When DS started daycare at 11mths (and until about 17-18mths) I bf'ed him to sleep at home. He wouldn't sleep in the cot room at daycare, so he was patted to sleep in the babies' room on a cushion by one of the carers. Now he still sleeps in the babies' room on a cushion, and is moving to the toddler room where they bring out mattresses at sleep time, so he won't have much adjusting to do! I stopped sending ebm at about 16mths, partially 'cause I realised he wasn't having it before his sleep so it wasn't being used as a sleep cue.
DS cried when I left him, but he'd stop before I left the centre so I didn't feel like I was leaving him there to cry all day, I knew it was more to say "I like being with you Mum! Don't go.............oh look sand, fun"
2. Write yourself a list of questions you would like answered by the day care staff for your tour on thursday.
3. When my 2 started day care they were fine! My youngest was just 1 when he started and he was fine. they all go through their own little stages! my youngest was a bit of a sook the 1st 2 weeks but was then fine where as my oldest was fine the 1st 2 weeks and then a sook for 2 weeks after that! they were only there 2 days a week but now they both love it and the carers love them!
As the other girls have said, all of the childcare centres operate slighly differently, so your tour will answer a lot of your worries, I'm sure.
My 3 attend an ABC centre (which I am VERY happy with). Olivia started at 14 months, Charlie at 12 months and Lexie at 7 months. All 3 now go 2 days a week, whilst I work.
All 3 of the adapted really well....but I was terriefied of the same things as you: will they be happy without me, will they be OK, will they sleep without our little rituals?
Of course they are all fine. The first weeks were harder on me than on them I think!
We went and checked out the daycare this morning and I am happy with it, although this centre is smaller than the one I first wanted DD to go in. They answered all my questions and I am feeling really good about it all.
I am sure that DD will be fine, it'll be me thats going to have it tough getting used to working again!!
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