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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Where do your kids sleep at the CM's?

24 replies

bluebean · 19/09/2008 16:12

My daughther (9 months) is starting with a lovely local CM when I return to work next month. She's just there one day a week (she'll be with family the other three days I work). My problem is that the CM does not have a cot for the kids. Her current kids sleep on her couch or in the (stationary) buggy in her hall.

My daughter is used to sleeping in her own cot, the travel cot or a moving pram or car seat. I really don't think she'll take to sleeping in a non-moving buggy. I tried this today and she just got more and more upset.

I'm totally new to all this - is it normal for CMs not to have a cot or any separate room for the kids to sleep?

As she'll be there for just one day a week I also worry that this is too infrequent for her to get used to a new routine.

Your ideas on this one would be appreciated!

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dustystar · 19/09/2008 16:15

She really should have a cot of some sort - Ofsted would not be happy to hear that babies are regularly sleeping in a buggy. I don't think there is any need for a seperate room really. Do you have a travel cot you could offer to lend her?

Sazisi · 19/09/2008 16:19

I'm a childminder, and put mindee in a travel cot for naps. Or sometimes DD3's cot if she's not having a nap at the same time.

Do you have a travel cot you could leave at childminder's?

Original poster

bluebean · 19/09/2008 16:19

I offered the travel cot but she says she has nowhere to store it.

I could take the travel cot and set it up each time - but I got the impression that it would be a hassle (for her, I really don't mind). I may end up doing this.

OP posts:

Sazisi · 19/09/2008 16:24

sorry, ignore my question, cross-posted and failed to see dustystar had asked same thing

dustystar · 19/09/2008 16:24

Well i know Ofsted would not be happy with her current arrangement. When i had my last inspection the baby I was minding had only been with me a few days. He was very resisitant to sleeping in the travel cot I had for him and so , with his mums permission, we were doing a gradual introduction to it and much of the time he slept in his buggy. The Inspector said that as this was a short term arrangement during his settling in period that it was fine but that as a rule babies needed a proper place to sleep - either a cot or travel cot.

MaureenMLove · 19/09/2008 16:24

TBH, there isn't a rule on buggy sleeping. I think one or two minders on here have had conflicting advice from their Ofsted officers. That aside, if you want her to sleep in a cot, then the CM should really respect your wishes. If you are happy to put it up every day and the CM has room, then I'd do that.

pippylongstockings · 19/09/2008 16:25

My DS2 sleeps in a travel cot in my CM bedroom - she puts it up when he needs a nap - he has been going there since he was 10 months.

My DS1 sleeps on the sofa there - very cosy with special blanket she got for him.

I had visited several CM and I must say several I saw had the sleeping in buggy arrangement - tendined to be when say they had 3 or more kids and clearly it would be tricky for them all to have naps in a cot at the same time.

How long has she been a CM?
I can't imagine that all kids settle into this straight away - although they would eventually - can she take your LO for walks to get her off to sleep ?

Sazisi · 19/09/2008 16:29

In what way is it a hassle for her if you're setting it up each time? I don't really get that

So what are your options..
You can just insist she uses a travel cot, or
you can let the cm try it her way, but then use the travel cot if it doesn't work out maybe?

Original poster

bluebean · 19/09/2008 16:52

Thanks all

Dusty - We're in Scotland so not sure if the Ofsted rule applies here - sure it would be similar anyway.

Pippy - She's been a CM for years. She has gown up children and I think she's been CMing since they were small. It's not really possible to take her for walk to get her to sleep; she has two slightly older kids who can both walk but not far -DD needs a good two mile hike these days to drift off!

Maureen - I think the problem may be that she doesn't really have the room - she could squeeze it in her dining room. However this is open plan to her living room so is pretty noisy. It would be ideal if the cot could go in one of her bedrooms but I've heard other people say that the CM "business" has to be on all one level. Is that wrong?

Sazisi - I think I'm going to insist on the travel cot - we've had all sorts of issues in the past with getting DD to sleep without being rocked/held etc - getting her to sleep in a cot was a major bloody triumph!

OP posts:

dustystar · 19/09/2008 16:58

The rules may well be different then and as Mlove says there are conflicting views even within Ofsted. I know that in England your registered premises don't all have to be on the same level because I have a split level house that Ofsted count as 4 levels and we have registered rooms on all 4 levels.

sammybeth · 19/09/2008 17:02

When i was a childminder a few years ago ofsted insisted that i have somewhere away from the main care room (lounge) that a child can sleep in peace, i used my bedroom and the baby slept in a travel cot in there. Admittedly some of the older toddlers slept on the sofa but only because the parents said thats what they did at home anyway. I think as a descent childminder she should respect you wishes and allow you to bring the travel cot, i certainly would have.

smeeinit · 19/09/2008 18:20

did u not discuss this with your cm before signing up?
imo if you feel strongly that your dd should sleep in a cot and not buggy then this is what your cm should do,however if she really doesnt have the room and upstairs isnt registered(?) then you will have to come to a compromise or find a cm that can meet your needs.
im a cm and although my bedroom is registered for children to sleep in and i have kids beds and travel cot i have never used it in over 3 years,the children generally fall asleep in the pushchair whilst out walking or on the sofa. i have a phil&teds so lies completly flat and is cosy!

southernbelle77 · 19/09/2008 19:17

I am a cm and I have travel cot and buggy for sleeping in. The buggy sleeping only happens if parents request it (some children will not sleep in a cot during the day!) or if the child gets very upset when put down in the cot so I try the buggy (with parents permission!)

