Attachment Parenting
Gym daycare
Hello, I'm new to this board : I'm a single mom/college student but currently able to be a SAHM thanks to my supportive parents.
I didn't realize that my parenting style was AP till I heard more about it previously thought it was just about extended nursing my baby boy is 3 1/2 mos old and is very high maintenance lol he is very aware and likes to constantly be held and on the move. He can do about 10 mins at a time in a swing or bouncer as long as I'm in and out of the room. He recognizes people and does well w only me, my mom, and his dad. He has never slept more than 4 hrs and we avg three 2 hr stretches per night and he naps on me for 2 45 min naps per day. I swear he's trying to kill me w sleep deprivation! Any sleep advice would be appreciated!
Also, I would like to start going to the gym a few times a week which would mean using the gym daycare. I'm worried that he won't do well w strangers and that they won't be able to give him the attention he needs. Any of you used the gym daycare? Advice? Thanks!
I didn't realize that my parenting style was AP till I heard more about it previously thought it was just about extended nursing my baby boy is 3 1/2 mos old and is very high maintenance lol he is very aware and likes to constantly be held and on the move. He can do about 10 mins at a time in a swing or bouncer as long as I'm in and out of the room. He recognizes people and does well w only me, my mom, and his dad. He has never slept more than 4 hrs and we avg three 2 hr stretches per night and he naps on me for 2 45 min naps per day. I swear he's trying to kill me w sleep deprivation! Any sleep advice would be appreciated!
Also, I would like to start going to the gym a few times a week which would mean using the gym daycare. I'm worried that he won't do well w strangers and that they won't be able to give him the attention he needs. Any of you used the gym daycare? Advice? Thanks!
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Re: Gym daycare
Gym daycare didn't work for us, though I tried when DD was a little older, around a year. She was not into being with strangers and cried until they came and got me off the treadmill. I didn't want to pay for a membership that I wasn't going to be able to use!
I found a stroller strides type class that is serious exercise that you bring your baby to. Try searching meetup.com for a group near you. I found this infinitely more enjoyable because I wasn't worried about my baby, she was happy with the movement and interaction, and I met an awesome group of moms with whom I still regularly socialize. It really checked a lot of boxes for me. Def. recommend giving it a try, most places will give you a free trial class.
The sleep thing gets better/easier, promise! He sounds like a pretty normal sleeper for his age, even though it can be so hard, you think "this can't be normal!". Don't feel bad or guilty sleeping when your baby sleeps. Take advantage of his naps to get some shut eye for yourself!
My LO is almost 3 months, and we've used the gym daycare several times since he was about 6 weeks old. I always make sure I go when he is well fed and has a clean diaper. My guy is a good sleeper, so most times he just sleeps in the car seat from when I carried him in. But there have been times when he's fussed, and the workers there have tried to calm him down (sometimes successfully, sometimes not). I would try to go at a time when they are not too busy so that there aren't a lot of babies for just a few workers - that way your LO can get attention immediately if he needs it. At least at my gym, the workers have no problem holding my guy if he gets fussy.
I also check in on my little guy every so often. Like if I do a 30 minute jog and am thinking about doing more, I stop by the nursery to make sure he is okay to stay longer.
Have you tried wearing him in a carrier? That helped a lot in the early months when LO wanted to be held a lot.
I had a lot of luck with the Y for daycare. They're specifically catered to children and the one where we live has awesome facilities for the kids.
Depends on where you go. At the Y I got to and work at, the folks in the infant care portion have a whole bunch of carriers (and use them), are usually holding a baby, and have loads of ways to help distract them. It's not the same as one-on-one with mommy, but it's not like they're left in a swing if they're unhappy.
That said, some kids don't do well ever, and some kids need a long time to warm up to it. DD hates the little kids section, because she doesn't like the noise of the little babies crying. She's always been sound sensitive. Now that she can, in the mornings, go to the bigger kids section (2 and up), she's happy to go there. But it did take us a few months of me going, leaving her there for just a few minutes (10? 15?) and picking her up again. Gradually getting her used to it.
So, you never know.
Are you saying that he only sleeps 7.5 hr total per day? (3x2 = 6 at night plus 2 45 min naps during the day)? Its very normal for babies to sleep in small pieces of time, but that seems way out of the range of normal for the total amount of sleep for a 3 month old.
What happens if you try to get him back to sleep after the 6 hr at night? What time does he go to sleep?
Or have I just misunderstood and he has additional short stretches at night that bring his total sleep amount up?
I really think your going to love this website, it promotes the techniques your already demonstrating with your little one.
https://twoyearoldsarebeautifulpeople.info/
Its a new parenting method that highlights attatchment parenting.
We use my gym daycare a few times a week, although my DD has always been easy going. I started taking her when she was about 4 months old. One thing I'd mention is that your guy may enjoy watching the other babies and kids play and it might make him more likely to be happy on his own longer than he would be at home. I'd suggest at least giving it a try. Talk with the daycare staff and see if you feel comfortable. You could also ask them what the least busy days and times are and try to bring him then so that he could have more one on one attention.
Also, every gym daycare I know of will come find or page the parent if the baby is very fussy or can't be calmed. Double check with yours, but you should be able to work out in peace knowing that if he really needs you, they will let you know.