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Houston Babies
MDO question/concern
DD started MDO in November and since then they have called me twice and made comments when I pick her up about "how do you get her to nap" and "she cries so much sometimes." My kid is not a crier - she's a good baby generally and when she fusses something as simple as picking her up soothes her. She fusses because she is tired/dirty/hungry/teething. I warn them when she's teething and allow them to give her teething strips.
I told the director today when she called that DD rarely naps longer than 30 minutes. She sleeps 12 hours at night and takes 2-3 catnaps during the day. Once a week or so she'll take a long 60-90 minute nap. I can count on my hand the number of times she's gone over 90 minutes after the age of about 4 or 5 months.
I'm beginning to get concerned that they just think she's a problem child and ignore her when she cries. She never cries when I drop her off and is always playing and happy when I pick her up (but by then there are only 3 babies and a new teacher comes in for the last hour and a half who seems to be more patient). I feel like every morning when I drop her off the two morning teachers are drilling me about how she naps and how do you get her to sleep and blah blah blah. I tell them I rock her, that's it. It works at home. And seriously, she's a GOOD BABY PEOPLE!!!!!! She plays all day, is sociable and smiles at/goes to EVERYONE. The volunteers at church (where she stays for two straight services since I volunteer for one) go on and on about how good she is. One volunteer even talked about how great she was to MIL's friend without knowing they she knows MIL.
Should I be concerned? I feel like they call because they want to say "okay, I'll come get her and never bring her back." And right now I especially need the rest because of my bulging disc. I even asked the director about bringing her more often and she was all smiles and said they wouldn't charge me since I need to get better. Mixed signals much? Advice? Thoughts? I am being overly sensitive? I never once got a call about her when she was in daycare from 3.5 to 5 months. And seriously, she's just not a big napper and fights them with me too. Argh!
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Re: MDO question/concern
10 months tomorrow. I could drop in Thursday and see. I've gotten there anywhere from 1:30 to 3:30 to pick her up in the afternoons so I vary when I go get her. I stay at home so we don't have to put her in MDO, it just gives me a break and time to get stuff done without lugging her along (grocery, errands, etc.)
It sounds like they don't understand a non-napping baby.
I had a baby who at that age took a maximum of two 30-min naps per day. I totally understand a baby who won't nap, or who only naps for extremely short periods. Maybe they just don't get it that she doesn't really nap? I can remember people not believing me when I told them Sarah wouldn't nap. I think they just thought I didn't know what I was doing! I certainly think it's much less common, but there are indeed babies who don't need long naps.
Hmmm....not sure what to think. Maybe they just don't know how to deal with a baby that doesn't like to nap or something.
Mason's MDO teachers are wonderful. I thought they were nuts when I enrolled him and they said he would be sleeping on a nap mat and not in a crib. I was just like..."Good luck with that!" lol But you know what? They get him to nap or be quiet for the nap time (normally he naps though) on a nap mat. I'm pretty much in awe of the staff there because of that!
That sucks. It does sound like the people there, not necessarily your baby. I am/was going through the same thing with E. But I do know she is way more high maintenance than the average baby. So when I have dropped her off at my gym I warn them. One girl in particular would come and get me just about every time. But I would hop in my car and drive over to the other gym and they would be fine with her, close to 2 hours. The one time I didn't get called to come get her was when that one girl was not there...coincidence? Maybe.
Anyway I understand your frustration. Could you talk to the director about what is going on and how good she is at church and that you don't understand why things seem to be so off? If it doesn't get better it probably isn't a good fit. And I would find somewhere else to send her.
Same here! Dylan just started going to daycare part time, and they sleep on a nap mat. His first day, he slept almost 3 hours on that thing! I'm blown away!
Cali - it sounds like they don't know how to deal with a baby that doesn't nap. I'm not sure how I would handle it. Are there any other good MDO options you can consider?
BFP with no treatment!
Thanks ladies. I spoke with the director about my concerns and she assured me they were only concerned that she wasn't napping and it was affecting her sleep at home. I spoke with the afternoon teacher about it as well and she said that DD did take a quick 5-10 minute rest in the afternoon with her, that she just cuddled while the teacher rocked her and then went back to playing so that sounds more like DD. Power naps, that's all she needs. I think I know which of the morning teachers is it that is getting frustrated with it and I will speak to her on Thursday too. On her sheet, it said she got a 30 minute nap so I don't know where the disconnect is. Granted, when I got her home today she napped for an hour so she was clearly tired.
Cajun, this is the only MDO that would take DD at her age. The others start at 12 months or 2 years. There is one other one she can get into for the fall but registration isn't until February - she needed to be 9 months in September of 2010 for them to take her this year. This one is the furthest from us too and is 20 minutes away on the far east side of Pearland. For 20 minutes, I can take her in town but I know most of the good MDOs in town likely have waiting lists.
I like the place and it came highly recommended by some neighbors. I think I'm just dealing with a teacher who stresses out when my daughter would rather play than nap.
I'm okay with 2-3 short naps during the day so long as she keeps sleeping 12 hours at night