Starting Nursery

firsttimemom2024 · 2025-01-26T07:54:16+00:00

My little one is starting nursery full time in a couple of weeks and I have serious mom guilt! She will be 10 months old when she starts and is currently going through quite bad separation anxiety from me. I’ve been trying little things to get her ready (moved onto formula feeding as well as breastfeeding, napping in cot as used to co sleeping). Is there anything that really helped your little ones in the first few weeks, as I know it’s going to be really difficult for us both?

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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FrannyScraps · 26/01/2025 08:06

Introduce a comforter if she doesn't have one. A small soft toy or a muslin or similar. Put it in your bed for a few nights before giving it to her. Especially if she doesn't have a dummy.

I'm a childminder and it's always helpful to have a home item when trying to soothe a new baby.

blackbadger · 26/01/2025 08:23

Echoing a PP with a comforter - this was the biggest thing that helped my little girl. She went full time, long days at 12 months of old and she absolutely loves it. She runs in in the morning and is in such a good mood at the end of the day.
For the first few weeks, where possible her Dad dropped her off as that helped with handover

Original poster

firsttimemom2024 · 26/01/2025 08:33

FrannyScraps · 26/01/2025 08:06

Introduce a comforter if she doesn't have one. A small soft toy or a muslin or similar. Put it in your bed for a few nights before giving it to her. Especially if she doesn't have a dummy.

I'm a childminder and it's always helpful to have a home item when trying to soothe a new baby.

Thank you will definitely do this ☺️

OP posts:

Original poster

firsttimemom2024 · 26/01/2025 08:35

blackbadger · 26/01/2025 08:23

Echoing a PP with a comforter - this was the biggest thing that helped my little girl. She went full time, long days at 12 months of old and she absolutely loves it. She runs in in the morning and is in such a good mood at the end of the day.
For the first few weeks, where possible her Dad dropped her off as that helped with handover

Amazing thank you and that fills me with hope! I also didn’t think about Dad doing drop off but I think this will definitely help her as she settles better in her cot when he settles her to bed ☺️

OP posts:

AllTheNaps · 26/01/2025 11:12

My 3rd DC is due to start nursery next week. They have all started at 8/9/10 months. The mum guilt never gets easier I'm afraid. The comforter is a good idea. I've had varying degrees of success with them, my first wasn't too bothered, the middle one is more into it now at nursery now they're 2.5 and the youngest is really into hers but a familiar
Dad doing drop off is an excellent idea too!

In terms of prepping her with cot naps. I wouldn't fret too much. Nursery workers are like wizards. My first wouldn't nap anywhere but moving in the pram and we'd have to walk miles and couldn't stop 🫠 she napped at nursery fine

AllTheNaps · 26/01/2025 11:14

I'm not sure why my phone autocorrected to 'familiar dad' 😂 obviously he's probably quite familiar to her

blackbadger · 26/01/2025 11:40

@firsttimemom2024 with the comforter wear it down your top to bed for a few nights and they'll take to it easier as it smells of you.
Also everyone warned me that the first 1-2months would be a really hard transition. Ours didn't take that long but it was horrible seeing baby only nap for 20-30mins in the day when she'd normally have at least an hour at home. So it took her a while to sleep in that environment

Original poster

firsttimemom2024 · 26/01/2025 13:31

AllTheNaps · 26/01/2025 11:12

My 3rd DC is due to start nursery next week. They have all started at 8/9/10 months. The mum guilt never gets easier I'm afraid. The comforter is a good idea. I've had varying degrees of success with them, my first wasn't too bothered, the middle one is more into it now at nursery now they're 2.5 and the youngest is really into hers but a familiar
Dad doing drop off is an excellent idea too!

In terms of prepping her with cot naps. I wouldn't fret too much. Nursery workers are like wizards. My first wouldn't nap anywhere but moving in the pram and we'd have to walk miles and couldn't stop 🫠 she napped at nursery fine

Thank you and good luck with your third starting nursery! I hope it’s a smooth transition for you both x

OP posts:

Frogs32 · 05/02/2025 00:06

Ah the mum guilt is awful! My little one started 3 weeks ago and honestly it's a tough transition but he is already making good progress, he has just turned 9months, no tears on drop off this week, he is also super attached to me but I'm finding he is coping with it better than I thought, the nursery staff should be good with giving extra attention to new starters, they have in our case, I found a proper handover of things that help at home was useful, like what games and nursery rhymes he likes as I tried the comforter but he has no interest in it. I have done the same as you, transitioned to formula only because I knew that it would be needed for nursery and me going back to work, and I'm so glad I kept up some breastfeeding as it helps him in the evening, I bf before nursery and once after pick up. Have you planned your reintroduction to work? I used some annual leave to do a gentle transition back into work, I start back next week and doing shorter weeks to begin with and I think that's helped me to adjust to not being with my baby 24/7, might not be an option but would recommend it if possible. Good luck, I'm sure you will both be fine but allow yourself to be emotional about it all, plan something nice for yourself and also nice things you can do with your little one to look forward to, for me even just planning in my head what activity we will do in the evening has helped.