Baby Starting Nursery

 

01 Feb 2023

 

February 2023 is going to be an emotional month for me…

The start of the month will see in the final year of my 30’s and it feels as though i’m now teetering on the edge of middle age.  It will also be my last month of maternity leave before I put young Harrison into childcare so that I can work.

 

Putting your child into childcare can be riddled with anxieties and fears; 

Will they miss me? 

Will they cry? 

Will they nap ok? 

Will they eat ok? 

Will we lose our bond? 

 

Your anxiety can run away with you if you think about it too much.  

 

What’s important in combating this is knowing what you can and can’t control. I find it really helps to think about the possible scenarios and then make a plan of action.

 

So let’s break it down: 

 

1. NAPS

We can’t control whether they will nap well at nursery; it’s likely that over time they will get used to their surroundings but in the short term, it’s better to prepare yourself for short naps on nursery days and a slightly overtired baby at pick up.

Action plan; 

- Spend some quiet time winding down after pick up; cuddles, books, anything to help calm a potentially tired, overstimulated baby.

- A nice early bedtime can help counter any short nap and tiring day.  If they accidentally fall asleep on the way home, don’t panic; watch their sleep cues and push bedtime a little later if they don’t seem quite tired enough.

- Give the nursery / childcare provider one of your baby’s sleep bags from home and a comforter they are familiar with if they will allow it.  This will help with getting them to nap with familiar comforts.

- Talk to their careworker about the nap routine to see if they can copy this.  Some nurseries have a set nap time and others will be more flexible; try not to worry if their timings differ to your own; babies will often adapt to new schedules at nursery surprisingly well - often much better than they would at home!

 

2. EATING

Sometimes infants surprise you and eat a lot more at nursery than at home. However, if they aren’t eating well or are just burning much more energy; my advice is to always carry snacks! 

Action plan: 

- A snack at pick up can help prevent hangry melt downs! (I’m still talking about the baby - but if you want snacks too, go for it!) 

- For dinner, a plate of “picky bits”  are quick to prepare (speed is of the essence if they’re hangry!!). Picky bits (think sandwich, hummus, fruit, cheese etc) are quick to throw together and if it doesn’t all get eaten it’s not quite as annoying as a full home cooked meal being wasted.

- If time, (or to include in your picky-bits dinner) calming foods before bed can help in the wind down for sleep; a little drink of milk, oat cake with almond butter, porridge, banana, all these foods contain tryptophan and magnesium which are great for relaxation and signalling sleepy hormones.

 

3. CRYING

This is a tough one. It’s really hard to drop off your baby knowing they’re upset. Again, over time this is something that can improve as they become more familiar with the setting and confident in your return.  In the mean time you may see a rise in night wakings and bedtime battles due to a little separation anxiety.  

Action plan:

- Leaving them with relatives / trusted friends for an hour or so here and there in advance of starting nursery can get them used to being apart from you in readiness for nursery.

- Spending special one to one time together, especially before bed, to top up the emotional tank

- Playing peekaboo and popping out of the room for short periods to reinforce they are ok away from you and you will always come back

- Being confident at drop off with a warm and clear 'goodbye': babies respond to your emotions very acutely so having confidence will help to calm them and you are much more likely to build trust by saying goodbye rather than sneaking out.

 

The important thing to remember is that you are leaving your baby in childcare for a good reason and they will be well looked after.  Nursery workers have so much experience with settling babies; they know what they’re doing!  

 

And by the way, your baby loves you - sending them to nursery will never change that!

 

If your baby's sleep hasnt settled back down after the initial few weeks of adjusment, book in a discovery call with me to see how we can work together to get their sleep back on track!