Daycare Nap Tips + Schedule Downloads!
The end of your maternity leave is soon approaching and sending your little baby off to daycare feels SO HARD. Maybe sleep at home JUST got better, and now you’re hitting your head against the wall hoping and praying it doesn’t get messed up again at daycare.
What we do know is that daytime sleep is just as important to a baby’s health and development as nighttime sleep. BUT - sleeping in a new environment can be challenging for a baby. Here are 3 tips to make it easier for everyone - and to hopefully put your mind at ease.
1. Mimic Home - The thing to remember, is that your baby is used to a cool, pitch black, and quiet (with a sound machine) room. Daycare can be very noisy, so if you can offer to put a sound machine in the room to help your baby nap better, it is worth the $35 for sure.
The dark sleep space is going to help your baby fall asleep faster. We also don’t produce as melatonin in the daylight. Darkness seriously helps with that. I want you to try to mimic what is happening at home, at daycare. Be sure your baby has a flat, firm space to sleep on whether it be a crib or a pack n play. If you always use white noise at home, use it at daycare. I would also bring your child’s lovey to daycare and a sleep sack. You can leave the extra sleep sack at daycare so that they become familiar with using it there.
If your daycare provider is willing, I would also have them follow your regular naptime routine that you do at home. All of these familiar steps will help your baby realize that even though it’s a new environment, sleep still happens here.
Example Nap Routine:
1. Turn on Sound Machine
2. Into comfy clothes and sleep sack
3. Read 1-2 Stories
4. Into the crib awake
2. Keep the Timing Right - Babies thrive on schedules and routines so it is helpful to stick to the nap schedule. Putting them to bed too early or too late can be a cause for a bad nap. Download the schedule below to print off and fill in for your daycare provider to ensure naps stay on track all day!
Nap Schedules:
3. A few words on crying- True talk for a minute. I hate hearing a baby cry. It makes me feel unsure of what to do. What I AM sure of, is that most kids don’t ask to be put down for a nap…they would much rather stay up and play if they are given the choice. The problem that then happens, is you are dealing with a cranky, overtired baby/toddler all night long. We know that sleep begets sleep, so naps are a must. Many babies will cry when they are initially put down awake for a nap. This is because they are experiencing some FOMO (fear of missing out) with the other kids. However, this crying is generally very short lived. The first few days of the new daycare will be a huge adjustment for them, but let your provider know what you do at home to settle the crying. A baby who is USED to independent sleep will have a more difficult time falling asleep if there are lots of distractions or they are having too much interaction from their daycare provider. I know that when I want to snuggle Drake for 2 extra minutes at bedtime, he is always pointing at his crib saying “mama, bed.” They know what they want because they know what comes next. So I want you to know that a little crying is normal - especially since this is a HUGE new change for them. If the crying is persisting longer than 10-15 minutes even with check-ins, we may need to figure out some scheduling mishaps to get them back on track.
I know that this transition can feel really hard, but you can do it! I know that good sleep can happen even at daycare!! If you have tried these things and it is still not going well, please reach out - I’d love to help!
