XP: Daycare, naps. WWYD?

BigIsland07

So...we've been trying to get DS on a new nap schedule (two naps a day, from four tiny naps). He does great on the weekends, then usually pretty well on Mondays...and from Tues - Fri. he's a hot mess. Instead of sleeping for one hour in the a.m., he'll sleep for 20 minutes. Instead of sleeping for two hours in the p.m., he'll sleep for 45 min. By the time I pick him up, he's a cranky, angry, tired mess and he almost always falls asleep in the car, is out 'till 5:45 or 6, then up just long enough to eat and go back to bed for the night. We've asked daycare to try and let him cry for a few minutes if he wakes up, but they a) can't always do it because other kids are sleeping -- which I totally get, or b) I hear at the end of the day that he was alone in the room but they just "couldn't bear to let him cry." We've been very firm with them about this, sent notes and written instructions, and had nice, friendly discussions with all the teachers several times. Every time we mention it, they say, "yup! We know exactly what to do." and then they repeat the "correct" method that we do at home right back to us. But even though they know it, they can't get it right. DS is starting to suffer -- he's always tired and his formerly happy self is always a cranky mess. WWYD??

 

Sorry...longer than I thought...XP from 6-12.

Whirlgirl01

In the beginning, DD was like this too.  Once she started daycare, her nice naps turned into 30 minute sessions, if that.  She was always tired when I picked her up and typically fell asleep on the way home.  I had to basically wake her to eat, and then put her right back to sleep.  This didn't last all that long, really, but it did end up our "routine" for awhile.  There was no way to make her sleep longer/more during her daytime naps.  She just wouldn't do it.  The only thing that may be different was that she was not all that crabby, just sleepy.  Maybe work with what's going on and hope it passes soon.  Sorry I'm not of more help.  I can say that it was a little sad to see her awake for only a short time on the weekdays.

NelyBelly

Sorry you're going through this, but I'm in your scenario. At home DS naps about twice a day for a total of 2-3 hrs. At daycare it's anywhere from 15-40 minutes twice a day . . .it sucks! The first few weeks I was so stressed about it and thought that all of the work I've done to get him to sleep well has gone down the drain.

It's been 5 weeks and he still sleeps a little crappy but what has helped:

-I asked the teachers if they can try and soothe him back to sleep if he wakes early, they tried today and got a better nap out of him. 

-I had to relax a bit, because I guess I get what I paid for: there is about 1:3-4 teacher:baby ratio so there are only but so many things they can do. In the future, I am considering hiring a nanny for the next child (can't afford that right now).

-I have adjusted his "schedule" to nap between 4-5pm and bedtime at 6:30pm. It does suck because I don't see him as much, but I try to focus on our quality time. 

-we encourage him to play "catch up" on weekends by soothing him back to sleep if he had a short nap. Usually works. 

-Finally, if you're baby continues to be cranky and not himself  even after a few weeks of being at daycare, maybe you can look into a smaller daycare or a nanny.

Good luck.