Baby not napping well at daycare

FunkyPhoenix · January 2014

I posted this on my BMB but thought you ladies might offer some good feedback as well.

I just need to know how long it takes for a baby (7 1/2 months now) to get used to napping at daycare. It's breaking my heart. He just started last week. The first day Ben did great (according to the teacher) but every day when I pick him up he is overly tired, not happy, not smiling, won't look at me, and just like he is checked out emotionally. He's a very happy smiley baby the majority of the time so this is not his typical demeanor. The last day I picked him up they were trying to rock him to sleep in a bouncy chair and he was crying. They commented on how he didnt sleep well and obviously isnt used to sleeping in that kind of environment. Lights on and kids screaming everywhere? Yeah no, he definitely isn't used to that but I understand almost all daycares are like this. Today I popped by to look in the window, same thing, he is crying and being rocked in the bouncy chair. It is killing me to know he is having such a hard time with naps. He is not a great napper at home in that he requires being away from all major stimulation and only naps for 45 min on avg. However, I simply put him in his crib, turn on the white noise machine, and after maybe 2 minutes of fussing he is asleep. I just don't know how long or if he will adjust to all the noise and lights at daycare. It breaks my heart for him Anyone have any experience with this? I sent a little A+A blanky with him which only helps a little.

Thanks!

djm31012 · January 2014

in all honesty...DS still doesnt nap well at daycare and its been 6 mos. He will do 30-45 min in the morning and something similar in the afternoon. Occassionaly we will get an hour out of him. It doenst affect how he sleeps at home though. I think it just takes time to adjust. We sent a sleep sheep which they keep in his crib and helps drown out some of the noise...and then he gets his lovey. Our DC has the cribs on one side of the room and that side has the lights off while the rest of the lights are on, so maybe that makes some of a difference, but i think for a lot of kids they just will never nap perfect in that environment. just give him extra cuddles at night. good luck, its so tough i know!

emberlee3 · January 2014

I am sure he will get used to it soon. DD was a terrible napper at home, even with sound machine, blackout curtains, consistent routine, etc. She had a nanny until 10ish months. The first couple weeks of daycare, she barely napped, and I pretty much had to put her to bed as soon as we got home. Once she got used to it, she became one of the better sleepers in her class, and her sleep at home improved, too.

jf198400 · January 2014

Mine never slept well at daycare, he started there at 8months. He was napping once or twice a day for only 30minutes. He went to bed early and took long naps on the weekend. Once he moved up to the toddler room he finally started napping better. Having all the kids sleeping at the same time with the lights off really helped. I hope yours does better than mine, but he will adjust one way or another.

jennyelf · January 2014

Mine never napped in the infant room, he was there from 4.5m to 13m. Some of the other kids though, were really good nappers in the room. Once he was in the pre-toddler room at 13m though, he was (and still is) an awesome napper.

vvvvvfee · January 2014

my kid still doesn't nap well at daycare! he is 17 months. he will take 2 or 2 1/2 hour naps at home on the weekend, but at daycare he usually naps for only 30-45 minutes. we try to get him to bed earlier during the week and are just hoping that it improves. he's only been at this daycare for a couple of months, and i agree with PPs that it's tough when there are kids of different ages together in one room who are probably not all sleeping at the same time.

FunkyPhoenix · January 2014

Thanks ladies. Nice to know that even if he doesn't get on board the good napper train he will acclimate in other ways. Also, is it bad that I had a thought that maybe I should really work him him on his walking to he be bumped to the next class up and have a better napping environment?? Lol

iverske9 · January 2014

It took my son about 2-3 weeks to really adjust fully, and now he is a great napper at daycare. I know it is hard but give it some time.

jennyelf · January 2014

FunkyPhoenix said:

Thanks ladies. Nice to know that even if he doesn't get on board the good napper train he will acclimate in other ways. Also, is it bad that I had a thought that maybe I should really work him him on his walking to he be bumped to the next class up and have a better napping environment?? Lol

I had a similar thought. My daycare moves kids up after they are 12 months as long as they are stable walkers and are off bottles. I may have been really glad that he started walking at 11.5 months and started pushing sippy cups at the same time so that he'd move up as soon as there was space in the pre-toddler room.

Aubs0009 · January 2014

It took my DD a few weeks to adjust to the noise and kids at daycare. Once she got used it, the naps started to get longer. She still doesn't sleep quite as well, but it's a work in progress.

SLGILL1978 · January 2014

After winter break and a new babysitter my daughter is just now getting back on track with her naps. She has been a horrible napper the last few weeks. She's been so tired that we went back the 3rd nap. But like another poster she hasn't been fussy and she's been sleeping well at night. But just this week she is finally doing better.

traveltheworld · January 2014

It took DS about 2 weeks to get used to napping at DC (he started at 10 months). That said, his infant room also had a separate nap room so it was always quiet and dark in there. He hasn't napped as well since he moved to the toddler room.

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