She was exhausted and starving hungry........!

[BellyMonster]

Hi

My 10 month old DD started nursery a month ago, she goes 2 days a week whilst I'm at work. Initially I thought it was great and although she was very tired when she got home she seemed happy and I thought over time that she'd start to sleep better there and become less tired.

But yesterday when I picked her up she looked beyond exhausted, she was tearful and whimpered and clung to me as soon as I picked her up. She also burst into tears when I went into the cot room to collect her things and wouldnt stop until we left. I spoke to her 'key worker' who I don't think my DD is very fond of, neither am I if I'm honest and even though I'd asked them to put her down for her morning nap early because she was up at 5am they'd ignored that and had taken them out in the buggies so she'd only slept 30mins all morning. I don't think they stick to her routine at all and just ignore what I ask. She was also starving when we got home, I've never seen her eat that fast and she cried when each time her food was finished.

Am I being over sensitive or do I have too high expectations? Does she need more time settling in? Or should I change nurseries? I was just so worried about her last night, she was beside her self with exhaustion and even though she was fast asleep in my arms she wouldnt let me put her down in her cot she screamed blue murder which isnt like her. Sorry for the long post, I'm just worried shes unhappy there all day and it takes her so long to catch up on the lost sleep.

I would be unhappy with this nursery if I were you. Not because of missing a nap that day (though I may be biased because my boy was VERY unwilling to nap at nursery at that age), but because:

1. They weren't listening to what you told them about her routine
2. What they told you about her day didn't match up to the diary (i.e. either the keyworker or the diary is lying)
3. you and your dd don't like her key worker
4. she doesn't seem happy there

There are some clear warning signs here to me.

trust your instinct move her theres plenty of choice out there.

Ok i also think you should speak to them ...well the manager there. You say your not overly keen on your dd's key worker - She could sense this so it might be that is why you get the impression she doesnt like her.

I would definatly be questioning her reaction to the cot room that is not right and i have been in a nursery where they did leave them cry for a little while!

Food-even though she eats well at home and when she is hungry she eats she MAY not eat in nursery if she is unsettled ,tired etc.

A baby unit CAN follow a babies routine ...ours do and we have up to 24 a day between 6 months and 18 months so there is no excuse for not following a babies individual routine!

Trust your mummy instinct and if after questioning your not happy just move her. Hope this helps.

Hi, I agree with a previous poster and aside from anything else, the fact that you do not really like her key worker ring alarm bells for me. You have to be totally confident leaving your child and you do have to trust your instincts to a certain extent. I agree that there is a balance between the needs of a child and the needs of a group, however it does take a bit of time for a child to settle in and the nursery should try to follow your routine, particularly if you told them she'd been up since 5am. I have four children, and have only once had a "bad instinct" feeling about a member of staff, who was promptly fired about two weeks after my dd started in her room (I made a small complaint about something, as did other parents on unrelated matters), at least it proved that the nursery was serious about employing good staff !!

I would give it another couple of weeks and see, although as I said, I'd be more worried about the member of staff than her general tiredness/grumpiness, that is quite common, particularly if she's done a full day.