Yes. I am... in New Jersey.


The state only likes to come in when I'm trying to get the littlest ones down for morning naps (around 10am). Figures. First time they came about a month and a half ago, they got mad at me because one tiny little boy was on his stomach. They didn't believe that someone that small could roll over on his own (he can actually sit up, go from crawling to sitting, and even pull himself up- he just turned 7 months). I DID put him down on his back, but if he wants to roll over and sleep on his stomach, then I'm not going to stop him. (Unfortunately, he was half asleep when I flipped him back onto his back even though I know that once they can get in and out of that position, it's fine to leave them- I just did it to appease the state inspector. Naturally, he screamed his head off, and was so distressed, he didn't flip himself back over). There were also blankets in cribs because there were kids other teachers had put to bed with blankets- even though they were too young. (They also like to drape blankets over the crib bars to "block the light." I kind of understand their logic, but it also means that we can't see through the crib bars when looking over to check on the children).

Second time the state came, I was trying to get 4 under 8 months down for morning naps. Only cribs with blankets were for the children over 1. Other teachers put the infants down with blankets, and I usually don't touch them because I'll get yelled at for waking the kids, but I will remove EVERYTHING before placing a child in a crib if s/he is under 12 months. I don't care that DCB's dad requests we put some terrycloth towel under him when he sleeps, or that DCG supposedly can't sleep without her blanket. The only thing I WILL use is a sleep sack if the child has one.

We provide sheets and blankets at my job, but some parents prefer to bring their own sheet/blanket. The excuse for not using sleep sacks is because parents don't bring them, but I honestly don't think any of the parents have been told: "Due to Safe Sleep and New Jersey licensing requirements, children under 12 months cannot have any stuffed animals or blankets in their cribs. If you would like, you can bring in a sleep sack for your child, but s/he cannot use his/her blanket in the crib."

We do have one child, around 16 months old, who has two sleep sacks in his crib. Both are for 0-6 months, so he's too big for them. Occasionally, we have used them for two of the younger babies (I didn't realize they belonged to this particular child since he was much too big for them, and I can't keep track of which blankets belong to the school and which ones belong to the daycare since nothing is labeled properly). I will place the child INSIDE the sleep sack and zip them into it properly. Other teachers, lay it over them like it's a blanket- which completely defeats the purpose of it.

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