Honest experiences of your baby starting nursery at 12 months

[peppyprep]

I am just looking to hear from others who have been in a similar situation as me in terms of their babies starting nursery at 12 months (especially if on a part time basis which is what mine will be doing).

Did it take them a while to settle in or did they find it ok? Having spent every day with my baby I struggle to imagine how he could just adapt to being with strangers and not me? Do they just get over it quickly?

And how did you find it.. does it get easier to drop them off?

I’m feeling a little low about it as you can probably tell. Just fancied some company I suppose from those who have been through it.

Both mine went at 12 months for two days a week, they had one day with their grandparents and we did a day each. They were fine, didn't settle great until they were actually going two days a week, but no problems otherwise, they really enjoyed it as far as I know!

Firstly every child is different.
Then, every Nursery is different.

But also each child's experience is different.
Has you little one been used to being left with different people ? Therefore understanding that you do come back when he doesn't see you.

She was noticeably glum when I collected her and wouldn’t look at me. It was very upsetting. After that, she was fine. Perfectly fine. In a perfect world I’d have kept all mine home until 3 but what can you do?

This was many years ago but my DS went to nursery 2 days a week from 12 months. He did cry at drop off for a few weeks but soon got used to it and settled in really well.
The one thing was the bugs he caught, they were relentless to begin with and we had to rely on grandparents a lot

My DD started nursery at 12 months, 2 days a week. I spent months (a good chunk of my mat leave sadly) worried about how she would get on. For reference, I’d very rarely left her with others, she was exclusively breastfed and a bottle refuser so I never felt comfortable leaving her with other people.
Shes now 20 months and we’ve never had any issues with nursery. I did the settling in sessions for the first week which I think helped, and I was trusted the nursery we’d chosen. Her confidence has really grown and it’s lovely seeing her interact with other children and become more independent.

My daughter went at just over 10 months, 3 days a week. The first couple of days were rough but after that she was completely fine, absolutely thrived tbh. We found an exceptional nursery, I couldn't fault them. Would definitely do it all over again if we had another (which we won't!)

My 2 started at 12 months and 13.5 months. Both were absolutely fine, cried for a couple of days on drop off but had great days when they were there. Then have always been fine.

My son went at 12 months for two days a week. He didn’t have any issue settling. The first settling in session I stayed and he was off playing/exploring the whole time. The second he went in without complaint. I don’t think we ever had tears at drop off, maybe once or twice that I don’t remember?

I didn’t really find it hard handing him over from an emotional sense. He’d spent plenty of time with my parents or out with my husband without me. It was very strange him being off doing things I didn’t know about and I found myself a bit obsessive about checking the app for updates, but him being gone wasn’t emotionally hard.

My baby has just turned 14 months and been at nursery a little over a month. She is settling really well there now, she goes 3 days a week. She didn’t sleep well there initially and there were some tears on leaving her even after a few settling in sessions. But recently she has been reaching for the nursery workers to cuddle them as she goes in, with no tears. 🥹 They seem to really like and know her now which is a big relief.

Every baby is different though, be kind to yourself xxxx

Mine started with a childminder at 9 months but they had 2 adults and 6 kids, it was horrific. We persevered due to my job for 5 months but it was the worst thing and place for her ever. She was so so upset the days she was in basically all day. I got a nanny in the end for 6 months, then quit my job! Then put her back in at 2 in a school hour nursery and she’s thriving and loves it. Totally different child and I wish I had just pulled her from the awful childminder experience

Sorry I know not technically nursery from a baby but just so you see that there are a few options and the right nursery should go well. Just to note financially the 6 months with a nanny were terrible obviously but we were just about able to take the hit knowing it was a brief period

My daughter went for 2 days from 12 months and really did settle in very quickly. She formed a close bond with one of the girls and that really helped her settle.
having the 2 days together I think helped too, she’s 3 now and made lots of friends, great speech, goes skipping in each day and I have nothing but positives to say about that nursery and her experience. What I will say is be prepared for the illnesses, don’t keno if we were just unlucky but she caught everything in that first year at nursery and that was very hard, juggling work with a poorly baby and seeing her unwell. But 2 years on she’s rarely unwell now.
If childcare is something you require then I can honestly say nursery is what I would recommend.

Started nursery at 11.5 months (saved us a few months of full fees given the new funded hours) and mine was still breastfeeding and cosleeping, contact napping. They used to wrap him in a jumper of mine that I'd wear to drop off and hand over and rock him to sleep then transfer. He cried at every drop off for probably at least six weeks but I'd message or ring once I got to work (round the corner) and they'd reassure me. He's 19mo now and absolutely loves it, doesn't even look back at drop off and they do so many great activities with them, I think it helped his language development too.

He's only in Mondays and Fridays and does one day with my MIL. I got no choice about my working days and I do think he would have settled sooner with a smaller gap between days but they were the only ones available (and I got his nursery place while pregnant!). If you are breastfeeding, I pumped until he was about a year and two weeks but he never wanted it, he'd just feed at drop off and pick up for a while.

Nursery told me new starters usually go off eating, milk or sleeping - my terrible sleeper and great eater didn't eat much there before he settled but happily napped, go figure.

Slightly more complicated, mine went one day a week from six months and then three days at 12 months. Sometimes LO would cry at drop off, and the way the nursery was set out, I could walk past the baby room on my way back to the car. By the time I got round the other side of the building (less than two minutes) my baby would be playing with their keyworker having a nice time, happy and interested.

My lad went to nursery from 12 months old. He's 14 now but he still talks fondly about his key workers there and has nothing but positive memories when we drive by. I felt he flourished at nursery, I don't have any regrets at all!

My son did 2 days a week from 8 months, then 5 days a week from 12 months. And is still doing that now, 5 full days 8am to 5pm. Took him a couple weeks to settle in and get used to sleeping in there, but once he got the hang of that, no issues. He runs in in the morning and loves it.

This is the same arrangement we have and I think it’s such a good mix

Mine went at 12 months, he had only ever contact napped and never been away from me. Settled in after 2 days! Napped beautifully, now eats all kinds of exotic foods, has made great friends and has a great little social time.
Agree with PP just beware the bugs they will pick up this winter.

...to add the bugs may be bad this year but will be soo much better next year and each subsequent year!