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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

You know those mats they sleep on in the 2-3 year old rooms ?

33 replies

mamatomany · 13/12/2010 21:00

How would you feel if you found out your 6 month old had been put to sleep on one with a sheet they change regularly, so by that i assume not for every child at every sleep ?

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DioneTheDiabolist · 13/12/2010 21:03

When I worked in Daycare, each mattress and sheet had the child's own name on it. Sheets were washed weekly. Why would a 6mo be asleep on a 2-3yo's mattress? Don't they put kids that age in cots?

myleftcrutch · 13/12/2010 21:03

What's the normal set up? Travel cots?

(genuine question, never sent mine to nursery)

notcitrus · 13/12/2010 21:04

Fine, assuming they were somewhere they couldn't be trodden on or roll off. But then my ds used to just conk out on the floor whenever he wanted a nap, so I told nursery just to cover him with a blanket and not worry about shifting into a cot (they got him napping in a cot eventually)

WHat's your concern?

Original poster

mamatomany · 13/12/2010 21:12

I was shown the baby room of the nursery with a lovely cot each, bedding changed for each child and I supplied a grobag.
I found out today that when he is the only baby in, they take him down to the toddler room and he slept on a mat thing that was between the wall and a toy chest of draws so protected on two sides but my fear is he could get trapped between the wall and the chest, they check on them every few mins so they say.
I am really not happy but wondered how other people felt about it ?
notcitrus, I might agree if he was two but at 6 months ?

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MaudOHara · 13/12/2010 21:15

IIWY I would not be happy about that arrangement either - I think that you need to raise the issue - sounds to me like they don't have sufficient staff if they are having to put your little boy in another room for his sleep

reddaisy · 13/12/2010 21:17

Tell them to carry a cot/push one (the cots at our nursery are on wheels iirc) if they want him in with the other little ones.

LittleYellowTeapot · 13/12/2010 21:19

Where I worked the sheets were changed for every child at every nap time. Why don't you ask them to clarify about the sheets. I'd be suprised to hear the children are sharing sheets.

Have you actually seen where your baby is sleeping? It might help to put your mind at rest. I'm sure they wouldn't dream of leaving him anywhere he could come to any harm. And if it's anything like where I worked, they will be watching him the whole time, and he'll never be left unattended.

Waswondering · 13/12/2010 21:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

myleftcrutch · 13/12/2010 21:21

I wouldn't be happy either/

Original poster

mamatomany · 13/12/2010 21:25

It is a staff issue they admitted that but I don't see that as my problem, they promised a baby room so that's what I expected tbh.
I don't mind a few hours a day in toddlers but I expected he would sleep and have some peace and quiet for at least say 2 out of 6 hours.

OP posts:

DioneTheDiabolist · 13/12/2010 22:19

Oh, I wouldn't be happy. Are there staffing issues? When I did this, there were dedicated staff for different ages and it didn't matter how many kids were asleep. There were monitors in the cot room, linked to the baby room. I would be concerned because kids aged 2-3 would wake up needing toilet and may stumble. Is your baby at childminder's or nursery?

Original poster

mamatomany · 13/12/2010 22:26

It's a nursery, i'm really pissed because when i was shown around i chose them on the basis of the lovely calm quiet baby room with just a handful of babies in it together, he has 3 older sisters, the kid isn't short on energy and interaction at home so I feel he needs at least a bit of peace and quiet in his day.
The cot is something I'm going to bring up and if they can't commit to him being in a baby room with other baby's then we'll change again.
Am fed up though.

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SleightiesChick · 13/12/2010 22:32

That's not on. You are paying for him to be in a baby room. If they have too few babies there to run a separate baby room that's not your fault. Presume the ratio of staff is higher than it should be then too. My DS slept in his own named cot in the baby room at his nursery and then they could nap at any time, though not in a separate room.

cat64 · 13/12/2010 22:35

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Original poster

mamatomany · 13/12/2010 22:43

I don't expect her to sit in the room with just him for 6 hours CAT64, but I would like him to have some quiet time, perhaps whilst he naps after lunch and in the afternoon if he seems to be drifting off then I don't think it's unreasonable even if she takes a book up stairs and watches him sleep.

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dribbleface · 14/12/2010 10:28

Why have they got so few babies - are they new opening?

I manage a nursery and in the past have put little ones on a mat....but only when we just cannot settle them in a cot, seem the closeness of the staff member to them soothes them. But this is only in a sectioned of area of the sleep room (which is always staffed).

Do these staffing issues often come up? A one off in extreme circumstances I would let go (but i would have expected a staff member to be in that room with the children, especially in mind of the very mixed age group) but if its just because they do not have enough staff then not good.

