To want dd(1) to sleep in a cot

[amatuermummy]

My dd has just turned a year old and, since a few weeks ago, her nursery have been desperate to get her to sleep on a sleep mat on the floor and out of a cot. I have said I'd prefer to keep her in a cot for longer as she's still only a baby, but as they have younger babies in the nursery that need the cots, they have told us that dd will have to go on a sleep mat. She is also in the toddler room and is the youngest in there. When I told them I'd rather she stayed in a cot until she wasn't so small, they looked at me like I was being a bit PFB and asked me how long that would be and what I meant by 'small'.

I used to work in a nursery and we would never have put a 12 month old baby on a sleep mat on the floor, but I'm not sure whether this is normal or not. I haven't complained or made a fuss or anything, but I just wanted some opinions as to whether I am being unreasonable by feeling that this is not appropriate?

I'd want a 12 month old in a cot too - I think they need to be nearer 16-18 months for a floor mat.

I'd have been happy for DD to sleep on a mat when she was 1. In fact, most of her naps between about 9mo and 13mo were on a mat on the floor, and she 'progressed' to her cot at 13mo.

If the toddler room has mats in, then let her sleep on the mat. She'll still be supervised and safe :)

hmmm well i do understand where you're comning from, but if they have younger children who need the cots then you have little choice
unless you donate a cot to them? or ask them to buy more?

i think she'll probably be fine on the sleep-mat tho tbh, and it won't be any less safe

I'd want mine in a cot too. Stick to your guns and tell them that's what you want to happen.

DS moved onto a mat at 13 months

very cute because he and one of his friends would cuddle up when napping!

don't see the problem as long as they are supervised

What exactly is your concern? I'm not saying that you're wrong in your wishes but I can't quite work out from your post what your reasons are?

In terms of normal practice, it's standard for the 'older' ones to get shunted up when they have new ones start. My ds started at nursery when he was 1 and was in a cot, though I do remember a slightly irrational pushed-out feeling (mine not his) when he was moved from a cot to one of those beds just off the floor because they had babies starting which wasn't long afterwards.

Personally, when DD1 was at nursery I asked for her to sleep in her pushchair. I was always concerned about the cot death risk when sleeping on a mattress that other babies had slept on. From this point of view I think that mats are safer, but I would be worried about older toddlers standing on her. Sorry, I've been no help at all

Hi
Thanks for the replies. My main concern is that she'll be trodden on and climbed all over by the other children - they're all older than her but still only around 18 months old. She never went into the baby room because she was the only baby there when she joined so they put her straight into the toddler room as she would have been on her own. So she hasn't changed rooms, they've just decided that she's going to stay in that room now. She is the youngest by at least 6 months.
I also think that she'd be more comfortable in a cot because that's what she's used to at home. She doesn't sleep for long at nursery, much less than at home, but that could just be the change of environment.
Thanks for your views anyway, it's helpful :)

They're out of order. 1 is a baby still and she might roll off...

if she rolls off i'm sure they'll put her back on, although i expect they have them all in a row, so she won't be able to

Yes..but an older child could roll onto her!

I think you should request she goes into baby room if she's the youngest by 6 months. My ds is still in baby room at 18 months though i expect he'll move up soon. Can't help on the mat/cot issue as i think she's in the wrong room anyway. She is still a baby at a year.

At DD's nursery all of the babies move onto floor mats at about 12mo. There isn't anywhere to roll off to as they are basically on the floor. All of the babies/toddlers nap at the same time so they don't seem to walk on each other. They are also supervised so they won't be in a position to injure each other. I think the cots for the younger ones are generally used because they nap at erratic times so need to be out of the way. When they are older and napping at the normal nursery times then a floor mat seems ok to me. I wouldn't have an issue with 9mo DD napping on a mat when all of the children are down for their naps.