Thanks for the Responses-

Updated on October 27, 2012
S.P. asks from Los Angeles, CA
8 answers

Hi,

My daughter is 13 months old and just started going to an in-home daycare 3 days per week. She is a good night sleeper but has always fought naps hard. I've loosely followed the "Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child" philosophy of sleep training, so she was a 2 per day napper (quickly becoming a once per day napper) but in the daycare, I'm told she has only slept a half hour at a time, and sometimes only once per day! So when I pick her up, she is a red-rimmed eyes, fussy mess. =( My question is...does it get easier? Will she get used to the environment and begin sleeping better? We've been putting her to bed between 6:30/7:00 PM to try and make up for the lost sleep.

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So What Happened?

She's been in daycare for only a week now so I suppose I will give things more time to "equalize". I agree that it's pretty much time to let go of the morning nap - she hardly ever takes it anymore, which makes the afternoon nap very important. I'm told the daycare provides a separate room for napping, but I did pick her up last week and found her sleeping in a bouncy chair in the middle of the main room (all the action)....I appreciate the responses and I'm hoping/praying sleep will improve. =)

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E.W.

answers from Columbus on

Lack of sleep can actually cause more sleep problems. Each child is different, so if she was used to taking 2 naps per day and is now only taking one 30 minute nap and not doing well with it, she just may not be ready for one nap. Are they trying to put her down for two? Is it quiet? Would a white noise machine help? She's probably just missing you and still nervous in the new environment and may just need more time to adjust. Try to work with the daycare and see if there's any way you can both help her to adjust easier. :(

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L.M.

answers from Dover on

Putting her to bed earlier and getting up the same time makes her not want to sleep during the day. I suggest putting her to bed the normal time, getting her up the normal time, and as she gets used to the new daycare (if they are consistent) she will start napping. Just before they don't let her nap too late (regardless of what time she falls asleep) or you may start having trouble getting her to sleep at night.

My kids were not nappers either but especially my daughter. As daycare starting putting her down later, her going to sleep at night became hard (NIGHT OWL).

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J.K.

answers from Sacramento on

She's probably overstimulated by the new environment and having a hard time sleeping in a new place. Totally normal...

I would work with the daycare to make sure that you are being consistent with the nap routine. If you are doing it differently than them 4 days a week, then she won't nap well for them 3 days of the week. I would also make sure that the care providers are working WITH her and not just laying her down and expecting her to sleep for 2 hours. I don't think that's realistic for a child this age who is new to daycare. They need to be making her feel secure and loved so she's comfortable enough to sleep there. Are they trying to get her back to sleep when she wakes after a half hour?

I'd give it more time.

S.S.

answers from Rochester on

There's probably too much going on there, it's hard to nap. It's possible she'll get used to it, but if not... maybe you can find someone who only watches a kid or two. It'd be a much calmer, quiet environment. I learned that the hard way. I would definitely put her to bed as early as she'll allow. She needs a good night's sleep, if she's not getting her nap.

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J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

As she gets older, it'll get easier. I have 5 kids and two stopped naps at age 4, two at age 2 and one of mine at age 12 months. They were a mess but they grow up so fast that it doesn't seem like it was that long. Hang in there!!

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

A 13 month old is plenty old enough to be taking only one nap per day. That's what she would be used to doing by now if she had already been in child care. At about 10 months the baby room starts transitioning them to the one nap per day so that when they switch rooms on their birthday they are on the same schedule as the other kids in the room. They have a much more scheduled day.

They also start them sleeping on cots so that's not a big deal either when they move up to the toddler room.

I think that she'll get calmed down once she is acclimated to the new situation. She has a lot to deal with right now just getting used to being there. She should start being more in line with their schedule in a month or so at the longest. She really does have to conform. The state licensing worker will make sure the kids are following the required state laws pertaining to how much nap time the kids must have. They don't have to sleep the entire time but they do have to be quiet so the others can sleep.

It may be that she's going to bed way too early too. If you're getting her up at 4am or 5am then perhaps the bedtime is realistic but she may do a lot better if she's not in bed so early. She won't adjust to the new schedule as long as she is sleeping 12-13 hours every night. She won't need a nap at all in a few months and her body really does need to have some down time during the day for at least a couple more years.

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D.S.

answers from New York on

It' s normal at her age to do one nap, however it should be a good one. The toddlers at my daycare transition at her age to one nap and also nap on a cot, however they sleep usually 2 hours. We have soft music on at naptime to try to drown out the noise, we also try to keep the children who sleep the soundest next to each other and the ones who wake easy close to the teacher. Sometimes if they start to stir after an hour we can rub their back and get them back to sleep. Are they being supervised while they sleep. Sometimes at an in home daycare there are children of all different ages, therefore not all are sleeping at the same time. It could be noisy and she has to get used to it. In group daycare children are grouped by age so they are all pretty much on the same schedule and routine. I am sure she will get used to it, if you are happy with the care she is receiving then give it some time for her to adjust to her surroundings.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

you don't say how long she has been there but it can take a couple days up to a couple weeks. but keeping her up a little (not a lot) later can help. getting her up a little earlier in the morning can help. also ask the caregiver where she sleeps. is the crib in a quiet out of the way spot? or is it in the same room the older children play in? that can make a difference. if she is used to sleeping at home in a dim room with shades pulled down and a quiet room she may not be able to sleep in a room with a handful of rambunctious 3 year olds who want to play cars lol. she will get used to the environment. ask what the schedule is. at her age it should be breakfast, play snack play lunch and nap for a couple hours. then up to snack and play then go home. does she have a bottle? sippy cup? breast? if is a cup or bottle does she have the favorite with her? how about a lovey blanket from home. something that smells like home. that will help. is she used to being rocked? if so does the caregiver do it? is there a fan or white noise machine you can take that would help? just know it will get better.

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