Sorry just reread - do you mean he was in the toddler main playroom?? I was thinking of my setting where the toddlers have a seperate sleep room. If he was in the main playroom (whilst they were playing not sleeping iyswim) then I would be furious and having a strong word with the manager. To be honest if staffing was that bad and he was the only baby could he not have slept in the office in a pram (not suggesting this is acceptable either but they don't seem to have thought of any other more suitable alternatives)

Original poster

mamatomany · 14/12/2010 11:37

Yes in the main toddler room, parked in the corner on a mat.
I've been asked if they mind him being in a cot in the main toddler part and tbh I do mind, it's noisy and hardly helping me to train him to go to sleep.
They've been open a while, at least 12 months they just don't have many baby's in at all and just him on Mondays and Fridays.
Do you think I'd be within my rights to leave without notice if they cannot supply the service they promised to provide ?
I'm just thinking if this is it until either another baby joins or he moves up to the next room which could be another 9 months or so I'm never going to be happy.

OP posts:

MoonUnitAlpha · 14/12/2010 11:42

If he was on a mat in the 2-3 sleep room with other children sleeping and constant supervision then I'd say fine. In the corner of the 2-3s room while the big children are playing is not on at all.

Original poster

mamatomany · 14/12/2010 11:55

You see I don't believe there is ever constant supervision, I don't care what they say there is no way if another child falls over that nursery nurse is going to say, no I cannot help you I am constantly supervising baby x.

I've seen Mark Warner nannies lose a tot under the water because they were chatting but they said constant supervision in their literature too.
I think I just hate childcare tbh.

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stirlingstar · 14/12/2010 12:00

I wouldn't be OK with it as a regular plan, unless if particularly suited your child.

I'm also surprised - in my experience (only of one nursery, have had 2 babies there), at the baby room stage they have been very keen to listen to parents about the baby & parents' preferred routine and accommodate it in the nursery setting - I think that's important.

FWIW in our baby room there was a choice of sleeping in a cot in a dark quiet room, sleeping on mats or cushions in the main baby room, or sleeping in a pram/buggy (usually in main room, but could be moved) - this was done to suit individual preferences. There was not always a member of staff in the separate sleep room, but it was adjacent to the main room and on a monitor. By the time they were 12-18 months they were all sleeping on mats, but some were held by staff as they dropped off and there was always a staff member in the sleep room.

If there's only one baby in sometimes, you could suggest they invite a couple of older children to play in the baby room for a bit, rather than always take the baby in to the older rooms? Some older children will love to do that for a while, and it will keep a calmer but interesting environment for baby & staff.

MoonUnitAlpha · 14/12/2010 12:02

In the nursery I worked in, there was always an adult in the sleep room with children on mats, and another adult in the room next to the cot room, checking every 10 minutes. We might have moved a baby who usually sleeps in a cot onto a mat in the toddlers' sleep room but never an under 2 into an over 2 playroom unless it was a visit because they were about to move up.

Personally though I do think childminders are more suitable care for under 2s.

stirlingstar · 14/12/2010 12:03

Just remembered also - our nursery is quiet on Fridays and if few babies in they sometimes took them on walks in prams for naps. More interesting for staff I guess, and fine for babies. You could suggest that??

SonicMiddleAge · 15/12/2010 03:37

I would be v. annoyed they weren't using the baby sleep room - completely unaccepable. However I also would not like a nursery where mine was the only baby, so would propably have ruled out on that basis - I expect more and simialr probs may come up if it isn't relly egared for babies and you're in for a run of age-inapproriate activities. If they must put him to bed in the toddler room they need to buy a travel cot - they are hardly dear.

Incidentally of my two, the youngest always sleep in a cot in the sleep room, the elder who has always been a sleep nightmare slept weither in a cot, or in a playpen in the main baby room, she used to go down better watching the other babies.

Trips by babies to the other rooms should be done for the chilren's benefit, not to suit staff wish for a chat! (e.g. in our creche they sometimes get the "big kids" (3-4) to "mentor" the little ones in painting etc - it's very cute!

Disagree on childminders better for under twos though - a well staffed nursery in my experience actually has more time for 1-1 with the babies than a childminder which is a one man show.

Original poster

mamatomany · 15/12/2010 09:50

It's so hard Sonic, i don't want a child minder because the one i would have chosen, lovely lady known her for years is always sick or in an anxious state over her 12 year old or 18 year olds life.

I've been assured that the key worker is only allocated to him when she's in that room and the toddlers still have their 1-4 ratio, tbh i don't believe them but 2 baby's looked around and should be starting soon, maybe it's because he's so young most mums haven't started maternity leave yet ?
Fingers crossed i'm going to give it another month and see how it goes.

OP posts:

allnightlong · 15/12/2010 10:54

I find it odd there are so few babies at this nursery I'd ask around locally about the nursery find out if there is any gossip about it.

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