Infant Experts Help!

[midaycare]

Dcm keeps telling me how dcb, just turned 16 weeks, is napping so great for her at home. He only naps 30-60 minutes here. Dcm wants me to make sure dcb gets longer naps while here.

She insisted I put him in a separate area, and gave me a camera to watch him. This is against the state rules and regulations, but for today I tried it. No difference. He had his own bedroom, white noise machine, a pack and play so comfy I would sleep in it ... It's a gloomy day outside, the room is nice and dark ... It couldn't be better conditions.

So what am I supposed to tell her at pickup? I understand newborns differ from day to day and week to wek, but I'm not sure dcm does, as she is a doctor and very used to schedules and discipline.

Edited to add: He naps 30-60 minutes at a time, not just 30-60 minutes during the time he is here. He just takes smaller naps more times during the day.

[Heidi]

That sounds pretty normal for a child that age. What is she expecting?

Sorry you can't let him sleep in a different room, though. The day we have that rule here is the last day I am a regulated dcp.

[SSWonders]

Does he sleep longer at home? And under the same circumstances or is someone holding him while he sleeps?

[hope]

Never go against state rules and regs. Will she pay your mortgage once you get shut down?

You can put a fan or some light music in the room that the baby is sleeping in. Make sure baby has plenty of play time before nap. Dcm may have rocked her to bed or slept her in a swing so don't feel pressured by her demands.

[midaycare]

Never go against state rules and regs. Will she pay your mortgage once you get shut down?

You can put a fan or some light music in the room that the baby is sleeping in. Make sure baby has plenty of play time before nap. Dcm may have rocked her to bed or slept her in a swing so don't feel pressured by her demands.

I agree about the state regs. I was just curious if it would make a difference. Dcm was sure the other dck's were being too noisy. Nope!

[Heidi]

Can you screen off his sleeping area somehow? That, and some white noise might help. Still, I say his naps sound pretty typical for some kiddos. Does he go to sleep easily or cry a lot first? Does he wake up crying or cooing?

[midaycare]

Can you screen off his sleeping area somehow? That, and some white noise might help. Still, I say his naps sound pretty typical for some kiddos. Does he go to sleep easily or cry a lot first? Does he wake up crying or cooing?

I have 2 rooms separated by doors. I have a white noise machine and I can make it very dark. Pretty much the same conditions as the bedroom I tried today.

He has a need to fall asleep in my arms - he is rocked or breastfed to sleep at home. I'm trying to break that, but without support from home it will take awhile. Once asleep he wakes up usually after 30-60 minutes but he is happy a d ready to play.

[Cradle2crayons]

Dcm keeps telling me how dcb, just turned 16 weeks, is napping so great for her at home. He only naps 30-60 minutes here. Dcm wants me to make sure dcb gets longer naps while here.

She insisted I put him in a separate area, and gave me a camera to watch him. This is against the state rules and regulations, but for today I tried it. No difference. He had his own bedroom, white noise machine, a pack and play so comfy I would sleep in it ... It's a gloomy day outside, the room is nice and dark ... It couldn't be better conditions.

So what am I supposed to tell her at pickup? I understand newborns differ from day to day and week to wek, but I'm not sure dcm does, as she is a doctor and very used to schedules and discipline.

Edited to add: He naps 30-60 minutes at a time, not just 30-60 minutes during the time he is here. He just takes smaller naps more times during the day.

30-60 minutes at a time sounds normal to me too?? Usually when babies that age are new here, they nap even less the first few weeks. As a Mom, I'd be thrilled.. How much does the baby sleep at home at a time?

I would take this opportunity to tell mom that daycare routine isn't going to be identical to home routine and clue her in that some expectations aren't realistic in daycare.

At pickup I would say "mom, at nap time I will continue to offer as ideal of a sleeping environment as possible for little Johnny. However, even with ideal sleeping conditions, babies just don't sleep the same at daycare as they do at home. In fact, some sleep MORE at daycare. Realistically, the general environment in group care is simply much different than at home and the home tactics just can't always be replicated. I will continue to keep you updated on his sleeping habits though!" And then

[midaycare]

30-60 minutes at a time sounds normal to me too?? Usually when babies that age are new here, they nap even less the first few weeks. As a Mom, I'd be thrilled.. How much does the baby sleep at home at a time?

