Serious question about daycare naps.

[zolten]

I need some insight/advice. My nearly 8 month old has been in daycare since 10 weeks old. She loves it, loves the teachers, and I love it too. However she never naps. Seriously 9 hour days without a nap. They try to put her in her crib and she usually cries/fusses for a while then they give up.

By the time we get home in the afternoon she naps from 430-630, gets up to eat, then goes back to bed at 715. The whole time we try to feed her she is crying, sometimes doesn't eat, and is overall unhappy and grumpy. If she misses that afternoon nap she is a little terrorist.

My question is... what can I do? Daycare says they are doing their best with her. But there has been no improvement in 6 months. I feel bad for my kiddo and the daycare people and my ears! Does anyone have ideas on how to get her to nap during daycare and not all evening?

Thanks for reading.
Tl; dr: kid wont sleep at daycare. Mom desperate for help.

[yelah250]

What is she doing while the other infants are napping? When I worked in a center (and in my experience with my own kids), they turn off the lights from 1-3 and work very hard to get everyone to sleep. Do they give her a bottle and rock her to sleep? She may need her crib moved so she can't see any other babies...I would try to figure out how much they are prioritizing her sleep and what they are doing to facilitate it.

[nymama]

How do you get her to nap at home? Give them as many pointers as you can so that they can recreate that environment. Can they move her sleeping area to a low traffic area and use a sound machine to block out noises?

[zolten]

She is usually a great napper on weekends. 2-3 naps of 1-3 hours each. We typically rock her for a few minutes then put her in her crib still awake. She has a sleep sheep at home that they dont allow at daycare. The other thing is a blanket. We let her fall asleep holding a blanket and they cant do it at daycare.

I wil ask about her position. It has changed a few times so im not sure which crib hers is.

The lights are off and the rest of the babies seem to nap from 1230-230 which lines up with a typical weekend nap time. She usually lays down, then stands up and starts crying.

I will talk to them tomorrow to ask these questions! Thanks guise! Im way past frustrated.

[allthedrinks]

DD is a terrible DC napper but naps like a champ on the weekends. So, basically the same situation but my DD is now 17 months old. And still no good naps. But I did bring in a white noise machine and that got us from 10 minute naps to sometimes a whole hour.

Also, while blankets and such are a no no at our DC they do allow small lovies once they can turn over with ease. You might want to ask if that would be allowed.

Best of luck from another momma of a no nap baby!

[cyprissa]

I would definitely work with them to let her use tpa lovey and also maybe put the sleep sheep next to but not inside the crib. My older son didn't nap well at daycare until they figured out that he would fall asleep in the swing and transfer to a crib. Will they rock her? Pat her back? What have they tried?

[haunted]

One nap or two? Your LO is... 9 months? Or so? Does she need to be put down earlier at DC maybe?

I know when my son doesn't need to go to daycare he sleeps like, 1-2 hours later in the morning. If your LO is up earlier for DC maybe an earlier nap?

[haunted]

Jan 20, 2015 22:01:50 GMT -5 cyprissa said:

I would definitely work with them to let her use tpa lovey and also maybe put the sleep sheep next to but not inside the crib. My older son didn't nap well at daycare until they figured out that he would fall asleep in the swing and transfer to a crib. Will they rock her? Pat her back? What have they tried?

It's likely not a matter of working with them to allow a lovey or blanket, etc. it's probably a licensing issue and they absolutely cannot allow anything in the crib/PnP except a tight-fitting sheet. In my state babies under 12 months are not allowed a blanket or lovey in their crib at licensed day cares (both in-home and centers). Likewise if a baby over 12 months is still in the infant room it's not allowed.

[zolten]

Jan 20, 2015 22:24:25 GMT -5 haunted said:

One nap or two? Your LO is... 9 months? Or so? Does she need to be put down earlier at DC maybe?

I know when my son doesn't need to go to daycare he sleeps like, 1-2 hours later in the morning. If your LO is up earlier for DC maybe an earlier nap?

She will be 8 months this Friday. She is up 2 hours earlier on weekdays than weekends. They try to get her down at 9am (4 hours after wake up) and again at 1230/1pm. Neither nap is successful.

[cyprissa]

I understand licensing but sometimes there is some wiggle room because they are following the strictest interpretation. It's at least worth checking. I would read the regs if I were the OP.