I don't see why using the travel cot should be an issue for your cm if you are providing and putting it up and she has room for it.

Podrick · 19/09/2008 19:26

I wouldn't be happy with buggy sleeping or sofa sleeping and I am amazed that other people think this is OK

how can buggy sleeping be comfortable and how can sofa sleeping be safe?

mogs0 · 19/09/2008 21:02

I have, on occasion, had a travel cot in ds' room, one in the lounge and a 3yr old asleep on my bed! This did mean that I had to sit in the kitchen for an hour and a half because there was nowhere else to be!! I'd rather that than have an unhappy child because they haven't had a long enough sleep!!

If you're offering your travel cot then I can't see why she wouldn't be happy and maybe you could explain about the sleep issues from the past and how you want to continue to let her sleep in the cot, she might be more understanding.

Pawslikepaddington · 19/09/2008 21:06

Dd always slept in a buggy at my cm's-I thought that was what cm's did when they had more than one napping child!

elkiedee · 19/09/2008 23:50

DS sleeps in his buggy for daytime naps at home, but CM has a travel cot set up in the sitting room. When I was on ML I tried for a while to put him in his cot for naps but found he woke up crying, whereas in his buggy downstairs with me, he'd sometimes open his eyes, look at me and think ok, she's there, go back to sleep, sometimes for ages. He seems to be happier sleeping with others around him.

MrsFluffleHasAWuffle · 20/09/2008 10:32

I have a travel cot, also one provided by a mum, and also various buggies, soafas, bouncy chair wotsits!

All get used at different times with different children. It's simply not possible sometimes if they all fall to sleep to put them all down in a travel cot, would have to have a whole line up of them!

I have two mindees sleep in the travel cots, 2 babies that sleep in buggies/easy chair and two older ones that flake out on the sofa.

Everyone is happy with this. There is no rule about babies sleeping in a buggy etc, it's just certain inspectors personal preference. The most important thing is the child rests, and what happens at a CM house will become part of their routine there, and they will associate it with there, and most likely won't want to continue buggy sleeping at home as they won't associate it with home. iyswim.

JenniPenni · 22/09/2008 00:29

I have travel cots for all my mindees. Two are up permanently, two I put up and down every day, due to space. I never let them sleep in the buggy.

If I were your CM I would try and get the bedrooms registered for minding too, so they have a separate sleep area.

changingsoon · 22/09/2008 13:18

my whole house is registered and i use all bedrooms for sleeping children. i have matresses and cots , sleeping bags for all of them. would never put a child to bed in a buggy but if they fell asleep in it i would leave them in it when we got back from where ever. if i were paying a cm what i get paid i would expect a proper sleeping arrangment for my child.

vInTaGeVioLeT · 22/09/2008 23:06

hmmmm. . . my son slept in his pushchair for his naps, i'd go out for a walk with the dog and he would{hopefully fall asleep} it meant i could crack on and do what i wanted, either at home or go to the shops TBH i don't see why this is a problem for some?

mindees i've had have slept
a. in my ds's cot{fresh bedding}
b. in the buggy
c. in my arms

some children like peace and quiet and others like to be close and cuddled - you just have to be flexible and do what suits you both really.
i always try to do what the parent requests.

bigdonna · 23/09/2008 08:10

my mindees seem to fall asleep on nursery run so i transfer to sofa when we get home i do have a travel cot but mindees wont sleep in it.i have permission slips to sleep in buggy.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 23/09/2008 08:19

When DS started at CM (at 11 months) he was a pretty reluctant napper, so we agreed he would sleep wherever was easiest. To start with this was in his own buggy, which CM would jiggle to get him off, then later a travel cot upstairs.

Now he is over 2 he often doesn't have a nap the days he is with her as he is too interested in what's going on round him. He will sometimes fall asleep in car or moving buggy when they are out and I am happy with this.

Babies are pretty flexible really, and will often sleep in different situations than they would at home. However, you do have to be happy with your childcare arrangements, so I would talk to your CM again if you are not sure.

littleangelschildminding · 01/10/2008 11:24

Hi ladies, I'm a bit new to all this, i've worked with children for a long time, but have recently set up as a cm, i'm coming across this problem too, i have a 17mth old starting with me, the hours needed will change every week, and some days he'll need a nap, i have a travel cot that i can set up, but it will have to be in my living room, as i haven't registered upstairs mainly beacuse i don't want my daughters room registered or mine, then the other bed room my other half uses as an office but it has stairs leading up to a loft room, i'm half wondering to reg the 'office' room as i think i could squeeze the cot in there when needed, do you think this would work? if they are in a travel cot any other dangers in the room wouldn't be a problem????

thanks for your help!

and in answer to other's questions, i do feel it's important to have a cot of some kind not a buggy to sleep in, my daughter is 14mths and i wouldnt be happy her sleeping in a buggy all the time, however if she was at a cm in the living room in a tarvel cot i think i wouldnt mind?!!

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