Routines and Childcare

Hi All,

I was wondering if someone could share some insight on whether or not Childcare Centre's have a "routine" for babies? I have got Aidan into a routine and I was wondering if they will try and stick to it or will they have their own routine that Aidan will have to conform with? Aidan will be 6 months when he will be going to an ABC Centre.

Thanks :)

We work with your babies routine in the nursery.

Obviously we have to adapt as children grow and often, particularly in full timers, their routine changes in the centre. And then at transitional ages we have to account for room routines, however babies dont normally transition until they meet routine for the next room.

Childcare is supposed to fit in with your baby's routine.

But it doesn't always happen, unfortunately. I've worked with a few people that seem to have a "yeah, yeah, whatever" attitude to home routines.

That's great that they try and stick to a routine
Aidan's routine is quite flexible but I honestly thought that they old feed them when they cry for food, and that routine would go out the window, with all the other babies needing attention also, it can't be easy.

Thanks for your help ladies :)

I have always found the day care followed any routines or "special instructions" that we had for the boys. However I am not sure what you mean by "I thought they'd feed them when they cry for food". If a baby cries for food it is well past the point of hunger - babies should be fed before they start crying. Are you saying that's what you are concerned about, that they won't feed your DS until he is crying? At first reading I thought you were saying that you didn't want them to feed your DS when he's crying with hunger and was wondering what on earth else you'd do with a hungry baby LOL!! I guess I should have a coffee before I read posts this early in the morning!!

I know both times we started our girls we got to write down what routine they were in, times, naps, feeds, playtime that sort of thing and they stuck to it for us.

They will try to fit your routine as much as possible, although I did find with Pie tht after a while she started to fall into the same pattern as most of the other kids there. For a while she was doing FDC & LDC, and she would do one thing at FDC, and another at LDC (she was 12 mths when she started LDC).

When I started DS, they asked me what kind of routine he had at the time and got me to write down it all down for them. I have found them to be great, they rocked or patted him to sleep (as that is what I always did - he didn't self settle at the time). He's been going for nearly a year now and I have been really happy with the way it has been going. Best of all, he loves it and loves his carers.

HAHAHA Mantaray :) yes I was a little concerned that Aidan would be put in the Cot and they would only remember to feed him when he cries...I know it sounds silly but being a first time mum I really had no idea how they handled the babies and whether they would be too busy to notice the signs that he is hungry. My DS is like clock work every three hours almost to the minute he is hungry, but I hardly ever let it get to the stage where he is screaming for food, he usually talks through the baby monitor and I hear him babbling away and I realise that he is awake & ready for food. My routine is not too strict and I don't really mind changes made to suit the centre but I just want to make sure he gets his bottle when he needs it and preferably before he gets upset and out of sorts as he then takes ages to settle and doesn't feed well :(

Thanks ladies for re-assuring me, I am a little anxious about putting my darling boy in Childcare but from what you all have told me, he will be well cared for :)

yep when i was working in the nursery section of childcare we did most definatly try and stick with each bubs own routine!

But it also depended on how many days they came! if they were a monday - friday bub than as much as we tried they tended to fit in with the routine of the other bubs and most of them would eat at the same time etc... which of course made life easier for us!
But if u have found a good childcare than they should definatly stick with whatever you ask them to do! i use to have a sheet and had it all written down on - not sure if they do that now or not!

My DS started at an ABC when he was 11 months (so still in the nursery room) and they were great with his routine!! When we first enrolled I had to fill out heaps of stuff about his likes dislikes and routine and they were great with it!! As he has grown and changed routine he has slotted in more with the other kids his age and that has worked fine for us :)

Best of luck to you and your DS, it sure is a very nerve wracking time but I hope you both settle in well :hugs:

my ds2 is starting ABC today....im just worried what kind of routine he will have as his is all over the joint lolbut my ds1 went there all of last year and they were great but he was 3 lol