will go to day care soon too, so I want to know as well!

i think we need a support group...

nak my sleeping babe!

[KTProvi]

My 12-mo-old co-sleeps at home, but naps in a crib at daycare.  You really need to ask those specific teachers what their methods are. There will probably be a rough transition for her - she's not going to like it - so don't freak out at the beginning.  Kids elarn to adjust.  I cannot get my baby down in his crib at home, but at daycare they just put him down on his tummy and pat his back and tush, and he goes to sleep w/out crying.  Babies learn different behavior for different places.That said, if you know you are starting in June, you should begin trying to teach her to sleep a little more on her own as soon as you can, so it's not so cold turnkey for her.  Will she take a pacifier or a bottle? have a lovey?  something for the transition that is not a boobie in her mouth.

[MujerMamaMismo]

My DS slept happily in a crib the first time he ever went to childcare. I was shocked and amazed. Apparently he stood in the crib and watched all the other kids go to sleep first and eventually his legs buckled, he laid down and was out within seconds. That was a year ago. These days he sleeps on a mattress on the floor at childcare and when he's fighting sleep, the carers pat him to sleep. Our centre does not advocate CIO methods - and I can't imagine many centres that would, because pragmatically, it would make it very difficult with all the other kids also trying to sleep.

My son has never ever slept easily, nor in a crib, ever ever ever for me! Childcare is different. Partially I think it's magic and partially because the kids have no vested interest in testing the boundaries of carers who have no emotional investment or agenda in getting them to sleep!

Good luck!

[is it puppies?]

I hope it's all as easy as that....

DD will sleep in a lot of different ways, and does take a pacifier when she wants one, but loooooooves the booby. She naps and does the first couple hours at night in bed alone- but I stay with her till she's out. With a booby in her mouth or she will scream!!

[neonalee]

Its the same here. I cannot get him to nap on his own, but no problems at daycare. We're going through some other issues right now but before that I had read and was just starting to put into practice methods from that sleep book everyone recommends, I have completely forgotten the name (pumping right now or I would look it up)! One thing I have learned is the perfect time and technique for pulling the boob out & substituting a paci so I can get up and let him nap. It's step 1 anyway.

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[LaydieBugs]

We have found that our son has a different way that he will go to sleep, for each different person he encounters.

I have to nurse him ... then ease him into a bed.

Daddy has to bounce him ... then can put him into his swing.

Babysitter has to dance slowly with him ... then can put him into his swing.

Stepmom has to swing him and then rock him ... and hasn't yet figured out how to put him down.

(the only consistent thing is, he likes to go to sleep to music from the 80s Hair Bands)

I was wondering how it would go at Daycare (especially if they don't play Def Leppard!) ... the first day, he fell asleep in the arms of the woman there, she rocked him.  Since there weren't many kids, she just held him while he slept (so he came home smelling of STRONG old lady perfume ... oh well). 

They have cribs too, and he's never been in a crib.  I don't know if they've ever managed to put him in a crib, but I have seen they also put babies in the swing, or bouncy seat, whatever works. 

I would ask them what their "ways" are, and what they think about her having never slept in a crib.

But I suspect if you add up all the places she has slept in her life, there may be "weirder" places than a crib, where she has slept ... stroller, car seat, on someone's shoulder? 

[carepear]

My kiddo naps in arms at home but naps in her crib at daycare.  I usually nurse her to sleep but at daycare they "pat her down" which is just patting her back until she falls asleep.  I've seen this with the older kids on mats as well.  They lay down with them and rub their backs until they go to sleep.

I'm really thinking about trying to use their method because it would be great to do some housework while the kid naps at home.

[P.J.]

DS is in the process of starting daycare right now ~we're still in the adjustment phase so he hasn't stayed long enough in the day to nap there yet. But I was wondering the same thing. When I asked the childcare provider she said that the kids are so tired from playing all morning (she brings them outside to a playground for part of the morning which helps tire them out) that it has never been an issue, they just naturally sleep.

Well, I'll believe it when I see it, lol.

But really, I do expect it to work. There may be some fussiness, but I trust the daycare woman to find her way with him (I made it clear we were anti CIO and I agree with PP, even pro-CIO daycare would not do it during naptime b/c it would wake the other kids). I will also pump and leave some milk in case that might help.

I also agree that kids have different behavior in different situations and for different people. For example, DS will often not go in the stroller with me since I usually carry him, but for others he is easy in the stroller because he doesn't expect to be carried. For this reason I suspect napping won't be an issue there as it's just a different environment. The daycare woman also told us that once he sees all the other kids sleeping he'll be more likely to want to sleep, and that makes sense.

We'll see how it goes, good luck to all of us!!!

[sosurreal09]

My friends baby is in day care and they sleep on mats and she never had an issue napping b/c everyone is right there. She started gong at 9 m/o

[2FarmBoysMomma]

I might have some input for you guys. I am a mom of two boys and have also worked as an infant care provider in daycare for over 6 years. When they say they have their ways they do mean it. Mostly babies seem to do well with daycare routine and sleeping in cribs because this is not home and we are not mom and dad...ect I have seen alot of situations and it is very difficult. I am not sure what your states teacher to child ratio is but in Ohio its one teacher per 5 children which seems like alot to me but we always managed, because we had over 5 babies where as then we had 2 teachers. When we would get new babies in one of us would take on that child to help with the transition. This way baby becomes comfortable quicker because they become familiar with that one teacher.

My best advice is remain calm and confident tell yourself and believe that all will work out and all will be fine. Its extremely hard for all involved but remember baby feeds off of your vibes. So if your upset they are going to be upset because they feel there is something to be afraid of ect... Hope this helps feel free to ask any other questions I can tell you anything about most general policys and procedures involved with the daycare world.

[Hannah32]

I really do think daycare tires them out in a different way. 

My 10 month old just started. At home with dad, he would take one good nap a day, anywhere from 90 m to 2 1/2 hours. At the short end, he would be really fussy in the afternoon, but would not go down for another nap most of the time. At the long end, he would be perfectly happy all afternoon, until at least 4:30-5 pm. He goes to bed around 6. 

Well now he's at daycare and back to two naps per day, 90 minutes or so each. And he was extremely tired and cranky and ready for bed at the ridiculous hour of 4 pm today.