Daycare Moms Pls Come In Again

FunkyPhoenix

Sooooo Ben should be starting in daycare within the next couple weeks. ::Tear:: I plan to have him there 3 days per week for the first couple weeks to acclimate us both (mostly me I'm sure) before I start back to work full time. In the meantime I have a couple questions:

1. Has anyone started their LO in daycare within the last month or two? If so, how were those first few days? Was their sleep schedule completely thrown off? What about nights?

2. Does anyone who makes their own purées send them to daycare for LO or do you just use pouches during the weekdays? If homemade, is it already thawed when you send it and how do they warm it?

amie444

We started in November. She has been a rock star. Her naps were a little shorter for the first couple weeks. But they are much better now.
For food, I do BLW, but I would ask the daycare how they want them. My center with take any food and put it in the fridge. I would guess it would be easier if it was thawed out.

Good Luck, he is gonna be great and you are 2!

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BC&LM

We started mid-October, so about three months ago. LO did really well the first few days, no crying or fussing other than when he was hungry.  His nap schedule was thrown off.  At home he usually took 3-4 naps of 45 min. or more.  At daycare they are lucky if they get two naps out of him.  If he takes two naps there, it's usually an hour or less in the morning and one to two hours in the afternoon.  He would be fussy from being tired when he got home in the afternoon but not want to take another nap a lot of the time. (The afternoon fussiness eventually got better.) His sleep at night was not affected at all, though. 

In terms of the second question, we make our own purees, but we have only sent oatmeal to daycare so far.  I did talk to them about sending in the purees, and they said that I could send them in frozen for the whole week or fresh each day.  I forgot to ask, but I am pretty sure they would defrost in the microwave, which I don't like.  It can create hot spots and all.  So when it comes time to send purees in, we will probably defrost the night before and send it in cold.  We just won't be able to send in green beans and peas because LO only likes them warm.

needanustart

DS2 always sleeps worse at daycare and from what I understand so do most babies his age. He is happy though and working on trying to find his routine with the ladies there. We don't change his bedtime based on his being less rested at daycare though so nothing about our routine has been thrown off.

As for #2 I use homemade purées. I usually have it fresh or thawed and ready to mix in morning with some oatmeal and breast milk. I send them in in little tupperwares. The drive is short so I don't use a cooler and then I just leave it in the counter to come to room temp for breakfast. If they had to warm stuff up I would ask them to just use a bowl of warm water like they do for bottles. But my kid will eat food any temp!

ASmallWonder

I didn't just start with daycare but I'll answer anyway.  He sleeps for crap, honestly but that's at home too.  I do send homemade purees to daycare but what they want you to do will depend on them.  I'm able to send a couple of ziplock bags with several choices (I do two visually different choices in each bag and then label them like pears and sweet potatoes in one bag and bananas and peas in another).  They thaw them for a few seconds in the microwave.

FunkyPhoenix

Awesome. Thanks for the feedback ladies. I think I'll do what some of you mentioned and defrost the cubed purées in the fridge and ask them to microwave for a few seconds to bring to room temp. I'll ask if that's okay but they basically said they would do whatever I wanted. As far as nights not being effected- FANTASTIC! That's what I'm probably most worried about. Hope Ben is the same way. We are just getting into a livable routine at night (when not sick, teething, getting shots or staying overnight somewhere else).

BunnyLove416

L's been in daycare since 8 weeks so I'm not a huge help with #1 but as far as purees we do a mix as far as homemade and pouches. I usually put whatever I plan to send in the fridge to thaw the night before. We don't heat the food up at all, he just takes it room temp or cold. 

nnjj

Just started Wednesday and basically he didn't sleep there any of the three days. Which is crazy he's an amazing napper (usually 3 naps a day totaling 5 hrs). Anyways he's sleeps entire car ride home and continues to sleep most of the evening. I let him sleep I know he needs it I'm just hoping he will adapt. He's still STTN so that's good!!