Child Care and Sleeping

Hi All,

I'm going to be putting my DS into childcare when he is 5 months old for 2dpw in a couple of months. We're currently trying to (gently) teach him to self settle, although since we're not willing to let him cry it out we do sometimes have to rock or at least pat him to help him to get to sleep.

I'm not sure by how much this will improve in 2 months, hopefully a lot, but I'm concerned about what is going to happen when he moves into child care? Does anyone know if the child care workers are likely to help him to sleep like we do (if he needs it), or just let him cry it out?

in our centre, the staff will pat them to sleep, or sit with them. When Pip was younger, they'd rock him to sleep if they had time (which they mostly did!)

It's a question to ask your provider.

I think the staff at our Childcare centre pat them to sleep aswell, My daughter has started patting my back when I'm lieing down...lol. Both my kids started when they were 2 and both self settled by then so I don't know what happens with the babies.

I worked in the babies room in CC for many years and we always rocked/patted a child to sleep of they would not self settle, the only time we would let a baby cry in bed was if we had strict instructions from parents because they were trying the controlled crying/sleep school thing. Speak to the centres director and ask them about there policies of babies and crying/sleeping however I do not think you will have any problems, plus the staff love to cuddle the babies to sleep it they can, it is a lovely treat!

Also, you will find that your babies sleeping pattern will change alot over the next couple of months, well my DD's have anyway and they are still changing now I think!

Good Luck.

DD has never been patted to sleep at home but at Childcare they patted her to sleep. They will generally do what they have to do to get the babies to sleep which includes patting, rocking etc. The carers like all the babies to sleep and a crying baby will keep the others awake so they don't tend to let them cry.

Have a chat to them Tanyah, but I really think they'd just do what you normally do.
At Natty's CCC, they often pat her to sleep. They've never said anything negative about her not self-settling (though she may do sometimes... I'm not sure) and have just acted like it's normal for her to need some help.
I am sure that they'd be happy to help a little baby of 5 months to sleep. And at our CCC when they are still babies they endevour to follow the sleep pattern that you follow at home.

Yup i agree with everyone else. We had DS in there from when he was 9 months and they were patting him to sleep (which was a habit we didn't want to get into!!!) cos we didnt' do it at home!!!!

But they don't pat him at his new day care now - he just goes to sleep on his own - same as what he does at home. We sit with him, but don't need to pat...

I don't think they like babies screaming at all - its awful to hear it!!!

When I worked in child care we would sit with the children who needed help to sleep. We would pat their backs or rub their heads. We also made sure to use any settling techniques as requested my parents. I would suggest speaking to the centre about what their policy is.

Our CC tries to do what we do at home and after we were on a 8 week holiday DD got used to napping with me or DH in the afternoon.. Of course they can't do that, so it took about 3 weeks to get her into a habit of feeding to sleep.. Unfortunately my DD is shocking daytime sleeperand won't self settle, but they also have a few tricks.. As long as you let them know if there is anything you don't want them to do, there shouldn't be a problem.. And as for letting them cry it out, they are normally too scared of the crying bub waking the others.. :)

Most CCC will pat to sleep or whatever helps unless told otherwise from what I've known...I had to leave strict instructions not to pat DS to sleep as this is not what we do at home. But if it is, then yes they will. Now he's on a mattress they will sit next to him so he doesn't get up, though that still annoys me a little as I dont want that habit either.

Thanks for posting this question!

I am not planning on putting Ds in childcare ant time soon but in the future I wouldn't mind having a day to myself once in a while.Being a co-sleeper I was so scared they would just let him cry himself to sleep.

The many day care options may seem overwhelming at first. But by taking a systematic approach to choosing child care, you?ll be doing your best to ensure that your precious little one will be in good hands.
1.prepare a list of good child care providers
2.ensure all of them have proper registration
3.discuss with others before taking a decision
and keep your baby in safe hands.