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12 m o breastfed to sleep, not napping at nursery

6 replies

WolfMother326 · 26/08/2022 13:11

My baby started at nursery last week. He's loving it and has settled in well in that he plays and has fun and eats well, but he has not been napping at all there so far. He's always either been fed to sleep or had carrier or buggy naps, but he's not a big daytime sleeper. Even with me he often only sleeps 2 x 30 minute naps. At night he sleeps 12 hours with one or two wake ups for feeds that don't last long.

At nursery he hasn't had any naps yet, having spent 4 half days over past two weeks. Today is our first full day because I'm back to work 3 days a week now and I'm very anxious that they won't be able to get him to settle. He takes a bottle of formula but has been refusing it there. I usually lay down with him at home and they do have a dark quiet room and I think they will be trying to lay him down on a mat on the floor to sooth him (we sleep on a floor bed which works great). They've tried him in the carrier and buggy and he refused to sleep - maybe just too overstimulated? It's a lovely nursery on a farm and he loves his key worker so far.

Anyway, I guess I'm looking for reassurance that he'll be ok and figure it out eventually... (Please no sleep training advice that involves leaving him to cry).

So many people have told me that nurseries are magic and they will just figure it out eventually but this hasn't been the case yet. We're leaving him longer today in the hope that the sleep pressure will build up and he'll have a rest there.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Beamur · 26/08/2022 13:15

Don't worry. He'll figure something out.
My DD didn't like napping at nursery either!

Birdybirdbirdy · 26/08/2022 16:59

My LO was never a great sleeper at nursery. They really tried and he did sleep eventually, but never as well as he did at home and it did impact on his night time sleep for a while. It was ok in the end though! He just sort of adjusted to having less sleep after after a while.

Yabbadubba · 26/08/2022 21:42

It’s only been a week. He’ll get there. It’s a new environment - he’ll learn he needs ti sleep there eventually. They behave differently at nursery - it’s like they know they can’t play up to the nursery team, and they want to copy everyone (even at 12 months I believe they do this!) mine is now 18 months and only eats properly at nursery. He plays up at meal times with me. You also hear about kids who refuse to nap at home but walk up the beds and lay down at nursery!

Rounddog · 26/08/2022 21:45

It will be grand. They will figure something out. They have plenty of experience. DS never really got into daytime milk. He reverse cycled and fed through the night instead.

GoAround · 26/08/2022 21:51

Forget the formula because there’s no need for it. The advice is cows milk from a sippy cup after 1, obviously lots of people keep with formula and bottles for a bit longer if it’s part of a well established sleep routine but if that’s not you then there’s no point to it.

He will also figure out the sleep or he’ll adjust to not napping. My first struggled initially as she was used to dark and a cot whereas there it was rainforest sounds and a floor mat. But she got there in a week after attending FT and from then slept 2 hours. The nursery you’ve chosen sounds lovely and he will be fine!

WolfMother326 · 27/08/2022 10:59

Thanks everyone. Your replies help. He slept yesterday at nursery for 40 min in a carrier/on his key worker. Very kind of them to do this as they look after more than one baby. He was a bit of a wreck when he got home at 4 as he usually has two naps in the day. I gave him a short late nap and then bedtime was a bit rough but not terrible. Hoping this is a good start and he adjusts to sleeping there over the next few weeks and can either have two naps or one longer sleep.

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