Sleep Training and Daycare

“What do we do about daycare?”  This is one of the most common concerns I hear when families begin the sleep training process.

 Whether your baby or toddler is a daycare veteran or just starting out, it can be challenging to find a provider that is on the same carefully planned schedule.

 If you are choosing a daycare, you may want to include the nap discussion as you are interviewing perspective providers and take that into consideration as you make a decision as to the best fit.  Sleep is such a crucial part of your child’s development, as well as how they function throughout the day, that it’s important to find someone on the same page.

If you are already established with a provider, communication is your best resource.  Many daycare providers are happy to try to accommodate sleep requests. After all, a well-rested baby equals a happier baby equals an easier day for the provider! The more specific and clear you can be, the easier it will be for your provider to work with you.

Writing out your ideal plan may help but remember that (at least in our area) the ratio of care provider to infants is 4:1 so there will be other babies that this care provider will be attempting to work around.  Your patience and flexibility will go a long way in their willingness to work with your plan!

Whether you have already sleep trained and are looking for a new daycare, or are beginning the sleep training process with your current provider, here are some things to consider:

Schedule:  Can and will they work with you? How many naps a day are provided for the room your child is assigned to? Can they accommodate the timing necessary for your child’s age-appropriate wake window?

Sleep props: Let your provider know how you prefer to put your child down.  If you have just broken, or are trying to break a major sleep prop, (think rocking, or pacifier use) ask them to avoid using these methods to get your child to sleep.

Crying:  Let your provider know that you are ok with a little bit of crying when baby is falling asleep. If not, they will most certainly pick your baby up and soothe them until they fall asleep.  Note, however, that some facilities do have a crying policy so may be required to pick baby up to soothe, even if your baby only requires 30 seconds to settle down. If this is the policy, there isn’t much you can do about it. 

Environment:  Will baby sleep in the same crib/cot every day? Will they use your sleep sac? How dark is the area? How much noise is there? Different daycares may have different room set ups, but this is another area where you may not have much control.

 The good news is that babies and children are often able to distinguish what happens around sleep in different environments. (This is why grandma can say that they always sleep great for her!)  After an adjustment period, your child should be able to somewhat accommodate to what happens and home vs. what happens at daycare as far as the sleep routine is concerned.

 Are you struggling with naps? Click the link above to schedule a free discovery call.