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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

Sleep time

10 replies

riab · 16/10/2006 20:06

I am considering p/t nursery for my 18mo, he adores the company of other children and enjoys every visit to nurseries we've gone on. No worries about any of that but I do have one big concern, he still has a 11/2-2hr nap after lunch. He has to have this otherwise he gets incredibly upset and tired and can hurt himself as he gets really clumsy and miserable. Every nursery I have visited does do naps but they only do a lie down in the room all together on a sleepmat, he is used to his nap in his cot at home and he can't drop off if there are other thigns going on.
I just can't see how he would manage to fall asleep with all the toys around and other children, possibly talking a bit etc. Plus he gets a drink of milk from his bottle before naptime and a quick cuddle - it only takes me 15 minutes but I doubt the nursery staff will have time to do this.

How well do your kids sleep at nursery? what did you do to help them make that transition?

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Bozza · 16/10/2006 20:13

Well I am not sure I can be that much help because both of my children have gone to nursery from being babies. They were in the baby room until 12 months where they slept as and when in cots - but in a room full of other babies and activities. Then at 12 months they moved into the toddler room and went to one nap (which they were really a little bit young for). All the children nap after an early lunch on large floor cushions. Both DS and DD between the age of 1 and 2 would regularly (3 days a week) have 1.5-2 hours in this way. At home I have never been able to get them to nap other than in either a quiet bedroom or the car. Although naptime routine for us is only a trip to the loo and a quick story. Is there no way you could cut out the bottle?

Even now at 2.5 DD will have above an hour at nursery. At home she either has nothing (if I can't fit it in due to various activities) but we can really tell by early evening on those days or 2 hours.

Original poster

riab · 16/10/2006 20:21

I can cut out the bottle but he does seem to need the quiet, he is very curious and if he thinks there is something else going on he won't go to sleep. If I stay in his room he just stands up in his cot and chats at me!
Maybe I just have to resign myself that f/t childcare isn't going to work until he is older.

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CheesyFeetcomingtoGETyou · 16/10/2006 20:40

Like Bozza my dd has been at nursery since she was a baby - but I have now found that she sleeps much better at nursery and it is at home that she sometimes refuses. I think because they all sleep together, she drops off because there is no stimulation. At dd's nursery they had cots in a separate sleep room until they were two. Now she is 2.3 she sleeps on a sleep mat on the floor.

Have you tried talking to the nursery about it? Or perhaps you could send him just mornings so that he can sleep at home.

Bozza · 16/10/2006 21:43

riab I know that it is usual to be concerned/anxious when organising childcare but I think you are underestimating the power of peer pressure at that age.

DD would not just lie on the settee at home and go to sleep, yet at nursery she happily lies down on a little camp bed with the others and has a nap.

hauntymandy · 16/10/2006 21:45

he will get used to it!!
he will go down after lunch and the lights will be off and the room darkened.

NannyStar · 17/10/2006 13:04

I used to work at a nursery and even the children who refuse a sleep at home, 9 times out of 10 will sleep in nursery. All the children are asked to be quiet and the floor beds/cots are placed at least a foot away from each other and each child is placed head-to-foot to the one next to them to prevent talking and contracting colds etc. The curtains are drawn, children who don't sleep are either taken to another room or given quiet activities to do such as drawing and lights are turned off. Before sleep there is a wind-down process too such as a story. I'm sure the nursery will do their very best to accommodate your sons needs and get him in to a sleep routine in no time at all.

smeeinit · 17/10/2006 19:09

riab, if you are really troubled about this have you thought of using a childminder?

Original poster

riab · 18/10/2006 13:24

I quite want him to go to nursery as I think he'll really enjoy it. I guess I'm concerned as he sleeps so well at home I don't want to mess that up for him.

the downside to a childminder is that I cna't find one who is prepared to handle his sleep times!

OP posts:

merlotmama · 19/10/2006 21:22

Another thing to consider is the amount of stimulation they get at nursery. If they've had a busy morning a lie down in the quiet can be very welcome. Plus there's the group dynamic. It everyone is doing it....

Most children do naps better at nursery than at home. I wouldn't let this stop you. If you're keen for him to go to nursery, go for it.

SANA · 20/10/2006 13:13

it shouldnt be a problem, my DS started nursey at 11mths in the older room, before that he only slept in his cot or pram ( if we were out) & it took him about 3 weeks before he was sleeping well at the nursery. He sleeps on the floor on mats with other children & even at 19mths he has to have milk when he gest up, which the nursery have o problem doing

try it out, it wont be as bad as u think

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