Baby Napping

[MichellesKiddos]

I have a 5mo that has been here for about a month and a half and for the past month or so I've had him on the exact same nap schedule every day (he is here full time). He will usually take a good 1 1/2 - 2 hour nap in the morning and a good 2 hour nap in the afternoon. He is dropped off at 645 and picked up at 4 so I though those two good naps are pretty good for him...sometimes if he is extra tired he'll fall asleep outside too before pick-up. Well lately, dcm has been telling me that he isn't sleeping at night very well and wakes up multiple times each night. I do know that she is rocking/bouncing/walking (or whatever gets him to sleep as she told me) with him at each nap time or bedtime. Here he is used to going down without any of that and puts himself to sleep.
This morning at drop off she asked me to basically not let him nap as much during the day..thinking that will make him tired enough to sleep at night. My thinking, though, is that he hasn't been sleeping good at night for a good 2 weeks now..even when he isn't in my care and isn't getting very good naps during the day. kwim?? I'm not exactly sure how to handle this one. I mean, I don't want everyone here, including him, being miserable because mom doesn't want him to nap much during the day, especially becuase I think that he NEEDS the good naps. How would you handle this or do you have any advice for me? Thanks!

[mac60]

A 5 mo old is meant to sleep during the day. I love how parents are always trying to blame the "daycare provider" because their child doesn't sleep, no matter how old they are.

Me, I would just say ok to whatever she says, then do what works for you, and if she ask, tell her what she wants to hear. You will be amazed at how young children miraculously are "cured" when a provider tells the parents what they want to hear. You are the one with the group of kids in care for 8 to 10 hours a day, not her, you need to do what is best for the child, your group as a whole, and you.

[nannyde]

A five month old here would sleep more than what you have him sleep.

She needs to stop stimulating him so much before he goes to bed. No wonder he's waking up for more of it.

It's really unbelievable that the nap convo is all the way down to really young infants.

Ugh

[MichellesKiddos]

It's so frustrating because she wants me to keep him up just before she picks him up too so that she can feed(breastfeed) him when she gets home...but most of the time he is sooo tired and just wants to go to sleep. There has been days when he will just sleep away the day and only be awake for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours during the time I have him. Those are the days he is the happiest...wonder why?!
I also hand out a "what I did today" sheet for the infants stating when they napped, how long, when and how much they ate, etc. So I think maybe I'll fabricate it juuuuussst a little Maybe make it look like something she would like to see, then when she realizes it doesn't affect his sleep at night she'll stop making it seem like it's somehow MY fault that he doesn't sleep at night! HAHA yea i know...when pigs fly right?

[Meyou]

I would just be honest with her and tell her he's happiest when he gets lots of rest. Babies need so much sleep. I can't believe that a parent wants to deprive a little baby of sleep he needs.

Kids here nap on a schedule that I decide on and impliment. Parents have no say and I don't care what they do at home. I'm the one caring for these little bodies 10 hours a day so I need to do what works for my group, not each child.

[momofsix]

Generally, a 5 mo old at my house would be getting even more sleep than he is at your house! He may even be overtired at night! A 5 mo old needs lots of sleep! Do not cut down on his naps. I posted a link yesterday to a study about naps, maybe it would be good for mom to read?

https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34673

[MichellesKiddos]

Yes, I realize MOST 5 mo sleep more than this child...but the naps he DOES take at my home are more than what he normally takes period. When my son was 5 months he napped probably 4-5 times a day depending on how long they were. This child took a total of TWO naps yesterday at home...for the entire day...totaling 2 hours together! So even though a typical 5 mo naps more than he does, what he does get here is quite a bit more than what he would normally take. Of course, in my opinion he still needs more sleep, but I can only do so much with him before he is screaming all day long. We've already had a few of those days and they are sooooo unpleasant for everyone.

[cheerfuldom]

he is way over exhausted. I have a 5 month old daughter right and she does 3 two hour naps during the day plus 12 hours at night! I would put him to sleep at your house, no napping convo allowed. If she's wants no-nap service, she can go elsewhere.

[MN Mom]

All the babies I have cared for have been "non nappers" according to parents. They have also been the most vocal, unhappy babies in the beginning of care. I get them on a sleep eat schedule, and its like magic...they are smiling and happy! My niece, whom I cared for until recently, would get dropped off at 1pm, parents stating oh she just had a nap in the car ride over (all 5 min of it) and is probably ready to play, she ate last at 10 and has been up since 5. As soon as they left, down for nap she went, and she happily obliged...usually for 3 hours! Some days she slept all day (usually Mondays after a weekend of going here there and everywhere with mom and dad).

BABIES NEED SLEEP, and lots of it

[blessedmess8]

I've noticed with my own kids that when they didny get adequate sleep during the day, they are actually harder to get to sleep (and stay asleep) at night. And, Nannyde is right, as I have just recently discovered. Some kids can't handle the stimulation of being rocked/bounced right before bed. I would simply tell her that you adhere to developmentally appropriate practice with children and keeping an infant awake when they are sleepy is not developmentally appropriate...

[cheerfuldom]

I have a part timer mom that considers the car ride over a nap. She has a 12 month old and apparently, 15 min. is all the nap that is needed, gah! this little one is so cranky and whiney ALL the time. I always put her straight down to nap no matter what time or what day she comes and she always passes out.

[jojosmommy]

I have a 4 month old dck who doesnt have a nap "schedule" yet but typically sleeps 45-1 hour in the am here (sometimes two 45 min naps in the am) and a 2-3 hour nap in afternoon. Occassionally she falls asleep right before pick up and mom says she always sleeps another 45-1 hour right when they get home. She attends 7-4:30.

I would tell this mom you nap as infants need, which is what is most appropriate for the little ones and there is no way you are going to keep the kid up all day just so he/she can sleep at night.

[Unregistered]

This one is a pip! At 5 mos old they still need a lot of sleep. You cant force a child to stay awake if hes sleepy. He will continue to not sleep well at night if he doesnt stay on his nap schedule during the day. Sleep begets sleep, a well rested child will sleep well at night if hes on a good cycle. As providers we are the scape goats. I have had plenty of parents say to keep there child up so they sleep at night, what they dont know is that it doesnt work that way. She needs to let him put him self to sleep, thats the first step,rocking him or whatever will not help him learn that skill.
I would tell her that you arent allowed to "keep him up" if hes tired. If kids get over tired they will not sleep well either. Parents never make that connection. Urge her to let you keep the baby on his good schedule and hopefully she will see the diffrence. Good luck!

[MichellesKiddos]

Well after the night he had last night, he must have been pretty tired this morning becuase he took two 1-hour naps this morning and then..get this..a 4 hour nap this afternoon! I couldn't believe it! I wanted to wake him up to keep him on his schedule, but I felt so bad for him because I knew he was just soooo overtired and needed the sleep. SO he got an awesome nap in and hopefully he will be able to sleep for mom tonight. I didn't mention anything to dcm at pickup and don't plan to. If she asks again I'm just going to be completely honest in that I think he actually needs more sleep than what he is getting and that we are sticking to his naps here. Hopefully it doesn't come up again though.