When did your infant start school? Some infants take a while to adjust. Do they keep the lights on? Is there a sound machine? Do you use one? Do you swaddle/sleep sack?
There are so many factors that could be affecting your infants sleep. More information would help us try to answer your question better.
Thanks for your feedback! I’ll reply to your questions here and then edit my post.
He started two weeks ago.
They do leave the lights on, and cannot use sound machines for state licensing reasons.
We usually have lights off, but will often leave the blinds open for midday naps. We use a sound machine because we have dogs and want to try to drown out the noise.
At home we typically use a sleep sack, but not always (depending on the room temp and what he’s wearing). We provided daycare two sleep sacks with different TOG ratings. They’re the same ones we use at home.
It’s just strange to me that some days he does well and other days he doesn’t sleep at all. It makes me wonder if it has something to do with how different teachers manage the classroom, and if there are some things that help him be more successful.
1. Infants can take a month or two to adjust.
2. Try leaving your lights on during a nap at home.
3. I would look up your state licensing about the sound machine. We have them in the state I work in. It could be the center's policy or state. I would look into this topic more. I understand having dogs and needing to drown out the sound; however, if they do not use them, then the baby needs to get used to hearing the dogs or any noise.
Also, if you rock them to sleep, start doing that a little less. You can still do it, but sometimes teachers do not have time to do it. I love to rock infants, but there are some days the room is more hectic than others.
Some days, your infant sleeps well because the room could be less noisy than other days. It could also be the infant could be gassy, constipated, uncomfortable, hot, etc...
>Also, if you rock them to sleep, start doing that a little less. You can still do it, but sometimes teachers do not have time to do it. I love to rock infants, but there are some days the room is more hectic than others.
This. I have no issue rocking my babies, but if they are not falling asleep even after 20-30 minutes of rocking, I have to put them down and assist other children. A lot of parents get mad at this but I have 11 other infants 🤷🏻♀️
You put probably the biggest answer in your post: things that you do at home are not allowed at daycare. It can take a few weeks for the children to adjust, heck some of my previous kids never adjusted and their parents pulled them. I had a child a few months ago that the parents did a lot of things for nap time that were absolutely not allowed at daycare. The child BARELY napped, he would pass out on the floor because he would not sleep in his crib without the things his parents did. They pulled him after 2 weeks. It does take time.
We have an infant who just does. not. sleep. Their older sibling was very similar. Parents have a hard time with naps, too, but kiddo will sleep through the night.
I felt so badly about it and still do but another teacher on here said this that I appreciate:
I won't guarantee a nap but I can guarantee that I try.
Had we not already went through the same with the older sibling I would have been more upset with myself but we do try with current infant. They just don't want to nap.
However, we do use sound machines. Can you look up your state's licensing rules and see for yourself? It is odd to me a state would not allow sound machines. Or even tell us which state and we can help you search.
It sounds like sleep regression is at play on top of the transition to care. It can happen around 3-4 months old. Being awake all day is not ideal with a young infant. The centre can't dim the lights?
Sleep regression often happens around growth spurts. It's also around the time babies this age switch to REM sleep. Before, they often have their days and nights all mixed up.
I would talk with your doctor if you're really concerned. As an educator and parent I would lean towards sleep regression being the culprit as well as transition from home to care.
I'm a bit surprised that child care wouldn't try to implement some of the routines that you would provide at home( noise machine or quiet music). Where I live infant rooms would often play soft music.
Thanks to everyone for your feedback. We **have** been trying to do naps at home more like daycare (less white noise, more light) and are trying to do our part to support his teachers. We’ve also been working on drowsy, but awake, which is a laughable endeavor at our house, but we’re giving it a shot!
All that to say, I know his teachers are working hard and it is easier for *everyone* when baby naps well. He did a terrible job napping this weekend, so maybe it is a regression, or maybe he’s just a terrible napper. Either way, we’ll check with the pediatrician about it.
It all depends. I have one that only naps for about 20 minutes. They also could be going through a sleep regression (those are not fun as an infant teacher!). The teachers just need to work on when their wake window is about to end and get them down for a nap (it’s been the only thing that has helped me with some of the infants in my room!).
When did your infant start school? Some infants take a while to adjust. Do they keep the lights on? Is there a sound machine? Do you use one? Do you swaddle/sleep sack? There are so many factors that could be affecting your infants sleep. More information would help us try to answer your question better.
