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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

Positive nursery stories please!

28 replies

SydneyB · 18/04/2007 19:46

DD will be 7 months once she starts nursery 3 days a week in July when I have to go back to work. The nursery is very new and overseen by someone I absolutely trust. I've been for a couple of visits and like all the staff I've met. They have a dark separate sleep room and DD would have her own cot there. So, all good. BUT as everyone is, I am dreading leaving her and keep hearing people say that she's too young to be in nursery. I'd love to hear from other MNetters with LOs in nursery at this age.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

JoanCrawford · 18/04/2007 19:57

Bump! Sorry, can't help, hope someone else will though

Pruni · 18/04/2007 20:02

Message withdrawn

Twinklemegan · 18/04/2007 20:06

My DS goes just one day a week at the moment but he loves it. He's 8.5 months and has been going since he was 7 months. Your DD will be absolutely fine.

Oblomov · 18/04/2007 20:08

Ds was in nursery 2 days a week to start with. Now(3) 3 days per week. Our sounds very similar to yours. I am basically very happy. Ds appears to be too. Thus, it is good enough.

lullamay · 18/04/2007 20:08

Hi, my DS started nursery at 6 months. It is really hard in the beginning. I used to get my DH to drop him off because i hated the whole thought of it. My DS however was absolutely fine. It was me who had the problem. He is now nearly & still adores nursery.

Just wanted to say that the idea of it is much worse than the reality of it.

At that age they settle so much more easily too.

Jaba · 18/04/2007 20:09

My DS is nearly 9 mnts and has done 2 days a week since he was just over 5 months,I was really worried at first but hes settled in fine and I trust the nursery with him completly

Hulababy · 18/04/2007 20:11

DD was at nursery from 5 months, till starting school aged 4.5y. She thrived and loved it at nursery. She went two days a week, upped to a third session in the last year at her request. She took no settling at all, even when we moved her nurseries, at age 2y, due to my work changes. Again, no problems. Best decision we made!

Ceebee74 · 18/04/2007 20:13

My DS goes 3 days a week and has done since he was 6.5 months (he is now 9 months) and he loves it. He settled really easily and has huge smiles for all the staff when he gets there (and then huge smiles for me when I pick him up which is just the nicest feeling in the world)

He does things there which I would never think to do with him (painting, making cards etc)

And it sounds like the one you are going to has a really good set up so it will be fine

Ignore those people who say she is too young - rubbish - my Ds has come on leaps and bounds since he went and my friend who has a similar aged DS, who is being cared for by her DH/family, looks enviously at my DS because he is learning social skills etc

REIDmylips · 18/04/2007 20:15

my ds started nursery at 6.5 months! (he is now 8 months) he does 3 full days.

he was fine when i dropped him off and picked himup. The nursery nurses said he was a little teary when other babies cried for the first few days (he hadnt been around babies before and there are 4 or 5 others in the baby room )

however i noticed the difference after a week! he is now a different baby (in a very good way!!!) he is more sociable, with adults and children. He has certainly found his voice, loves coooing and singing. He always has a massive smile forme when i pick him up (which i look forward to all the way there!)

Sorry it was such a long story, but i wanted to reassure you. Lully is right, the thought of it is much worse than the reality, and imo they are more likelu to settle at an earlier age (which my ds did)

hth xxx good luck xxx

mumtoone · 18/04/2007 21:10

Its often easier for both parent and child if they start nursery when they are younger as they settle before they get seperation anxiety. My ds started at 5.5 months and he's been fine. He is now 3.5 years and he loves it. He seems to have got a lot out of going to nursery which should leave him well prepared for school.

Original poster

SydneyB · 18/04/2007 21:13

Oh thanks so much for these posts! I think in my heart of hearts I know she'll be ok but is so good to hear other positive stories. Interesting to hear your experience Reid - DD screams when anyone else picks her up and is not too good when I meet up with other baby friends but in the long term, she (and me!) need to get over that. I had heard that it was easier for them to settle at 6/7 months than 9/10 as they don't get that separation anxiety thing so perhaps a good thing that DH tells me there is no more money in the pot for a couple more months off work! How long an induction period did you all have? We'll be doing 2 weeks.

OP posts:

Pinchypants · 19/04/2007 15:02

Sydney, My DD is now 8 and a half months and started nursery five weeks ago, two days a week. She was a bit tearful the first time and didn't sleep, which worried me, but by the second time she was napping well, albeit shorter than at home. She refused the nursery food for the first couple of weeks (apart from custard, obviously!) so I chucked in a few things from home but she's now eating the nursery's food and has been introduced to lots of new things too.
I think she's thriving - she seems more grown-up every week as she is the youngest and is learning fast from the other older babies. She's always happy when I drop her off and pick her up, and is becoming more sociable and chatty every week. I miss her terribly when I'm working on her nursery days, but I know they love her and look after her beautifully and she gets loads of attention and top-quality care. Mind you, I should hope so for £56 a day (Surrey).
I found it hard to let go of the way I do things and issued lots of instructions at first (I was prob a nightmare neurotic mum!), but now I've realised that as long as she's happy, safe, eating and getting a bit of kip at some point, I don't have to worry and can concentrate on being a professional grown-up two days a week. A good nursery will give you lots of reassurance, give your DD lots of attention and support in settling in, and won't mind in the slightest if you want to call during the day to check how she is getting on. It'll be much harder for you than her.
Good luck!
Pinchy xx

CS1753 · 19/04/2007 15:08

Sydney - my ds started nursery full time when he was 4 months old. He has grown very attached to staff members over the last 3 and bit years he has been going and loves it. I always picked up a happy healthy child, any issues were dealt with professionally and quickly. In fact my son gets so bored with me on Bank Holday weekends he even asks when he can go to nursery to see his friends - not sure if that's him saying he loves nursery or that I'm just boring

Mumpbump · 19/04/2007 15:10

Ds went to nursery full time when he was 6 months old, but went two mornings a week from the age of 5 months. It took him the first month of morning sessions to settle in, admittedly, and it was awful for me, but he is so happy there now. Most of the time, he will toddle off to see his friends in the morning and he has way more toys and stimulation than I could ever provide him with plus having other children around. I still hate leaving him in the mornings (what mother wouldn't want to stay with their child on an emotional level), but I know he is very settled and happy there.

