Nursery settling in experiences

[CityKity]

So DS (13 months) will be starting nursery soon and like every other FTM, I’m slightly dreading it. So many of my baby friends have already been through this transition and it’s been fine but I’m struggling to envision it being that straightforward for us.

I haven’t left DS with anyone other than DH for longer than half and hour and during those times he screamed the entire time, really sobbing as if I’d abandoned him! In those instances I left him with either my parents or sister that we see weekly, so these are people that he should know and feel comfortable with. Part of the reason I haven’t left him for longer periods, is exactly because of his break downs in these situations. Even handing him over to family to hold he has a break down and reaches back for me to hold him.

I know it will be healthy for both of us for him to find a tiny bit more independence and to learn to interact with other children, but it seems like a challenge right now. Even for his naps, he still sleeps on me and wakes up if I’m not there/he’s not touching me.

I’d love to hear from others with particularly attached DCs who can share their settling in experiences and hopefully reassure me it will all be okay!

In my experience as a nursery/daycare worker (and having done many settling in periods!), the more clingy babies needed a slower and longer settling in period to truly feel comfortable in the new environment. So that would be something to consider and arrange with your nursery.

Thanks so much for the wise advice. I’ve spoken to the nursery and they’ve reassured me that they are kids like this all the time, which I know is true, but I still don’t know how DS is going to cope.

Making things slightly tricky is that I’ve only got 3 (non consecutive) days confirmed, so I feel like it’s going take forever for him to get used to it.

My DS was similar, the nursery just took it slowly and for his first few proper days he spent most of the time on one of the worker's lap. He got there though and after a few months was happily toddling in and excited to start the day.

I put my DD in at 8 months and she had been with me most of my mat leave and wasn’t used to be cared for by anyone outside of me and DP. It took a few weeks but she was absolutely fine after that and her development has come on so much. She started with non consecutive days too. It will be hard on you, as it’s thought to leave them to start with, but there will be benefits for you and DC and he will settle eventually. My DD loves her days at nursery and toddles off without a second look these days 🤣