CM - what do you do if...?

[flyingcloud]

Hello,

My LO will be starting with an assistante maternelle (French cm) when my maternity leave ends in abt 5 wks. She will be 11.5 wks old ().

She is really good at settling at night (sleeps from 7-ish to 10.30pm and then after that feed she settles well and sleeps until 3.30 / 4 am and she then settles again for another couple of hours).

However she cannot nap during the day. If I put her down in her cot she may sleep for 10 mins before waking and crying. She can sleep in the sling and if I take her for a walk in the pushchair but not always. Yesterday she slept for a total of about 1.5 hrs between 8.30 am (she fell asleep straight away after her morning feed for about 20 mins) and 7 pm.

How is she going to cope when she goes to the cm? Will the cm just put her down for naps and leave her? Will she be expected to fit in with their nap routine?

Obviously I would really like her to sleep a bit during the day - I am not trying in any way to keep her awake but I am just worried about the transition of being at home with mummy to being with someone else who doesn't understand her sleep patterns. Everyone comments that she is a very wakeful baby too.

Any ideas or comments greatly appreciated!

just tell cm that she does not often sleep in day explain her routine as it is. Cm will try and work to same routine you do. As a cm I have some who sleep some who don't short sleeps like that are often in pushchair so we can go out longer sleeps are more often in cot

jot down your lo's routine and explain you would like the cm to work with her along the lines off that but you understand she cannot always ie: maybe shes on a school run/playgroup with other chidlren at a time when your LO normally naps...ask her what she thinks she can do, she may have vast experience and be able to assure you she will do everything she can.good luck

your CM may be willing to wear a sling and as everyone else has said talk to your minder about your babys routine and your concerns.

Thank you so much for your replies.

She only takes under-school age children - so up to 3 years of age and has four in total at any one time (although she says she rarely has four at any one time).

Will discuss options with her.

ask to see her certificate or if you know her ofsted number type it into their website.
Its rare (unless she has specifically asked for a variation) that we can have more than 3 children under the age of 5 AT ANY ONE TIME. good luck

PinkChick, i get the impression flyingcloud might live in France

Yes - thank you - am in France! I am going to check that out though as four does seem like a lot - but as she mentioned she never or rarely has the four at the same time (her mindees parents all work strange hours, such as cabin crew/pilots etc) and she has a schedule that ensures no more than 3 at any one time (most of the time).

Hi flyingcloud,
It's really good that the CM only has under-3s, so your baby's routine won't be disrupted by school runs.

Your DD may surprise you - they very often behave differently with a CM than with you! I've seen this with my DS - we started the adaptation at the nounou this week and he amazed me by falling asleep by himself in a strange cot. This is a baby who wants/needs 20 mins rocking in my arms before the slightest nap at home.

Hope all goes well, keep us posted

Oh thanks Bunny - she's so little though!

We're having a meeting and adaptation at the end of April.

Hope your LO settles in well. How many does your CM have?

Don't worry, the smaller they are, the less they're set in their ways. But it's tough whatever age they are!

My CM has 3 at home (my DS 6 months, a little boy of 18 months and a girl of 3 who will be starting school in September) and then a 5-year old that she picks up from school on the odd occasion, not every day (her parents work funny hours)