Starting nursery soon - pls share your experiences!

[CruiseShipsAhoy]

My LO is due to start nursery in a couple of weeks for 4 full days. I'm really worried that nursery is going to completely unsettle our routine so interested to know how others dealt with the changes. The nursery said they'll stick to our routine as much as possible but with new toys to play with, sleeping in a shared room with others, long days away from home, I am anticipating a few hurdles ahead! Please share what did and didn't work for you? Did it take ages for your LO to settle at nursery? Thanks xx

Took DD about a month to settle in, she did cry initially clung on to our legs etc when we left her at the beginning, broke my heart Buuuuut now she loves it runs to her room in the mornings squealing with delight! Don't worry about the routine side of it, it's amazing what LO's will do for strangers and how adaptable they are. And people who work in nurserys are magic when it comes to getting them to sleep etc. nursery has been excellent for my DD, for her development and speech (wasn't talking at 2), if you get a great nursery your LO will love it

How old is your DC? Mine both went to nursery four full days from 9.5m. Both were well settled within a month. My main tip would be make sure you act positively (even if you feel far from it). Also I found that they coped with differences in routine like a different tea time really easily and if anything napped better at nursery than at home - although that could be because I get too stressed about napping!

She'll be one when she goes. She naps really well at home so have horrible visions of her not napping well in a communal room! Good to know it might take some time for her to settle - helps to manage my expectations!!

Thanks for the tip about being positive too. I'm sure I'll be in floods of tears but I'll hold them back until I'm in the car. Xx

I'm in exactly the same boat! DD has just turned one and starts in 2 weeks... I'm hoping she'll love it but I'm worried about the routine going haywire. Just wanted to say good luck - I'm sure it'll be ok after a little while settling in!

Ds turns one on Friday and has been going to nursery for almost 3 weeks now. First week was horrendous... Total meltdown for about 2 hours and that was the total amount of time he stayed each day. Today he ate there for the first time and had even managed two naps there so things are looking up I hope. However, it has made him really unsettled in general at home, more clingy, grumpy and attention seeking. Poor little man.

My baby started nursery for 3 full days a week a few weeks ago, when she was 11 months. We did a long settling period, going twice a week and increasing the time she spent there each time, over a period of about 6 weeks. She was fine by the time she started going properly. She sometimes cries a little at drop off still, but we can hear that she stops as soon as we leave and close the door. They put her down for naps at about the same time as at home (they have cots at the end of the room for the younger babies). Their mealtimes are slightly different to mine, but she seems to switch back to her home mealtimes with no problems on the days she isn't at nursery. She sleeps really well after she's been at nursery too - all that marauding around with the other babies must tire her out.