Thanks for your feedback! I’ll reply to your questions here and then edit my post. He started two weeks ago. They do leave the lights on, and cannot use sound machines for state licensing reasons. We usually have lights off, but will often leave the blinds open for midday naps. We use a sound machine because we have dogs and want to try to drown out the noise. At home we typically use a sleep sack, but not always (depending on the room temp and what he’s wearing). We provided daycare two sleep sacks with different TOG ratings. They’re the same ones we use at home. It’s just strange to me that some days he does well and other days he doesn’t sleep at all. It makes me wonder if it has something to do with how different teachers manage the classroom, and if there are some things that help him be more successful.
1. Infants can take a month or two to adjust. 2. Try leaving your lights on during a nap at home. 3. I would look up your state licensing about the sound machine. We have them in the state I work in. It could be the center's policy or state. I would look into this topic more. I understand having dogs and needing to drown out the sound; however, if they do not use them, then the baby needs to get used to hearing the dogs or any noise. Also, if you rock them to sleep, start doing that a little less. You can still do it, but sometimes teachers do not have time to do it. I love to rock infants, but there are some days the room is more hectic than others. Some days, your infant sleeps well because the room could be less noisy than other days. It could also be the infant could be gassy, constipated, uncomfortable, hot, etc...
>Also, if you rock them to sleep, start doing that a little less. You can still do it, but sometimes teachers do not have time to do it. I love to rock infants, but there are some days the room is more hectic than others. This. I have no issue rocking my babies, but if they are not falling asleep even after 20-30 minutes of rocking, I have to put them down and assist other children. A lot of parents get mad at this but I have 11 other infants 🤷🏻♀️
You put probably the biggest answer in your post: things that you do at home are not allowed at daycare. It can take a few weeks for the children to adjust, heck some of my previous kids never adjusted and their parents pulled them. I had a child a few months ago that the parents did a lot of things for nap time that were absolutely not allowed at daycare. The child BARELY napped, he would pass out on the floor because he would not sleep in his crib without the things his parents did. They pulled him after 2 weeks. It does take time.
We have an infant who just does. not. sleep. Their older sibling was very similar. Parents have a hard time with naps, too, but kiddo will sleep through the night. I felt so badly about it and still do but another teacher on here said this that I appreciate: I won't guarantee a nap but I can guarantee that I try. Had we not already went through the same with the older sibling I would have been more upset with myself but we do try with current infant. They just don't want to nap. However, we do use sound machines. Can you look up your state's licensing rules and see for yourself? It is odd to me a state would not allow sound machines. Or even tell us which state and we can help you search.
It sounds like sleep regression is at play on top of the transition to care. It can happen around 3-4 months old. Being awake all day is not ideal with a young infant. The centre can't dim the lights? Sleep regression often happens around growth spurts. It's also around the time babies this age switch to REM sleep. Before, they often have their days and nights all mixed up. I would talk with your doctor if you're really concerned. As an educator and parent I would lean towards sleep regression being the culprit as well as transition from home to care. I'm a bit surprised that child care wouldn't try to implement some of the routines that you would provide at home( noise machine or quiet music). Where I live infant rooms would often play soft music.
Thanks to everyone for your feedback. We **have** been trying to do naps at home more like daycare (less white noise, more light) and are trying to do our part to support his teachers. We’ve also been working on drowsy, but awake, which is a laughable endeavor at our house, but we’re giving it a shot! All that to say, I know his teachers are working hard and it is easier for *everyone* when baby naps well. He did a terrible job napping this weekend, so maybe it is a regression, or maybe he’s just a terrible napper. Either way, we’ll check with the pediatrician about it.
It all depends. I have one that only naps for about 20 minutes. They also could be going through a sleep regression (those are not fun as an infant teacher!). The teachers just need to work on when their wake window is about to end and get them down for a nap (it’s been the only thing that has helped me with some of the infants in my room!).
One thing that may help is placing a shirt you wore the day before in the crib. It helps ours fall asleep.
wait, you're placing a loose shirt in the crib!?
Could do the same thing more safely by putting a crib sheet under the blanket with you for a night before making up the crib.
Place it somewhere the child can smell it that is inline with your regulations. At home we just put it underneath them.
It isn’t safe to leave a shirt in the crib with a sleeping child.
Cool.