Does anyone ever use a creche for a small baby ?

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Hi everyone - my DS is 3 1/2 months old and I'd like to start using the creche at the gym, partly because he literally spends every waking moment with me and as he has to start nursery at 10 months I want him to at least get used to the idea of not being with me for an hour or so a couple of times a week before he starts to feel too much separation anxiety.

But I'm really concerned about the best time in his day's schedule to take him and how creches's deal with the needs of a small baby. For example if I take him at 8.30 (it takes my 20 mins to walk to the gym) he'll be happy but by 9.15 he'll be starting to get cranky for him 9.30 nap. If I take him and settle him for his 9.30 nap at the nursery, he can be quite demanding between waking up at 10 and his next feed at 10.30 (when I would pick him up). This is repeated throughout the day..he's not a difficult baby but I can't seem to fit in a complete hour in the day between feeds, naps and the 20 min walk to the gym when he'll be happy and open to the stimulation.

Its known to be a good creche locally but with 1 staff member to 3 babies I can't see how they cope with small babies...can anyone give me the benefit of their experience ?

Go to the creche and ask them? Ask what their policy is on naps, fedding etc, and to explian the adult child ratio to you. A good childcare facility doesn't mind being asked questions. Ask also if you can leave him for a shorter space of time say, 1/2 hour for a couple of visits, just to see how it works out

Thanks Satire - should have mentioned I have an appointment tomorrow, just wanted to know other peoples experience so I can address pitfalls without seeming too neurotic!!

I don't know if taking him in the creche at 3 1/2 months will help with separation anxiety later, as sep. anxiety only kicks in around 8-9 months old. However, you need that hour or so at the gym and this is a "good enough" reason, don't feel you need to justify it. Good luck with the practicalities. Does he only sleep in 30 minute stretches? You could arrive earlier, settle him to sleep and leave him at the creche once asleep.

I meant separation anxiety as in textbook definition. Of course he'll be missing you already at this age.

Can you not time your walk to the gym with him having his 9.30am nap in the buggy? Or ditto if he has a later afternoon nap?

I admire you there is no way I would have had the energy to get to a gym with 3 1/2 month old ds!!!

Oh oops am I being thick, are you BF him? In which case that wouldn't work!

How about wake him from his nap at 10, take him to the creche, fresh air will get rid of the crankiness, feed him there, then into the gym, and collect at 11.30ish ready to go home for lunch?

go for it! I think doing this with my two helped a lot when I went back to work. One never had separation anxiety at all, and the other only went through a brief phase at 18 months when I altered her arrangements to match with dd1 starting school (dd1 never looked back on the other hand!). Only once dd2 cried for a while and they called me back over the intercom but I think she was coming down with something.

I would take him in the morning, preferably when awake for some of it, and not worry too much about him for such a short space of time-most creche staff are there because they like babies a lot and will be able to distract or calm him if needed, maybe not exactly how you would do it, but it still works. Mine had a settling in period, they shouldn't be bothered about you staying at first and gradually slipping away for longer each time.

Thanks for the replies, he does take a long nap in the middle of the day but defeats the object of trying to get him used to me not being there always (my family live away, partner travels alot and friends all work!). Do you think I should forget about this and just make life easy for myself and work out when he's asleep later ?

(problem with suggestion of letting him nap on the way to the gym is that by the time we're there he'll want a feed within 45 mins of waking up which doesn't give me time to change, workout etc.)

There's nothing to admire in me going to the gym..only going because I currently weigh more than I did 3 weeks after he was born..not even I would shame myself by eating cakes whilst working out so there's 45 mins when I can't be eating!!

A local gym here did post-natal courses twice a week and we could take the babies in the room and attend to them if needed etc. Amazing how they slept through some very loud and upbeat music.

Hi..I started to take my dd at about that age. I wouldn't worry too much about the logistics, more important that you get a little time to yourself, even if only 40 mins or so. Sometimes I would wheel her there (she never fell asleep in pram), feed her (took 25 mins!) and then I would manage some time to myself in gym and or shower. If she got too upset they tannoy you to come and get her, which happened several times. You can try to resettle her or take her home...I could usually tell what mood she was in. They have a quieter area for babies with bouncer chairs, and if you want your baby to sleep, they tend to rock them to sleep, not something I ever do, but needs must. My top tip would be to get them to face her into the wall ie away from all the distraction of the other children if you want them to get her to sleep!!