sleeping at nursery

[flourybaps]

I have to find a nursery for my 18 month old dd. Until now my mum has looked after her 2 days a week but I need to increase my hours.

It seems to be the norm that toddlers are put onto matresses on the floor to sleep. How did your children cope with this? Did nursery disrupt their sleep patterns?

I put dd down to slepp in her cot awake and she usually plays for 10-15 mins and then goes to sleep I just cant imagine her lying down on the floor and going to sleep and if she has no sl,eep in the day she is a nightmare, oh dear I feel so stressed about this.

What do you all do about sleeping at nursery?

They are very good at getting children to go to sleep. Don't worry about it!

My dd started nursery a year ago aged 1 and it has never interrupted her sleep pattern at night time.

At the nursert my ds' went to they had little camp beds along the corridoor. I often marvelled at how they got 5 or 6 2 yrolds asleep in this way,at the same time, but they do! Ds2 ( 2.3) sleeps perfectly well in the camp bed in nursery but is most definitely in a cot at home!! Dont worry, it will be fine.

My DS had never gone to sleep for me or DH without intervention (car, pushchair, BF) - and still won't for naps - but when he went to nursery at around 15mo they managed it, despite him hating cots.

He did so much stuff that he wore himself out. Apparently he often started flagging at the dinner table then someone would give him a cuddle for 5 mins while he dropped off and he'd get put on a mattress or in a pushchair.

Very quickly they learn to do what all the other children do - peer pressure is an amazing thing! Most children don't sleep as long or well at nursery as they do at home though.

thanks for all the replies, Im just stressing out now this is a reality! My mum is great and we do things the same way so I just cant imagine dd quietly lying down and going to sleep!

Im indeed hoping peer pressure works.... I may just do the lottery on saturday night though so I dont have to increase my hours .

I have got a couple to look at next week before I make my mind up, then the dreaded settling in sessions!

Ill probably be more upset than dd!

I am was a nursery nurse. At the nursery I worked at the under 2's went in cots for their naps and the toddlers went on cot mattress' on the floor. We would sit with them and pat their backs, stroke faces etc until they dozed off. There would generally be 7 or 8 little ones sleeping and it worked well - it was also really lovely to see.

sounds lovely mowcop, I can just imagine that scene with my dd jumping up and down and waking everyone up, eek!

LOL at this, but yes my dd was one of the stubborn, non sleepers who gave uop naps early. She used to be taken into the older toddlers room to let the others sleep ha ha. But I was impressed with how many naps they got out of her - more than me.

Her nursery have cots for the babies in asepearte room but all the others have sleep mats on the floor with tiny fitted sheets that get washed each day. The do look very cute, all layign there drooling and snoring.

I couldn't believe it when I collected my DD (PFB 21 mos, very reluctant sleeper) from her first day in the toddler room at nursery, to be told she'd slept for an hour. On a mat. with other kids around her. Nursery staff can work miracles, and kids quickly learn to do what the other kids do. This was a major concern of mine (the sleeping on mats thing) so totally understand, OP, but please don't worry. Your DD will be absolutely fine.

I happened to be viewing the webcam at DS's last nursery as they started nap time one day and it was amazing to see.

I imagine that peer pressure has a large part to play, the little darlings just lay down on their mats and dropped off. DS just copied everyone else and went to sleep without any of the performing I usually got at home.

The nursery staff are great at getting them down (and hey, if I worked in a room full of toddlers all day I would be motivated to get them to sleep too!).

I couldn't believe it either, ds never slept at home and wasn't that good at cms either but when he went to nursery at same age just clicked straight away.
Now a year later he stilll sleeps there (it is so cute them all lying in rows in the peaceful quiet!) but wont' go to bed in the day at home - only sleeps if in pushchair!
It is a very strong routine and maybe they're more tired from all the activite in the morning.

thans all, good to hear more sleeping stories! Found a nursery i really lied and we have got first settling in session on thursday! No sleeping that day though just an hour of playing with me in the room, Im so nervous I hope she likes it! Feels like a big step for both of us.

Hi flourybaps, she will love it! My DD is having her settling in sessions this week too.

She cried when I left on both days but she didn't want to leave when I collected her yesterday and she was absolutely shattered when I got her today after two hours there.

So bear that in mind maybe, that it will tire her out quite a lot. Good luck and IMO don't drag out the goodbye process, just look cheery and go.

They pick up on so much and exploit our weaknesses all the time, clever monkeys that they are.