Is this as common as I’ve heard? Worrying!

[Yukl]

DD starting nursery when she’s 1. I will be back at work. Lots of people have said to expect sleep to completely go wrong once she starts? I’m worrying as my job is very full on and not sure how I will manage.

You get used to it. I have a really full on job, and I’m alive and generally okay with the tiredness now. I mean, I wish I wasn’t tired, but my base level has changed so it’s not as hard on my job as I’d thought. You get through.

Agree that sleep was fine but lots of bugs.

Our nursery allowed them in with runny noses, and there were a lot of them.

If you defer nursery then they will probably pick the bugs up later as it's the mixing with others that means they catch them.

my child wouldn't go to sleep until late because nursery insisted that she have a sleep in the afternoons (a bit older). She was bored and just used to stand in her cot at nursery waiting for someone to come and get her, then I couldn't get her down until midnight. If you child still has an afternoon nap then it should be a problem.

Ds1 started nursery on his first birthday but only one day or occasionally two as I worked night shift so it was just to catch a bit of sleep. He always slept well and that didn’t change. He didn’t really have any illnesses either until he caught chicken pox (from his cousin) at 23 months. He has always had a pretty strong constitution. He had his first ever prescription for antibiotics at 19. I hope it all goes well for you.

Yeah mine had their sleep messed up. Mainly because she didn’t get enough or quality sleep at nursery so was then overtired come bed time. Also illness was a factor - started nursery late Dec so winter bugs in full flow. It has settled somewhat and we’ve changed nursery where she now gets the sleep she needs so that’s helping a lot.

Someone mentioned chicken pox, that's one illness that's now preventable with a private vaccination but it's expensive eg
https://www.boots.com/services/vaccinations/chickenpox-vaccination-service

My eldest was about 15 months when he started nursery, he had absolutely no change to his sleep pattern at all.

Ha! none of mine slept and mat leave was 7 months then and I also had a full-on job and commuted. Honestly you'll be fine (or you'll adapt) - the bugs are going to be more of a problem though.

Mine didn't start nursery until just after 2 (before that it was Covid lockdowns and his grandparents looked after him). It didn't really affect his sleep except that the first few days he fell asleep on the 5 minute drive home, and so obviously having "danger napped" he was a bit later to sleep than he would normally have been.

I think the problem might come with childcare settings that try to force young children to drop naps before they're really ready. Most children I know are still having two naps at home at 12 months, but I do know of some childcare settings that try to get them all onto one nap as it's easier to structure a day for multiple children like that.

Expect her to get ill lots

We always recommend baby to start atleast a month or two before mum went back to work

I found using a child minder far easier than a nursery from an illness perspective. Much more flexible if you get a good CM

Made no difference to either of my dc sleep and they both went to nursery around 1.

as for illness, they did get Ill but not loads and I didn’t experience the overreacting nursery staffs that people complain about on here. Maybe 5-10 days a year in worst case scenario.

It did with my DD and was very difficult for a few months.

My DD was fine when she started nursery. No issues with sleep or illness. But she had a childminder from 10 months - 2.5 years before she went to nursery.

This. We would be lucky to get more than one session a week. Also for exactly the first 3 months.

And no don’t defer. Just get it over with. They get more cognisant as they grow older and my boys 16 months now and can imagine starting now would be a flipping nightmare! He has actual opinions and little toddler beliefs now rather than just emotions IYSWIM. Bless I do love him 🥰

Second the comments about the nursery germs. Not even just the baby, you too! so expect/ plan to be floored/ alternative child arrangements for at least the first 3 months on and off. I wish I was exaggerating. Genuinely thought I’d get a disciplinary the number of times I got sick. Nursery germs …. are so so different

It didn't happen with mine. Although the age range that a lot of babies start nursery (mine was around 8 months) does coincide naturally with sleep regressions. So who's to say if those children experiencing sleep issues were affected because of starting nursery or because of a sleep regression which would have happened anyway.

What are you hoping to achieve by worrying OP ?

It'll be fine. I don't remember sleep going to cock. If anything it makes routine better.

It is a real adjustment but the nursery years are easier for work than school years. My nursery did 730am til 6pm all year round. School was 8 til 515 with school holidays. Definitely enjoy the convenience of nursery whilst it lasts!

In all honesty it’s the sickness and then for some babies (like my second) they don’t sleep well when ill. I basically had shit sleep every winter for a few years which was quite a shock to the system after having a baby that was a great sleeper. That child is still very prone to being disturbed. My other one though is out and stays out: just depends what sort of sleeper they are naturally.

My 2 started at 7 and 11 months. No change to their sleep and not many bugs or sickness either. Plus nursery were sensible about sickness too.

Your job is full on.....life is full on with children. My job is also full on, you learn to do what you can and live with the guilt that you don't perform as well as before. You will need extra time off for the bugs your child will pick up.