Daycare Question: Infant Nap/Crib Area

MomtobeNJ · July 2012

I'm a FTM and we're just starting to check out daycares. I'm wondering what the norm is for the area where infant cribs are and nap time is held. Are they usually brightly lit and close to the play area, or a little darker and more removed?

We've seen two of each. I don't expect, or even want, her to nap in total silence and darkness. I'm sure she'll get used to the lights and the noise and will be fine. I just found the ones that were darker to be a little more soothing. Just curious how some of your daycares are set up?

cmwither · July 2012

My current daycare has a little partitioned area that's a little darker. At her last daycare, the cribs were just surrounding the play area- there was no division. My daughter has done fine sleeping in both places, but she's currently sleeping on my living room floor with the lights and tv on and the dogs walking all around her, so maybe it's just her personality.

I know center regulations (here at least) require that providers be able to see sleeping babies at all times, so they couldn't be too dark and separate.

shannm · July 2012

In our infant room, the babies sleep on demand and can sleep for hours and at all different times so they don't change the lighting. Otherwise, it would be dim all day. The babies get used to it, no problem.

Once they all go on a schedule (usually in the older infant room and toddler rooms) they will dim the lights and keep it quiet during nap time.

MNgirl326 · July 2012

LO's daycare has a seperate napping room for infants that is dark and has music playing. They go in and check every X minutes, they even have a timer to help them remember to go in and check. But they also have bouncer chairs and swings in the main area that infants sleep in too.

Other daycares I looked at had the cribs right there in the bright lights and noise. They days I toured, there were always kids sleeping pretty soundly so i would assume they get used to it.

My guess is no matter where your child is placed for daycare, they will acclimate to whatever their surrounding.s

preggersin2011 · July 2012

In our infant room the kids sleep on their own schedule. The cribs line the perimeter of two sides of the room. the 3rd has the door and the 4th is the fridge and changing area. Some times when I pick up LO the lights are off, but i think that is just because I think the teacher has a headache by the end of the day

the 18 month and up rooms have cots and there is scheduled nap time. LO goes to bed for the night when it is still light outside and sleeps all the time out and about in the mall etc.

jlaOK · July 2012

shannm:
In our infant room, the babies sleep on demand and can sleep for hours and at all different times so they don't change the lighting. Otherwise, it would be dim all day. The babies get used to it, no problem.
Once they all go on a schedule (usually in the older infant room and toddler rooms) they will dim the lights and keep it quiet during nap time.

Exactly this.

MrsWindyCity · July 2012

shannm:
In our infant room, the babies sleep on demand and can sleep for hours and at all different times so they don't change the lighting. Otherwise, it would be dim all day. The babies get used to it, no problem.
Once they all go on a schedule (usually in the older infant room and toddler rooms) they will dim the lights and keep it quiet during nap time.

ditto.

LoCarb · July 2012

MrsWindyCity:
shannm:
In our infant room, the babies sleep on demand and can sleep for hours and at all different times so they don't change the lighting. Otherwise, it would be dim all day. The babies get used to it, no problem.
Once they all go on a schedule (usually in the older infant room and toddler rooms) they will dim the lights and keep it quiet during nap time.
ditto.

+1 more. Two kids, two diffn't DC during infancy/toddler yrs and both facilities practiced the above mentioned.

LoCarb · July 2012

bump burp

MomtobeNJ · July 2012

Thank you all for your responses! It makes total sense. With up to 16 infants, I'm sure a few of them are asleep at all times. And hopefully it will help my baby to be able to sleep wherever, whatever time of day.

fcp1234 · July 2012

In my daycare in the infant room the cribs are around the room. They dont change the lighting or try to be quiet. Kids sleep on demand there. In the beginning LO had a hard time staying asleep with all the noise in the room, but it took him a week to get used to it. I think he sleeps better there than at home, which is in his quiet room.

wychets · July 2012

The infant room at our DC has an open floor plan but the cribs are off to the side and the lightening is dim but not dark.

Netty_3 · July 2012

Our's has a half wall btwn areas with a gate area. it is darker in the nap area...but I doubt quiet because they can still hear the other kids. They are remodeling however and I think it will allow for the babies to be more independent. It's a Montessori school so they're going to floor beds for older more mobile infants, and making it so that they can get up and out of bed on their own when they're ready. LO is still in a crib though.

Jenny952 · July 2012

Our daycare has the crib room just off the main baby room. They can turn the lights off, but there is still light and noise coming from the main baby room. It's also where the highchairs are set up, so babies there have to be really good at falling asleep and sleeping through lots of noise and activity. My DD does not do this well. She does fall asleep in the swing or bouncy chair out in the main play area, but she only naps for about 30 minutes. They have tried putting her in her crib but she cries the entire time.

With infants, most daycares (at least the ones we saw) are baby-led in terns of eating and napping, so babies are eating and sleeping all the time. There is no set schedule. Once they move up to the toddler room, between 15-18 months, then they have set snack/meal times and nap times. This makes it much more likely that they will nap, at least for kids like my DD.

karleegirl · July 2012

shannm:
In our infant room, the babies sleep on demand and can sleep for hours and at all different times so theyare don't change the lighting. Otherwise, it would be dim all day. The babies get used to it, no problem.
Once they all go on a schedule (usually in the older infant room and toddler rooms) they will dim the lights and keep it quiet during nap time.

Same for our daycare.

jteneback · July 2012

In ours the cribs are in a separate area but it's pretty bright and noisy. DD started DC at 13 months and it was a problem for her. The other kids didn't seem to mind.

My sister's DC has a separate room and that would definitely have worked better for us.

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