Stupid nursery questions

[whoneedswings]

Viewing a nursery tomorrow and I'm really nervous (just the thought that in a couple of months I won't be with my baby all the time!) I've got lots of stupid questions I want to ask but would feel embarrassed asking the nursery, so was hoping someone could help me out?! (The nursery is well recommend in our area btw and has a good rating etc, so that's all covered.)

I was more interested generally how they manage it when the child is too young to move themselves around. Do they have someone with them all the time, or do they just get left in one place? Do younger ones get left with older ones? (In playgroups etc we've come very close to toddlers accidentally sitting on my child/ whacking them over the head with a toy etc.) If I'm still doing a few feeds will they give expressed milk in a soppy cup? Will they cuddle my child if he needs it? Will he get scared/ lonely?

Ah I'm just getting myself more wound up writing this! Need to be calm, collected and professional tomorrow breathes

When I went back to work I chose a nursery that had cameras. It helped me relax, being able to see him. Generally they would only have up to 1 yr olds in the baby room, but do ask them.

They would pick up the babies and crawlers, take them for walks round the room and in to the garden etc. Sit them all in a circle for lunch (on high chairs) and with each other for singing etc. The don't plonk a baby down and leave them there all day! They have planned activities throughout the day and will give you feedback on how they are getting on plus track development.

They defo supported using expressed milk and would be super careful about only warming it up when baby was ready.

Questions I would ask now would be about training of staff, ratios of qualified staff to those training. What % are kept on after training (cheap labour) is complete? How do they invest in their staff basically? Your child will bond with them and if there is high turnover it can be unsettling.

Hope it all goes well for you both.

I've never used a nursery for a baby but just to reassure you on the cuddles, I picked my 2 year old dd up today and she was fast asleep on one of the nursery worker's knee having a lovely big cuddle.

Generally there'll be a mix of rooms depending on the age of the child. Expressed milk will be no problem and they'll never leave a little one just sat there. We went for a very small nursery which does lots of cuddles and my DD is very happy there. If she cries they quickly pick her up, give her a cuddle and distract her with a favourite toy or book. Throughout the day they'll do activities geared to the little ones ages.

I would recommend visiting a few. They are all quite different and confirmed to me that I wanted a smaller personal nursery.

I was so nervous and dreaded leaving her. So ask as many questions and visit as many times as you like to get comfortable. You'll do settling In sessions too some with you there, so they'll get to know your little ones routines and likes and dislikes too.

Thanks for reassuring me! So scary handing my little boy over! This one is my only option really, basically I live very rural so not loads round here and from chatting to mums at breast feeding group the other 2 I was looking at don't have great reputations. This one has an outstanding offsted mark and other mums recommending it.

Thanks for giving me questions to ask. And so pleased they will pick him up and give him cuddles! Yes I will ask about staff turnover, I can see it could be upsetting if he bonds with someone and they leave. Ok I'm going to go write a list. And if I don't like the feel of it I'll widen my search, but hopefully this is the one!

Mine are older now, but both loved nursery (they started at 6 months, so babies).

Ours moved them into a toddler room when they were walking, so the baby room was usually peaceful. I used to pick up at lunch time, and some babies would be having a cuddle, others would be in the separate sleep room, and some would be playing on play gyms, sitting in front of the mirrors, chatting to themselves etc.

I remember one little boy was very clingy (basically was until he started school). His keyworker just carried him with her, same as you would do with your own.

You'll get a feel when you see it, but we found it a positive and happy part of our lives.

I have worked in nurserys for 20 years and if you find a good one, then no question will be silly. i have always given lots of cuddles especially with the babies

Never mind about them moving. Worry more about the inevitable lurgies.... but mine love
When they are settling in just remember to drop and walk (regardless if they cry). They will have stopped by time you are at door but by then you will need tissues.
It took one of mine a day to settle. The other a bit longer but they have settled well and at least you won't have to do messy play at home

Thanks everyone you're making me feel a lot better! (Oh and it's an outdoor Scandi style nursery so hopefully less lurgy!)

There will always be lurgy.

And when they bring home a cake they baked, don't eat it. 12 kids have had their hands in that bowel, and I won't say out loud what else goes in via those hands! Just don't do it!

Haha thanks for that top tip!!

Yes I also have struggled with the cakes lol ....

Oh yes, the cakes! And "decorated" biscuits. And endless paintings. Even the babies - they sit the little ones in high chairs, give them a pot of paint and a huge piece of paper and let them loose. Your kitchen walls will never be the same again.

My DD was a bottle refuser at first, she was 6 months when she started at nursery and breastfed, she didn't start commando crawling until nearer 7 months. I used to breasteed her just before I left and when I got there to pick her up if she refused milk, they had a breastfeeding room as well as a nursing chair in the baby room. They had plenty of things in the room to help prop them up, I used to see them sometimes walking around with two babies on each arm giving cuddles. They also had jumperoos, bouncer chairs and things like that to put them in, and used to do Rhymetime style activities and lots of sensory play, its amazing how they can fill up a babies day :) Hope that helps to reassure, When does your DS need to start? I put my DD in for 1 day a week before I returned to work to get me used to it, that way if I wanted to pick her up early I could, I then increased it to two days a week and by the time I went back to work she was on 3 days a week and it felt like less of a leap.

My DD was a bottle refuser at first, she was 6 months when she started at nursery and breastfed, she didn't start commando crawling until nearer 7 months. I used to breasteed her just before I left and when I got there to pick her up if she refused milk, they had a breastfeeding room as well as a nursing chair in the baby room. They had plenty of things in the room to help prop them up, I used to see them sometimes walking around with two babies on each arm giving cuddles. They also had jumperoos, bouncer chairs and things like that to put them in, and used to do Rhymetime style activities and lots of sensory play, its amazing how they can fill up a babies day :) Hope that helps to reassure, When does your DS need to start? I put my DD in for 1 day a week before I returned to work to get me used to it, that way if I wanted to pick her up early I could, I then increased it to two days a week and by the time I went back to work she was on 3 days a week and it felt like less of a leap.

Can I suggest you go and look at least one of the ones you are righting off...Everyone has there own opinion..The nursery I took my DS too I knew as I walked round it was the right place for him..Another great reputation , good ofsted, did not feel right for my Ds..Can I also suggest you look at childminder as well if any local...

It will either confirm your choice or give you a curve ball..Ask all the questions you need.

My DS has just started at nursery this week, he is 10 months old. The baby room goes up to 16 months at his nursery and there is a mixture of non-movers, crawlers, cruisers and walkers - all are catered for well. DS has been having loads of cuddles with his key worker - I was concerned that he wouldn't nap at nursery because I have to cuddle him to sleep at home but they said that it wasn't a problem at all for them to do the same.

The ratio for babies is 1:3 and I was concerned before he started at how they can really give attention to each baby when they've got 3 to look after but the reality is every time I've been in, it's fine. They don't sleep at the same time at this age so although DS's key worker might have 3 babies to look after it's often only 2 as one is sleeping and they usually have a floating member of staff in the baby room as well to provide an extra pair of hands.

I was so scared about putting DS in nursery but so far it's gone swimmingly.