Really anxious about baby starting nursery

[Babydreaming]

My baby has never been an ‘easy baby’. He had colic, reflux, health problems and feeding issues with weaning. He’s now 14 months and I feel like we’ve finally got a good routine going and he’s happy.

Im going back to work in a month so he’s starting to do settling in sessions with nurseries but I’m so nervous about it.

I’m mostly worried about sleep and feeding. He currently has 2 naps a day but it takes him 15-20 mins to fall asleep within his own cot with white noise and dark. Whenever we’ve been staying away it’s taken him ages to fall asleep or he just refuses completely. I’m worried nursery won’t be able to get him down to sleep and will just give up on naps..

My second worry is milk...he currently has about 500-600ml of formula daily but he will only take it in a calm environment from me. I give it before naps and bedtime. When my husband or anyone else tries to feed him he refuses! I’m worried he won’t drink at all at nursery! He’s not great with the sippy cup..takes less than 50ml per day of water! He has a problem with his kidney (he had the other one removed) so it’s really important he keeps hydrated!

Anyway...I guess I’m looking for reassurance? Anyone who had similar anxieties about nursery and things turned out okay?!

Babies are really good at adapting, and the nursery staff will have experience of all types of different children with different needs. I found with mine his napping did change to what all the other children were doing but it worked. He will have an assigned key worker who he will grow to love and feel comfortable with. They will give him lots of cuddles if needed and will find ways to comfort him. Our key worker would stroke my sons eyebrows to send him off to sleep. Make sure you ask for lots of feedback at the end of the day. We were told how much he had to drink and eaten for example. They also won’t mind you ringing lots to check on him. It is nerve wracking and will be tough for you both for a little while but you will soon fit into your new routine. Good luck.

The nursery will be experienced at dealing with this. Ask them how they manage.

In most cases in such a new or different environment DC do accept completely new "rules" and get on with it!!

He may end up just having one much longer nap after lunch which is fairly common at that age. If that does happen I'd transition to that at home too.

Nursery nerves completely normal too

My daughter had never been left with anyone other than DH and for shortish periods of time before starting nursery. My daughter needed 20 settling in sessions and still in managed half days. She was always held to sleep and or continually pushed in pushchair. For the first couple of naps they pushed her in her pushchair until she fell asleep and they put her in the cot and sat with her stoking her face until she fell asleep. After a couple of months they just put her in her cot and she goes to sleep! At home we have to holding her bed for at least 30 minutes still.