The one draw-back is that he only has one hour long nap at nursery whereas he will have two naps at home at the weekends. I suspect it is because of all the stimulation and him keeping himself awake...

bundle · 19/04/2007 15:28

perfect age to settle at nursery, imo, the closer you get to a year full-on separation anxiety sets in and she should be settled by then. remember, it'll be worse for you than her good luck, x

amidaiwish · 19/04/2007 16:07

mine went at 8 and 9 months respectively.
were absolutely fine
anyway you can pick her up early, say 4ish? Otherwise she may get very tired. I changed my hours to do this and it made a big difference to them.

My eldest is now 3.2, still at the same nursery. I am still extremely happy with it and totally happy with my decision. So are the other parents (we were all talking about it at a kid's party at the weekend). A good quality nursery (like yours sounds) is absolutely fantastic imo.

lemonaid · 19/04/2007 16:22

DS started at 8 months (now 2.3 years) and has been absolutely fine. He settled like a dream, although we've had a week or so's disruption each time he's moved rooms (they do it very gradually, but for some reason the first week that they are 100% in the new room they all seem to get a bit tearful). The only trouble is getting him to leave at the end of the day!

He loves the carers there and they seems really genuinely attached to him lots of kisses and cuddles. And now he's two there's a strong attachment between him and the other children he's moved up with. We were on holiday for a few days recently and his first day back he was surrounded by small children all trying to hug various bits of him while he took his coat off. He gets a lot of stimulation there's a big garden with proper play equipment and rabbits and chickens (we live in a flat with a small roof terrace), and they are all growing their own sunflowers, and they sing a whole host of songs (he loves singing) and do dancing and drama, and there are far more books than we have at home. And he learns table manners and consideration for others and tidying up after himself.

He did get lots of colds sniffles initially (this is something you have to expect with nursery) but now he's worked through that patch and is very resilient and hardly ever ill.

Marina · 19/04/2007 16:27

Dd started at nursery full time when she was five months old. The Baby Room there was excellent, full of affectionate, experienced nursery nurses who had all been there for some years, and spotlessly clean.
She is now nearly four and a sparky, affectionate, articulate little girl. Ds is also a nursery veteran although he did not attend until the age of 10 months.
SydneyB, your dd knows she is loved and you have taken good care in your selection of daycare. I have to say from my own experiences you will miss her very much at first, I found it so hard to leave them, but they will be fine in a good nursery.

Pamina · 19/04/2007 16:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cazzybabs · 19/04/2007 16:35

My 1st dd started when she was 3 months old. She was so happy at nursery. She was in full time till she left last year. She is now at school and is the happiest nicest so well behaved little girl and I am told quite bright. She loves going back to say hello - when we pick dd2 up.

DD2 when to the same nursery from 6 months. She also loves it and loves going to the nursery nurses for cuddles. She is a happy confident independent little girl.

all the horror stories about how full time nurseyr care is bad for children cannot take into account of (a) the high quality of some nurserys and (b) the love we give them at home. I am sure if you have a rubbish nursery where the staff do not interact and love the children this would not be good. But I am confident that the staff love and care for my children.

BikeBug · 19/04/2007 16:46

ds started nursery 3 days a week at 10 months - he's now 13 months and he loves it there. We had a few tears at first, but then we have a few tears if I leave the room he is in for any reason at all. I would keep him there for at least a day a week even if I didn't have to (money permitting of course!). The staff are lovely, and he is really fond of some of them - last week he toddled after one as she made her way to the bus stop to go home! If you have a good 'gut-feeling' about the nursery chances are you are right

Original poster

SydneyB · 19/04/2007 21:08

This is all very reassuring, thanks all! Going to try and enjoy last 2 months of mat leave without worrying TOO much..

OP posts:

olivo · 20/04/2007 19:29

sydney, my dd is 7 months and has just started nursery 5 days a week - she loves it and sometimes cries when i bring her out!! i too had been told by some people she was too young but she loves it there; they comment on how happy and smiley she is, she is really sociable so loves playing with the other babies and she is already blossoming there.

good luck and please dont let it spoil your time leeft at home with your dd.

plibble · 20/04/2007 19:35

My daughter has been at nursery 5 days a week since she was 7 months old and she loves it. She really likes being with the other children, especially the older ones during shared play time. They do amazing fun things that we couldn't do at home because they're too messy (playing with jelly etc). I had to get used to two things: bringing home the wrong clothes/losing the occasional bottle and her having a conatsnt runny nose, but am happy to let those things slide to have her somewhere where she is so happy. She has bonded quickly with her carers and they give her loads of cuddles. It's been great for us. The first week was hard but after that she started to get really excited whenever we went through the doors. I'm sure it will go fine for you.

auntyspan · 23/04/2007 20:23

My DD started nursery when she was 5 months old. Leaving her for the first time was the worst thing I have done ever - I would gladly go through labour many many times rather than go through that again! But believe me, it gets better and better.
My DD is now 14months and when we pull up outside she starts clapping and pointing at the windows. This actually depresses me as she clearly enjoys their company than mine!!
She started developing a lot quicker with the company of older babies too, and her little face when I pick her up is fantastic. Its the highlight of my day!
HTH xxx

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