Naps at nursery

[sjxoxo]

Baby boy is due to start nursery (crèche, we are in France) for 2 days a week from September. How do nurseries manage naps in the day? Currently he naps in the morning and again in afternoon but often if he is tired/grumpy he struggles to go off to sleep especially in the afternoons! Nursery say they adapt to his routine and of course they nap in cots as they need. But what do you think they’d do if baby cried and wouldn’t drift off for 5/10/15 mins? Surely it would disturb all the other bubbas and I wonder how they’d handle this. Interested to hear from anyone who works in a nursery and how you manage! I’m unsure what to expect.

Thanks x

Nurseries have nap magic. Don't sweat it!

He’ll just fall into their routine. I’d be very surprised if he still had two naps there at 2.

Sorry - you said two days not two years!

Yeah they really are magic there. I'm sure if he was kicking off they would just take him out, play with him a bit and try and again. First few days my daughter contact napped on staff as that was the only way she would fall asleep..she quickly got used to it and by second week was going down in cots awake and sending herself to sleep. Now she sleeps on a mattress on the floor with the bigger babies and sleeps through noise.
Maybe just ask them what their plan of action is?

Most two year olds and some three year olds nap at nursery! It’s not unusual at all.

They will probably all lie down together with staff with them. If he is restless or crying they will cuddle him or stroke his face/pat his back. They won’t just leave him/say he can’t nap if he cries. At first he may not nap as much as at home (same with food) because it’s a weird new place. But after a while he will fall off in his nursery cot just the same as home!

The magic is real! DD naps for 30 mins at home, first day at nursery last week, slept for 3 hours! I thought bedtime would be horrendous but actually she needed it.

How old is your little one? My son started at nursery in Jan. He was having two naps at the time but they said they couldn’t get him down for his 10am nap. They instead got him to do 12-2ish. He isn’t easy or get to sleep at all but they manage it every time. Think all the others drifting off together helps. ☺️

Oh thanks all for your replies! Sounds positive! Yes he will be going for 2 days a week, he’ll be 9 months by then. I’m nervous about sending him; I’ll still be off work but I had to send him from September if I wanted the nursery place long term. He’s quite a cheerful social little boy so I do think he’ll enjoy it. As we are in France I think it’ll be good for him to hear french and be with the other children too. I just wonder how they’ll manage 😂 but I suppose that’s their job!! Thanks for your reassuring replies! Xx

Nursery has some sort of magic when it comes to sleep and eating.

He will be fine :)

They are nap wizards at nursery. On her first day, co-sleeping, contact napping DD went down for a nap on a floor bed with no fuss. Gobsmacked I was!

Honestly nursery staff are like wizards! Try not to worry too much. I will definitely worry less second time round. I think the best advice is know it's a big change so LO will need time to settle. Routine might be a little different from home but they adapt. Go with the flow. One thing I wish someone had told me is that it often takes a bit longer to settle if they are part time. Mine also did 2 days. Not a problem in the long run but would have been nice to know.