Also, it sounds like you need to try to shift her whole schedule to set her up for success at daycare. She's likely overtired when they are trying to put her down at regular nap time but then there is too much activity at 9 am for her to sleep. I know he's controversial to some but Ferber has really good info in his book about sleep cycles and schedules.

[zolten]

Thanks.

[pinecone21]

I could have written this post about my 10 month old. She takes 2 long naps at home on the weekend in the crib, but next to no nap at daycare. She will occasionally nap if someone holds her and rocks her the entire time, but that's not always possible. She's just so curious and interested in everything that goes on! So no advice really, just commiseration.

[haunted]

I suggest earlier nap time.

[carrotcake]

My oldest had a hard time napping at daycare and it was rough.

Can they rock her or pat her back until she falls asleep? I know it's a bit backwards since she goes to sleep awake at home but maybe just as a temp thing.

How long are they trying? I know they don't have hours to give but my oldest would've never slept if they gave up after 10 min.

[Somers Isles]

Might be a bit extreme but maybe go to the daycare during a planned nap and see if you can get LO to fall asleep and help explain/show/train the providers on what strategies work.

My LO naps 3x more on the weekends than at daycare. He usually takes a 9am and noon nap. At daycare he only naps once at noon. Maybe your LO will be more likely to take one good nap... Like in between the two attempted naps? Like 11ish? Because then she'll be tired but maybe not over tired?

Of course this is all if you can get there? Sick time? Personal days? Don't know your situation.

That sucks though... Those precious hours after work and before bed spent crying and grumpy ugh

[zolten]

She usually naps with paci then is good at self soothing if she wakes up.

Ill ask for an earlier nap time.

And I'll arrange to go in, but it will be next week due to my time off regulations.

Thank you so much everyone!

[those3words]

Jan 20, 2015 23:11:47 GMT -5 pinecone21 said:

I could have written this post about my 10 month old. She takes 2 long naps at home on the weekend in the crib, but next to no nap at daycare. She will occasionally nap if someone holds her and rocks her the entire time, but that's not always possible. She's just so curious and interested in everything that goes on! So no advice really, just commiseration.

Same with my 5 month old. He just doesn't want to miss out on anything. They've tried everything they can legally do. I went there I the middle of the day to see if I could get him down. Nope. He just wants to play.

So, no advice either.

[ShtsNGiggles]

No advise here either. My 8 month old takes two 20 minute naps at daycare. I know they try to pat his bottom if they can. On the weekends he takes one long 2 hour nap and 2 short naps.

[zolten]

Talked strategies today and basically nothing is legal that I know works. And both her teachers are moving in 2 weeks so she will have new ones.

Not sure if that will hurt or help, but I think it sucks. I guess that's the thing with the military though.

I think I'll go in once next week then see how things go switching teachers.

[talon]

That's rough. We are dealing with the same thing with my 8 month old. She usually gets a 20 minute nap in but that's about it. Can they try rocking her with the blanket? Or can it go in the crib for a few mins and then take it out before LO falls asleep? But really nothing has worked for us either.

[dovetail223]

DD only slept well in a swing for the first 10 months at DC...until she outgrew it. But napped in the crib at home. Do they have a swing? Or would they baby wear? Just trying to think outside the crib...

[zolten]

I don't know if its a general license thing or a military daycare thing but they dont allow swings.

They tried their best when she was itty bitty by letting her nap in a boppy type thing, but she's far too mobile for that to work...and they got busted for it. She hasn't napped well since.

I wish naps were easier for all our LOs! Someday they will realize how awesome naps are and wish they had napped! Of course, that won't be until they have non-napping babies!

[zolten]

Thank you everyone!

I do miss the quality time. I know it won't always be this bad I just gotta hold on.

[iloverunning]

Hang in there, I know exactly how you feel. My 4 month old slept for less than 40 minutes yesterday at daycare. She is normally a great mapper at home and needs the sleep. I wish her DC had swings or another set of hands.

[McBenny]

My DS never napped at daycare. He was too nosey. It wasn't until he was moved into the toddler room where everyone napped at the same time that he started.

The only thing I could see is either for her not to nap those 2 hours and go to bed earlier?
Does she have to get up those 45 min?

I mean you can only do what you can do.