Navigating Daycare Sleep Solutions
Embarking on the daycare journey with your little one is undoubtedly a significant transition, and it's completely normal to feel a bit nervous about it. To help ease your worries and ensure your baby settles into a good sleep routine, here are some tips for situations you might not have considered yet.
Early Communication: One month before your baby starts daycare, initiate a conversation with the daycare staff. Discussing sleep routines and preferences early on can set the stage for a smoother transition. Find out what items are allowed and prohibited, as different daycares may have specific policies. Surprisingly, swaddles are often not allowed, but most will allow you to bring a sleep sack.
Personal Items : Send as much from home as you can to create a familiar sleep environment for your baby. Most daycares allow items like pacifiers, sleep sacks, and sound machines. These familiar cues can be comforting and help your baby feel more at ease in their new surroundings. Ensure all your baby's belongings are labeled, from bottles to clothing. This simple step can prevent mix-ups and make it easier for daycare staff to keep track of your baby's items. These are some of our favorite labels.
Bottle Transition: It's not uncommon for babies to resist bottle feeding initially. If your baby is hesitant, don't stress – they will adjust over time. Communicate with the daycare teachers about your baby's feeding habits and ask them to ensure the bottle is finished. Persistence and patience will pay off, and soon your little one will adapt to the new feeding routine.
Individual Nap Schedules: In the infant room, babies may not all nap simultaneously. While it may be tempting to give the daycare a set schedule, this isn’t always the best option. Instead, ask your providers to focus on age appropriate wake windows rather than a set schedule. This is very important to prevent your baby from getting overtired after a short nap.
Focus on Feedings: While you may not be able to control our child’s sleep schedules, you can ask that bottles follow and eat, play, sleep routine. Ask that bottles be finished 30 minutes before your baby naps. This will ensure baby is not getting drowsy on the bottle and has time to take a full feeding before nap. Be sure to ask daycare to keep you informed on how much your baby is drinking each bottle. If your baby is always finishing the bottles, be start offering 1 oz more.
Relinquish Some Control: This is easier said than done, but try to accept that daycare naps might not match your baby's usual routine. Babies often take shorter naps in a daycare setting. While it can be frustrating, remember that you can only control your baby's sleep during your care. Compensate by establishing an earlier bedtime to make up for missed daytime sleep. It may feel challenging initially, but this is a temporary adjustment, and your baby will soon adapt to the new daycare routine.
Navigating daycare sleep routines may pose challenges, but with open communication, a touch of flexibility, and a sprinkle of patience, you can help your baby settle into their new environment smoothly. Remember, this is a short season, and soon both you and your little one will find your rhythm in the daycare life.