Daycare mamas- question

L L CG

When you have your LO at home with you, how do you handle naps?  My mom suggested that I not put DD in a quiet, dark room for naps as I have been doing.  She says since daycare is loud and bright that I should just try to put her down in the living room with me, with the tv or the radio on, etc., so that she gets used to napping with distractions.

It sounds like it might make sense, but I wonder if its necessary.  She just fell asleep on her playmat here in the living room while I was eating lunch. I am leaving her there for now as an experiment.

rssnlvr

I always put her down for naps in her crib. That way I got some alone/quiet/loud/whatever time without worrying about waking her up. And I liked that she's always been super used to sleeping in her crib.

You could always leave the light in the nursery on and the radio going so that she has the light/noise thing, but you also get your own space while she sleeps.

JayandJack

We ferbered for naps so he sleeps in his crib while at home with the lights off and the door closed. While we were out though he just sleeps in his carseat where ever we are. He has never fallen asleep mid play though. I wish he would because he'll just cry until we put him in his crib or somewhere he can sleep.

If he did fall asleep in the living room though I'd just leave him as long as he's safe. 

Daycare does say that naps are a bit hard for him on Mondays because he's use to being with us and how he sleeps at home so sometimes he'll have a very hard time sleeping there for a few days.

Nessia

I've heard that too. My kids would take their naps in their quiet room but I would open the door after they had slept 1.5-2 hours and make as much noise as I needed.

katattack

We did a combo.  She did frequently sleep in her swing and/or pack n play in the family room when she was tiny.  She heard the dog bark, was in the daylight, etc., and always slept fine. I have a freakishly good sleeper though.

FeistyFille

That has only worked once for me on the weekend.  I laid a blanket down on the floor and had them each lie down with their daycare blankets.  I closed the shutters but it was still brighter than it was in their rooms.  I got on the floor with them or else there would have been no way.  It worked.  I tried it the next day, and it was a no-go.  Joseph thought it was party time when I got down on the floor.  I think in theory your mom probably has a point, but the fact of the matter is that they just behave differently for mama at home. 

L L CG

FeistyFille:

That has only worked once for me on the weekend.  I laid a blanket down on the floor and had them each lie down with their daycare blankets.  I closed the shutters but it was still brighter than it was in their rooms.  I got on the floor with them or else there would have been no way.  It worked.  I tried it the next day, and it was a no-go.  Joseph thought it was party time when I got down on the floor.  I think in theory your mom probably has a point, but the fact of the matter is that they just behave differently for mama at home. 

I bet you are right.  Also, I would have to try to make it as loud at home as it is at daycare.  And then I would drive myself crazy.  Who needs that? 

Duckie07

At that age, we often let her nap in our arms (gasp) because we liked to have the extra snuggle time with her that we didn't get while we were working.  We'd do this out in the living room, blinds open and TV on most of the time.  If she wasn't in our arms then she was in her crib (or bed now) in her room.  Blinds are closed and have a fan running for white noise.  We didn't try to re-create the daycare settings.  We just did what we normally would have done.  KWIM?

HSartteach

I also put L in his crib in the room.  I need my time to get things done.  He's older now, so all the kiddos nap together with the lights down.  I'm not really any help am I?  FWIW, I put him in his crib when he was your LO's age for naptime.

sxb317

I was given the same advice and tried to follow it in the first few months. He would nap on a pack'n play in the living room. But that stopped as soon as he grew out of the sleepy newborn stage and started waking up to every sound. So we started naps in the crib, total dark and quietness and he slept so much better. Once he started daycare, it did take couple weeks for him to start napping well but he got used to it. We did pick a daycare that dims the lights and has quiet time during naps though.