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Original poster

Nursing to sleep and nursery

13 replies

newmama2023 · 28/10/2023 06:49

My baby is 8 months old. She nurses to sleep and if we try any other way she just doesn't settle. This is true for naps and every hour during the night, my baby starts nursery in Feb when i go back to work, and i am just wondering if there is anyone else out there who has been through this and what you did about it.

Also, if you have any words of encouragement for the hourly wakings it would be greatly appreciated ❤️

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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NmeChngeFail · 28/10/2023 06:53

Could you try to introduce a soft toy or blanket that she could get attached to, that smells like you?

This could be used in nursery.

Could you also try using a bouncer for day time naps? They could then use the same technique in the nursery.

I have also seen mums BF during the settling in period to get baby used to slepping in the nursery.

Curtainpoles · 28/10/2023 07:07

I worried massively about this - as well as always feeding to sleep, my son was also a very fussy and sensitive baby.
But they said they would just hold him and rock him at nap time and he bloody slept for them. They could even put the little bugger down and walk away which I never could manage!! I spent so long worrying about it as I really couldn't see it working but it was such a non issue in the end. Good luck, hope yours is the same!

Flipflopflopflip · 28/10/2023 07:16

February is a long time away really, so much could change between now and then anyway. But honestly I wouldn't worry, babies and children behave totally differently at nursery, I'm sure she'll nap just fine.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

6-9 months old Babies & sleep Childcare & nursery Children's sleep

PurBal · 28/10/2023 07:17

Nurseries are magical sleep places.

AegonT · 28/10/2023 07:22

Mine both nursed to sleep. We did nothing but stressed a lot. Nurseries and childminders are very experienced at getting children to nap and will have cared for lots of children who nurse to sleep, they will work it out there. Eventually if I was out mine would settle for a cuddle from dad then would do that some nights if I was there.

PinkPlantCase · 28/10/2023 07:51

My DC started nursery at 6 months, he had only ever breastfed to sleep and had contact naps when he started (he would take a bottle though).

The nursery let him contact nap on them for a bit when needed and after a bit they worked their nursery magic and he was able to go down there just fine. I do remember finding it hilarious when on a settling in session one of the workers asked he if could self settle 🤣

He didn’t have a dummy or a special toy, he’d never needed one at home because he was on the boob most of the time.

Next time around I’ll probably try and have some kind of comforter that baby is familiar with to maybe make things a bit easier for them.

chillichutneysarnie · 28/10/2023 08:03

My nursery put him in his buggy and rocked it, they did manage to get him to sleep after he fussed. I used to give a sippy cup of milk for them to give him. The fussing decreased over time and I stopped giving the milk as he wasn't drinking it. It became a non-issue very quickly and I had been so worried about it. He's 18 months now and they just put him on a mat on a floor now! It didn't change anything about the way we do things at home. Think of nursery as like a parallel universe!

KickHimInTheCrotch · 28/10/2023 08:06

The nursery was the only place my DD napped without being fed or rocked. They really did work wonders.

Forestdweller11 · 28/10/2023 08:12

Agree, nurseries are magic sleep places!!! Not sure what it is but they sleep. Mine always had fomo when with me and nurses to sleep. At nursery zonked out. .

Original poster

newmama2023 · 28/10/2023 09:27

Oh wow! Ok perfect. Thanks so much guys. You have definitely put my mind at ease! 🥰

OP posts:

MyUsernameIsBetterThanYours · 28/10/2023 09:34

What @Curtainpoles said. He’s been at nursery 10 months now and basically puts himself to bed there. At home we have tears and tantrums and have to hold his hands until he’s nodded off. 🙄

Junebugbaby · 29/10/2023 20:01

We're in the same boat- 8 months DD, starting daycare in February, I'm so stressed about it as she really needs me to go down for a proper sleep. We've started trying to unhook her from the breast before she is fully asleep and then rocking her which works sometimes. I'll definitely think about a comforter soon, just don't want her putting it over her face

User0ne · 29/10/2023 20:18

As pp have said the nursery will be experienced at getting bf babies to sleep and most of those will feed to sleep when with their mother.

Re the hourly waking: if you cosleep it's worth learning to feed on your side. My 3 DC did "self service" overnight from about 4months old.

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