I would take this opportunity to tell mom that daycare routine isn't going to be identical to home routine and clue her in that some expectations aren't realistic in daycare.

At pickup I would say "mom, at nap time I will continue to offer as ideal of a sleeping environment as possible for little Johnny. However, even with ideal sleeping conditions, babies just don't sleep the same at daycare as they do at home. In fact, some sleep MORE at daycare. Realistically, the general environment in group care is simply much different than at home and the home tactics just can't always be replicated. I will continue to keep you updated on his sleeping habits though!" And then

I am stealing that last paragraph to say to dcm, tyvm.

I thought his naps were normal too, but dcm claims he is sleeping 2-3 hours at a time at home with her. Hmmm...

[TwinKristi]

What part is against licensing regulations?? Babies can't sleep in a separate room alone even with cameras?

Personally, 30-60 mins at 16wks isn't that bad. Longer would be ideal but how long does he sleep at home? You can't "make" him sleep longer, but just keep trying what you're trying? How long has he been there?

[racemom]

Infants sleep when they are tired. You cannot make a child sleep. I have infants that take longer naps at home than here, but I always tell parents I can give them the opportunity to nap, but cannot make them sleep.

[midaycare]

What part is against licensing regulations?? Babies can't sleep in a separate room alone even with cameras?

Personally, 30-60 mins at 16wks isn't that bad. Longer would be ideal but how long does he sleep at home? You can't "make" him sleep longer, but just keep trying what you're trying? How long has he been there?

If I understand our reg correctly (and I may not ...), I need to have eyes on kids at all time, and can not substitute a camera for eyes.

[NightOwl]

I have 2 rooms separated by doors. I have a white noise machine and I can make it very dark. Pretty much the same conditions as the bedroom I tried today.

He has a need to fall asleep in my arms - he is rocked or breastfed to sleep at home. I'm trying to break that, but without support from home it will take awhile. Once asleep he wakes up usually after 30-60 minutes but he is happy a d ready to play.

BINGO. He is rocked or nursed to sleep. This is an issue dcm created and now wants you to correct it. With my 5 yr old, if he falls asleep in my bed or on the couch and then i move him to his own bed, he tends to wake in the middle of the night without sleeping thru. It's because his going to sleep routine was different. This is what I've read, anyway. So she expects her baby to go to sleep at YOUR HOUSE and nap like he does at HER HOUSE even though you can't replicate the same routine he's accustomed to. This is NOT on you. There's nothing wrong with your house, his sleeping environment, the kids aren't too loud, etc. The problem is that she's nursing/rocking him to sleep at home and he can't have that with you. SHE needs to stop nursing him to sleep. Once she breaks the habit, he'll sleep better at your house. But don't let her put this on you. You didn't create the habit. She did.

[Heidi]

I am stealing that last paragraph to say to dcm, tyvm.

I thought his naps were normal too, but dcm claims he is sleeping 2-3 hours at a time at home with her. Hmmm...

Well dang, she's nursing him to sleep and holding him. Does she expect the same from you? :confused:

Seriously, she should be glad he sleeps AT ALL for you with home being so vastly different. You could be having one of those "this just isn't working" talks with her in a couple weeks otherwise.

[Indoorvoice]

If I understand our reg correctly (and I may not ...), I need to have eyes on kids at all time, and can not substitute a camera for eyes.

I'm in Michigan too and I read that rule as you have to physically check them regularly and you can't count watching them on a monitor as checking. My licensor says you should physically check on them (make sure they are breathing and sleeping in safe position) every 15 minutes. It's so easy to have different interpretations of the rules though!

ETA: I sleep all of my kids in the same room, but the licensed daycare I used to send my kids to had kids sleeping all over the house. Let me know if you find out I'm wrong!