Four tips for keeping sleep on track at daycare
Home sleep versus daycare sleep…is this something that you are dealing with or will be soon? Your child’s sleep environment and schedule may be perfect (or as close as possible!) at home, but what happens when they go to daycare?
As a parent, you may be nervous about sending your little one off to be in the care of someone else, especially when it comes to their daytime nap schedule. “Sleep-101,” says that it’s critical for development to have both adequate day and night sleep (and that’s a whole other conversation. If you want to learn more, visit my blog post on sleep needs from newborn to 3+ years).
Maternity/parental leave in Canada and the US looks a lot different, too. For us in Canada, parents can take up to 12- or 18-month leaves to be home with their baby. In the US, a newborn or infant can go to daycare just weeks after they’re born. Each state has its own policies and guidelines that recommend what safe sleep looks like and how to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). These policies are in place for babies under one year because the risk of SIDS dramatically decreases after one year. Overriding all these policies, though, is the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) – this is the governing entity for the health of all children.
Whatever your situation may be, it’s important to do your daycare research homework!
With that, I have some tips to share on how to choose a daycare facility that is right for your family and how to keep sleep on track when your baby is at daycare.
When choosing a daycare, consider:
Inquiring if the facility requires the caregivers to take a safe sleep class. If they don’t have this requirement, ask them to review with you what safe sleep looks like. If you’re unsure what you’re asking for, I am happy to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation with you to review what exactly you should be asking for.
Tour facilities, especially during nap time! This is a perfect way to see the sleep environment in real-time.
Ask if the facility is AAP-compliant. If the facility isn’t, do you really want your child to spend every day there?
Once you have found a daycare that is the right fit, I have four tips for ensuring your child makes a seamless transition to daycare:
Try to keep consistency in the sleep spaces – infants and children THRIVE when their environments remain as similar as possible. If bringing your little one’s sleep sack (or lovey, if 12 months+) to daycare is possible, do it! If you use white noise or keep the room dark at home, ask if this is a possibility as well. My girls went to daycare at 12 months and all slept on cots. I was so nervous that they wouldn’t stay on the little bed, but they transitioned SO well!
It’s time to trust the providers to do their job. You’re going to become close with the staff – they are caring for your child! So, when it comes to sleep, be sure to communicate with the staff. Let them know that your little one had a great night of sleep or a not-so-great night; they may appreciate the heads up.
Make the most of nighttime sleep! Change, of course, will cause some disruptions in your little one’s schedule - so making sure they get enough sleep during the night will also help prevent overtiredness. I know getting a little one to bed can be difficult when your workday ends and you barely get to spend any time together before bed, but if your child isn’t getting enough sleep during their days at daycare then it’s so important to allow them to catch up at night.
Finally, keep your at-home routine the same. Again, consistency is key. For example, if two naps are not offered at daycare, keeping two naps on the weekend at home is perfectly fine! It’s going to be a time of transition, but it won’t last forever.
My final tip is to remind you that daycare workers are literal magical creatures. The care and compassion that goes into childcare warms my heart.
If you’re wondering how you will ever make this transition and it’s keeping you up at night thinking about your little one starting daycare, I’m 100% here to help you. Email me with your questions or book a call with me!
Lindsey
Lindsey Hennigar is the founder of The Sleep Ranch and a Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant. She helps exhausted parents and families get the healthy, restorative sleep they need. Your child can LOVE sleep!