Daycare and naps

robertin · August 2014

I went back to work last Monday (I'm a teacher) so LO went back to daycare. At her daycare, she is in a room with 7 other children with two teachers in that room. Since she's been back she has not been sleeping well at daycare at all. We're talking two 25-30 minute naps. She's never been a kid to sleep for a long time at nap time; at home she usually sleeps for 30-45 minutes but only stays up for 2 hour stretches. Needless to say, our evenings have become trying. She'll take a 45 minute nap as soon as we get home, but then the wheels fall off so to speak. Because of her napping so little during the day and her being so tired in the evenings, we've been starting her nighttime routine at 6:15 for the past three nights. She'll then sleep until 5:30 the next morning so I know she needs that sleep.

I'm feeling a lot of guilt - guilt for putting her to bed so early, guilt for not being able to stay home with her. I want so badly to spend time with her in the evenings after work, but she's so tired and I know she's miserable and needs to go to sleep. I've talked to her teachers at her daycare and they've tried several different things to get her to go to sleep. They sometimes have to sort of rock her crib a little for 20 minutes to get her to take any naps!

Have any of you experienced these issues at daycare? Is it a matter of her getting into a routine there and getting used to the activity/noise while she's trying to sleep?

TIA

MrsW062610 · August 2014

I'm a teacher as well so I totally get the guilt of having to go back. My LO stopped napping at 6 weeks which was still on my maternity leave. March-June at daycare they were lucky to get a few 20 min nap out of her and she would be super cranky at night.

Over the summer while I was home with her we really got into a routine - bath at 700, nurse at 739 and in bed by 8. I also tried to get her napping at regular times. But she would only nap on me.

Now that we are back at daycare she has been napping great but only in the swing they have there and not in her crib.

I know this doesn't really help you now that you are back at school. But maybe daycare can first get her to nap in the swing and slowly transition to the crib? Does she take a paci? Lovey from home that would help her sleep? I totally feel your pain here and know it's tough!

Hang in there and good luck to you!

BABYROSEJEANS17 · August 2014

While I'm not a teacher DS has been in DC since he was 4 months. While he was home we had our routine. At DC it's a whole other story. He's never slept more than 1 hour during his 9 hours at DC. I attribute it to a louder environment (we're pretty loud) and him not being able to sleep on his stomach. At least 1-2 days a week he'll come home and pass out at 6pm and sleep until 5am. Sure I feel bad cause I want to spend time with him, but he's tired and I get that. I'm sure after a few weeks she'll be okay.

ETA: Typos

brittanydec2012 · August 2014

I have the napping issue as well, I took a new part time job which is 10-2. Daycare drop off and pick up are both when our usual nap time was. Though I know routine can be altered, it's been a tough 2 weeks because I have had one cranky baby when we get home. He doesn't nap much during the time at daycare, which I know is an adjustment for him but I can't get him to nap when we get home. He is just fussy and fighting it, some nights he's been going to bed around 6:15! Our usual bedtime was 7 and I thought that was still pretty early as compared to many of my friends their lo's don't go to bed til 8 or so. I too feel the guilt of leaving him, I went to work earlier than planned because this position came up so I feel guilty for giving up 4 months of my maternity leave to go back to work (I live on canada) I feel guilty that I am stirring his routine and messing with a good thing. I keep telling myself it's an adjustment for us both and it will take time. I'm sorry I don't have any advice but I too am having the nap issue and just had to vent about it!

jcwinsto · August 2014

H has been in DC since 3 months. He will take two 2 hour naps when he is home with us but at DC he will only take 1-2 naps usually about 30-40 minutes long. Sometimes it's only 20 minutes and sometimes we get lucky and it's 50. On unusually bad days I have to put him to bed between 6 and 6:30. I think it is pretty normal since there is so much going on. In the infant room the babies don't all sleep at the same time. It's hard to shut the lights off and keep it relatively quiet so a load noise doesn't startle them awake. H doesn't usually sleep in the crib at DC either. I think they usually get the babies to fall asleep in a bouncer or in their lap and then they lay them in the crib or hold them or lay them on the floor (in a blanky) next to them while they watch the other kids. Long story, short. I think it's normal and it may or may not get better until they get older. It just takes time to adjust.

bee1916 · August 2014

Another teacher here! I don't start FT until 9/2, but I've had some inservice days where DS has been at daycare or at home with his dad. I had him going to daycare once a week during the summer just to keep him somewhat used to the routine. He's on an eating "strike" so to speak at daycare, only eating 6-ish oz there and with dad! He's been waking up soooo much at night to eat now (like 4-5 times!!!). I can't wait for him to get used to being back at daycare and get used to taking a bottle again because this mom needs some sleep! The school year is going to be ROUGH if this keeps up! Luckily, he naps well at home and daycare, although he still prefers the swing to the PnP or his crib.

I definitely have some guilt going back. We've had such a wonderful summer together, I'm going to miss our time together

I hate thinking about missing out on things, but I feel better knowing he's extremely happy at daycare and has his sweet little friends to keep him company

I'm pretty sure that's most of the reason why he's not taking his bottle- there's so much activity, my little social butterfly wants to be a part of the action!

ETA: Happy "new year" to my fellow teachers! What grades do you teach? I'm a kindergarten teacher with 18 kiddos- 10 boys and 8 girls this year

worleygirl · August 2014

DD has been in daycare since 12 weeks. Her naps are all over the place and range from 10 (!!!!) to 90 mins. Regardless of her nap duration, she's ready for bed at 6pm or so. It sucks. I sometimes don't get home from work until 5:30pm. BUT, and this is a big one, it was just like that with DS (5) and he's fine. He's a good sleeper and a super happy little guy.

robertin · August 2014

This actually makes me feel so much better. I do realize that it's an adjustment it's just rough. When she's there and not napping, she's at least happy and her teachers love her. I think I just need to remind myself that this, like many things with babies, is temporary!

@bee1916‌ I teach high school English to 9th, 11th, and 12th grade.

housewifebecomesher · August 2014

We have had the nap issue at daycare, and a second round when we moved and had to switch. I would just encourage them to stick to what was working at home as strictly as possible, even if they do have to rock her, etc. it's what you're paying them for

Since Lexi started daycare she falls asleep on the way home, wakes up at 6 to eat and takes a short nap before her last bottle at 8. So I think the evening snoozes can be normal if they are too busy playing at daycare to sleep. Since starting DC, she has been so social and starting to take more interest in crawling/walking. So I just wanted to offer some positive impacts of daycare I have seen on our LO. Try not to feel guilty. Give yourself and her some time to adjust and then reevaluate. Good luck!

thegosiers · August 2014

I know LO doesn't nap well at daycare. We have the same issue of starting bedtime at 6pm because he's just so tired. Daycare is just a fact of life for us, but I am lucky I have a job where I can leave early enough to pick him up at 4:30.

We make sure he gets good naps on the weekends.

kiki1978 · August 2014

I teach first grade and have the same issues with DS at daycare. He takes two 30 minute naps. He used to take 3, but since this school year started, he has dropped that one. He is in bed at 6pm because that's what he needs. Yes I feel bad sometimes that I don't have tons of time with him on weekdays, but I try to make up for it as much as possible on weekends and days off.

Daycare and naps

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