Is daycare ruining my baby??
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Anonymous
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My 10 month old finally got off our 1st choice daycare waitlist 3 weeks ago (hurray we thought!!) and he has only taken one or two 40 minute naps a day. We keep hearing "he will adjust" but I don't think he will. Up until this point he was alternately being taken care of my both sets of grandparents and would take two, 2 hour naps a day on a regular schedule.
He is so cranky and tired and I'm worried we're screwing up his development for life. Any DC daycares (family or centers) out there with separate nap rooms? I'm ready to just send him back to the grandparents but that is a logistical mess for us (both sets live in Maryland). Thanks!! |
Anonymous
| I had the same issues with napping in daycare. Infants at our very well-regarded, fancy daycare let infants (under 12 mos) have their own schedule which was really not compatible for DD who needed a quiet dark space to sleep. The napping problems disappeared once she move to the toddler room and they all napped from 1-3 and it was dark and quiet. (I recall they also accommodated a short morning nap for those toddlers that were still on a 2 nap schedule.) |
Anonymous
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We had the same experience (starting daycare later than "normal") and I was super concerned about the lack of sleep/crankiness, etc. Unfortunately we didn't have any family to help out so we had to stick with it. My daughter never learned to nap like she did at home but it definitely didn't impact her development! She is two now and totally fine, napping perfectly well for a longer afternoon nap when it's dark and quiet.
Good luck! |
Anonymous
| He may never adjust. If he went from sleeping in a darkened quiet room he can't get to sleep in the much louder and bright infant room. |
Anonymous
| 40 min sounds like one sleep cycle. So he falls asleep because he's tired but when he wakes up after one cycle he can't get back to sleep because it's distracting there. At home it was not as distracting. He may or may not adjust. |
Anonymous
| He may not adjust until he moves to the group nap toddler room setting. Until then he will be cranky and sleep deprived and you may have to sneak in a short 3rd nap at the end of the day. However, he will not be permanently harmed. I would just deal with it for a few months rather than giving up the daycare spot. |
Anonymous
| I agree with what some others have said...he probably won't adjust but will do better in the toddler room when there is 1 longer nap in the afternoon. I would say stick it out until he gets to the other room--probably in a few months, right?--and see how he does with the longer nap. |
Anonymous
| Yep, that's daycare! My 11 month old never napped longer than 30 minutes in the infant room. Yes, he would be tired and cranky every night (for the whole 60 minutes between getting home and him going to bed!) He is now transitioning to the toddler room and will nap longer (2 hours) there (dark, quiet). |
Anonymous
| Sounds normal and, no, you are not going to ruin him for life. He'll adjust, or he won't, and he'll do much better in the toddler room, where they all nap at the same time. |
Anonymous
| This sounds exactly like my daughter who is 8 months old. I too worried about her development and she sleeps 30 minutes in the daycare. She's so tired after daycare and will literally nod off sitting I her high chair. I'm very concerned as well. |
Anonymous
| It will get better. Baby needs to adjust, its all new - people, place, etc. Separate dark room will helps of course. But daycare is much better then grandparents for your baby. |
Anonymous
| I'd go back to grandparents as long they're fairly competent. Are they? |
Anonymous
That's not necessarily true; either situation is fine as long as the caregivers are loving. OP, it will be okay. Give him some (more) time. |
Anonymous
Not true. At least my parents are wonderful with my baby. |