I have recently returned to work, part time. 3 days a week, two with the childminder and one with my MiL. My DD is 14 months old. I was really pleased with the childminder we found; seems like a lovely household, other children there seemed settled. However my DD is so so miserable. She does long days as DH and I have big commutes and inflexible careers which can’t be done from home. At home she is gregarious and v social with other babies at classes and play dates. She is teething lots - a late starter with teeth they are now coming thick and fast and she is clearly in discomfort with them. Ibuprofen helps as does the Ashton gel but she wants to be close to us when teething.
The childminder says she can’t cope with a baby who wants to be cuddled the whole time and cries for hours as she has had two other babies of a similar age starting at the same time. She says my DD is the saddest baby she has ever tried to settle, which is very upsetting to hear. We can’t stop working as things are tight as it is with CoL and we are both in jobs where we can’t choose our annual leave so can’t use holiday to give her shorter days whilst she adjusts. She is hoarse from crying when we collect her. It is heartbreaking.
Anyone with experience like this who can suggest ways of settling her better? The childminder was not able to give us much time to settle her when I was on Mat leave and now keeps saying we should try shorter days given how beside herself my DD is. We can’t do this. Please tell me how your little ones adjusted after bumpy starts. What helped? I’m so anxious about her.