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Baby started nursery and it's hell! Any tips?!

3 replies

Frazzled37 · 15/09/2022 10:21

My 10.5 month old has had 2 weeks of settling at nursery so far, and has got progressively worse at sleeping, and is so tired. I did expect this, but not until he was doing longer stretches there. He has only managed 3.5 hours max there as he will not nap there, gets tired and upset, and I have to get him. Obviously when I start work in 1.5 weeks I can't get him.

He was doing 2 x 1-1.5 hour naps and sleeping through from 7.30pm until anywhere between 6.15-7am. Now he is difficult to get to nap (impossible if he's just got back from nursery) and is waking throughout the night, and up at 5/5.30am.

I know it's overtiredness and probably separation anxiety too, but is there anything I can do to help? He is a very routine baby, and incredibly sensitive to becoming oversimulated and overtired - to the point if you're even 5 minutes late getting him down for a nap it's game over. Nursery try to follow his schedule, and his nap routine, but it's brighter and louder there, so he won't settle. I've given him earlier nights, but he still wakes a lot, and up early, so isn't catching up.

Do I just ride it out? And how should I tackle night wakes? I currently nurse him as he won't calm, but I don't want to get back on that slippery slope. He was 'sleep trained' with ferber, but this doesn't work when he's overtired.

If he finishes nursery at 4.30pm and hasn't napped, do I try a cat nap or really early bed?

Will he eventually nap there, and at home after nursery (currently he's too wired)? He's always been a nap at home baby, will not nap in the pram, car, or eleswhere, so I'm worried.

Apologies for rambling post, but so far it's been hell, with my happy boy a screaming mess, and we're all exhausted! And it'll only get worse when I'm working too 😭

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Locomelon · 15/09/2022 10:26

Poor you, and him, it's so hard settling babies into a new setting! He will get there, and if the nursery has a set nap time for the babies, he will eventually get used to that and fall into their routine. Once he's comfortable there, he will relax enough to nap. You'd be surprised how they can adapt once they realise this is the routine on those days. It just takes a while.
If he hasn't napped, I'd personally do an early bedtime (5.30/6pm) rather than a late cat nap.
I'm a childminder and look after a little one who is a nap at home or car baby, but she naps beautifully for me in the pram. They do adapt and realise what is expected of them in different settings. I had her from 11 months and it took approx 6 weeks for her to settle properly. So hang in there, it will get better. And if it doesn't after 6-8 weeks, you may need to try and understand further what may be troubling him.
Good luck!

Frazzled37 · 15/09/2022 16:06

@Locomelon thank you for your response. I just feel so awful him having not enough sleep for weeks on end. He is currently a different baby to the one I'm used to! It also took months for him to finally settle in a good routine, and apart from the odd night when he's had a short nap that day, he has slept through for a couple of months...and now it's all gone to pot!

I did think it may take him a couple of months to settle so I'll just hope for the best for now. He's not the most adaptable of babies to be honest, and is so active he doesn't switch off unless he has very strong nap cues and his cot, he'll just keep going until he breaks down otherwise! I was really hoping he'd catch up on sleep the days he's home, but his naps have gone crap on those days too now! I'm in the perpetual loop of overtiredness. 🙄

I'll try as early as 6pm for bed tonight then and see how that goes! 🤞

OP posts:
SunshineClouds1 · 15/09/2022 16:43

It's a big change for him. He just needs time to settle.
The naps will honestly get better he's just abit to pot.
I agree with earlier bedtimes and try and catch up on days he's off

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