Is one morning a week enough?

[atalantis]

I go back to work full time in July when DS will be 10mths old. I'm teaching an evening class from April, though, and so am going to put DS into nursery for one morning a week (he'll be 7mths). I've got two reasons for doing this: 1. so that he has a long settling in period and 2. so that I can do some teaching preparation. My concern is that one morning a week won't be enough to achieve objective 1. I'm worried that the gap between sessions in nursery is too long for him actually to feel happy about going there. Does anyone have any experience of these kinds of situation? Any advice would be gratefully received.

[wakeupeverybody]

My 7 month old has been going to nursery one day a week (9-5) since she was 5.5months old. She will end up going 2 days a week but they didn't have space initially. She has taken to it really well- loves it in fact! She is a very social baby and has always loved seeing other people and babies. I think it will just depend on your baby- I don't know whether my DD has settled well partly because she was quite young when she started- separation anxiety hasn't kicked in yet. Also her baby room is quiet on the day she goes- max 4 babies I think, so lots of attention. And they all love her as she is the smallest/youngest/most smiley baby so I reckon she gets lots of cuddles! I think you will just have to try it and see. Or would you consider sending him 2 mornings a week from April?
Hope that helps!

[lucharl]

bit different, cos my dd was 2 when I first put her in nursery. It was just one morning a week and it really didn't work for her - I think the gap was too long her to really get used to the idea. I waited till she was a few months older and then put her in 2 and then 3 sessions. Most nurseries seem to agree this is more satisfactory for older kids as nursery becomes a familiar routine rather than a once a week oddity. However, I really don't know if the same applies with a young baby.

[atalantis]

Really helpful -- thanks very much I do have the option of putting him in one morning and one afternoon a week, so perhaps I'll see how he gets on for the first few weeks and then increase the number of sessions if necessary.

[needahand]

Sorry I will be the differing voice. A friend of mine use to leave her DD at nursery just once a week. It took her DD months to settle. She used to scream the place down for up to an hour and make all the other LO (including mine) cry as well. I remember both staff and other mums telling me (without knowing that she was my friend) that they hated the days she dropped her DC there as it was a nightmare for all (for the staff because they ended up having to comfort 10 crying babies and for the mums because they tried to settle their DC again before rushing to work, missing their trains etc..). I don't the nursery staff actually told her how bad it really was though and I think she was quite oblivious

[hermykne]

i started with two days, tues & thurs. if that helps