Does your nursery follow your routine?

[Cloudylou456]

My 12mo girl starts nursery soon but I’m really worried about it. Hoping some people can share what your babies nurseries do.

My girl is very shy, easily overstimulated, hates other babies crying, only smiles at home or with her favourite people. I take her to playgroups to get used to that sort of environment but it hasn’t made a difference, it’s just her personality. Never been a good sleeper either. She’s happiest when I stick to her routine. Can I expect nursery to follow our routine or will they get her into a different one? Although I normally follow wake windows but I’m guessing that won’t be at all possible at nursery? She’ll be going to nursery Monday Tuesday and Thursday so I don’t know if it’ll be confusing for her.

How much does their key worker look after them vs everyone else? Will they do things like sing her favourite lullaby before nap time if I ask them to?

She also still breastfeeds constantly all day but I won’t be able to pump as much as she probably drinks now. Should I be actively trying to reduce her breastfeeds? The advice says milk main source of nutrition until 12 months but should I start weaning and replacing with snacks now, in preparation?

Thanks! Anxious first time Mum!

Hi OP

I probably wrote a post exactly like this two years ago when DD started nursery - she was BF, had never been keen on baby classes, hardly any interaction with others during lockdown etc. I was so afraid of her being hungry, scared, tired.

Her keyworker kept to her routine, and I worried because she fed to sleep at home, but truly - good nursery workers are sleep MAGICIANS. When I went to view the nursery it was nap time in baby room and there were workers sat in a dark room cuddling, patting, singing to babies. On day one, they sent me a picture of my DD sound asleep on her mat.

Eventually, DD fell into the routine of 1 big lunch time nap instead 12-2, but if she ever needed sleep outside of that, she would get a nap.

As for breastfeeding, at that age most babies are absolutely fine with just the meals and snacks. I had built up a massive stash of pumped milk which DD always refused. She fed as soon as she got home and she was perfectly fine. I pumped during nursery days for a while and my supply quickly adjusted.

Good luck!

I think it depends on the nursery. Ds nursery said they will follow our routine but they didn't and I have to admit that he took to the nursery routine really quickly. At home he also liked to feed to sleep and had two naps. He barely napped for about two weeks there but then started having one solid nap at exactly the same time and now I'm also able to make him nap or sleep with just putting or singing. They are very good at getting kids to sleep and I think seeing that all the other kids are doing the same helps them to fall in with the new routine as well. In our case he definitely has more of a routine at nursery than at home.

Regarding key worker it depends on the nursery. Ds' nursery is big and busy with 20 kids in his room. In the first few months I think he spent a lot of time mostly being carried and cuddled by his key worker because he struggled to settle in. She has since been promoted and now does a lot more management and has less time for the kids. I do think he misses her quite a bit. Personally I like all the staff in his room. They all seem dedicated, affectionate and competent. I've seen all of them sing to, play with and cuddle with all the kids and they do know which songs and activities he likes. However, j do think that the frequent change of staff in his room (in his nursery) is unsettling for him.

So I think if there's always the same 3-4 staff members in the room then the kids will get attached to all of them but if there's a lot of turnover then they might struggle.

I assume there is a reason why your dd can't go on Wednesday but if there isn't then I think it might be easier to go on three consecutive days rather than having a break in between.

While settling in I found that going more often but for shorter days was really helpful, eg my DD for the first month went five days a week every morning. After that (when I went back to work) she did 3 full days.

Good luck. Hope it all goes smoothly. The beginning is usually rough but most kids do eventually settle in.

Ours have set times for meals but will follow the home routine for nap timings in the baby room.

Things like lullabies you'll find they have different comforts at nursery. As a PP have said, nursery workers have all the tricks! Also, it's not such a big deal for a nursery worker to put them in a cot as it is for mummy iykwim, they aren't as attached so it's not a big deal.

Wrt feeding, you probably want to be upping the solids now anyway, you want them on something closer to a toddler diet of three meals and two snacks at about a year. Especially if breastfeeding because of the iron. No huge rush, but something to contemplate over the next while. Nursery will probably be very helpful in that regard!

Whatever routine she's in when she starts, nursery will have seen it all before. A good nursery is a wonderful thing, so many adventures ahead of her!

Sounds like a childminder would b more suitable.
They won’t have enough staff to follow yr schedule as they will have other babies to look after, so they have set their own schedule, also be aware that they employ young inexperienced staff to keep wages costs down.

No our nursery doesn't follow our routine, I imagine it might be a bit of a nightmare having different children on completely different routine. She adapted quickly and settled in well, and if for example she needed an extra nap as she was tired, they would give her one but it wad all around their normal routine. Agree with above, a childminder might be more suitable.