Baby not sleeping at childminders, does it get better?

[FifiFerusha]

Hi all,

So DS(10.5 mo) started at the cms this week. He had a very hard transition time in which he just cried for hours. This has finally passed but now he refuses to sleep. I have explained to the cm exactly how I get him to sleep and I feel very sorry for her as she is obviously trying very very hard to get him to sleep. Yesterday he slept for 20 minutes in a pram(and he never sleeps in a pram so I do call that progress). He was beside himself when he got home and settled himself to bed at 6pm in about two minutes(quickest yet) and to my astonishment did not wake up until 6. 15 the next morning. He has just started properly sleeping through but normally goes to bed after 7 ish and wakes just before 6. So, should I not worry too much. It is just a shame that he is very grumpy when at home and we have to put him to bed, yet want to play with him really as have not seen him all day. Does anyone else have experiences of their LO not sleeping at the cms. Does it just take time?

NB he normally has a morning nap and an afternoon nap still and seems ready for them when at home.

[Conline]

I worry about my little boy not sleeping or settling when starting the cm too! He'l be 7 month. Mines only going to be there one day a week so worried it's going to take even longer for him to settle

[katefuckswilly]

Can't he go in a travel cot? I doubt my 10 mo would sleep in an unmoving pram very happily, he likes to roll.

[Iguessyourestuckwithme]

How do you get him to sleep at home?

I am a nanny and always feel bad when my employer gets home and I have to reccomend the baby goes to bed soon, or the baby is getting grumpy due to tiredness/almost bedtime. and this is with the baby sleeping in the day. it will get better re spending time with him in the evening but as he's little let him go to bed in a few months he will be that bit older and able to stay up a bit longer for you to see him.

Conline can you get baby to do a lot of sessions/days at the start and then drop down to what you need so that it doesn't take so long?

[starry0ne]

I am a c.minder and have to say generally babies once settled tend to sleep far better in the day than at home..
10-11 months is the time sepertaion anxiety tends to set in so key times like meals, sleep can tend to be a reminder where is mum..However give them time it also new and exciting a whole new selection of toys to play with children to watch ..It is exciting and exhausting.

[cookielove]

My little one was a very reluctant sleeper at nursery he started at 11 months and was still having two sleeps a day at home! Well that dropped to one almost immediatly and then only 1 hr when he did 2-4 in total at home. Now at 22 months at home he sleeps for 3 hrs and at nursery usually 1-2 which is a huge improvement!

I am sure once he settles completely his sleep will sort itself out

[QuietNinjaTardis]

My son never slept when he went to nursery. He'd just come home grumpy and go to bed early. If she takes him for a walk in buggy will he drop off?

[FifiFerusha]

My cm is really supportive but I can almost see in her eyes that she is upset as she is trying so hard to get him to sleep. She is great and I really respect her. I know my boy, he needs a lot of wind down time, so much that I don't think it is fair to ask cm to carry it out. I even asked to borrow the travel cot she lets sleep him for the weekend(as he always needs practise) but she was reluctant. It didn't happen. I always have to give him a week of practise In his own travel cot before we go away. Mummys just know what our babys are like x

I suppose it isn't so bad if he sleeps through after but today his naps were really long(which is good right?) both over 1 hour 20 without stirring which is unknown territory in our baby sleep world. My boy will fight sleeping to the max but he also really needs it. I hope it gets better, more for the cms sake as my boy is energy mad and constantly wants to walk with help at mo. His naps are a break for her if they happened, am sure cm will need them, what with all the other kiddies she has to care for. I am a teacher so understand how hard it is to love and care for every child as much as you can. But Don't want my lovely boy to be a burden x

[FifiFerusha]

And starry one I think you have made a really good point. I should be happy that my DS is really excited and really wants to play, baby steps, and you know what with that in focus, sleep is out of the question. I told cm that if he was happy and eating that is all that mattered and I was really happy with how things were going. I don't want her too worry, she is so lovely I don't want to break bridges. She is doing such a great job with my little boy. It is me that has the sleep worry x

[JuxtapositionRecords]

If she is an experienced childminder, your DS won't be the only difficult napper she has encountered - the world is full of them! It should settle down - does he have a lovey etc and familiar things from home to take to nap with him at the childminders? It's a lot of upheaval generally and they need to get used to it - you are lucky it hasn't affected his night sleep so I would try and relax a bit more, he will settle down there.

[FifiFerusha]

Thank you. You are right. He has a lovey but it is strictly for sleep at home but has been given constantly at cms for comfort as our initial problem was settling generally. Will suggest to only give at sleep times. She is trying so hard but my DS has never even napped for DP let alone anyone else.
Can't help thinking i should have prepared him more. Let's hope there is no accumulative OT as DS can be prone to that. Two days of little sleep can take a week or so of repair argh x x x