Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Infant Experts Help!
midaycare 10:06 AM 09-10-2014
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.
Reply
Heidi 10:21 AM 09-10-2014
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.
Reply
SSWonders 10:40 AM 09-10-2014
Does he sleep longer at home? And under the same circumstances or is someone holding him while he sleeps?
Reply
hope 10:42 AM 09-10-2014
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.
Reply
midaycare 10:47 AM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by 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.
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!
Reply
Heidi 10:55 AM 09-10-2014
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?
Reply
midaycare 11:11 AM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by 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?
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.
Reply
Cradle2crayons 11:16 AM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by 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.
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
Reply
midaycare 11:23 AM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by Cradle2crayons:
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...
Reply
TwinKristi 11:25 AM 09-10-2014
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?
Reply
racemom 11:26 AM 09-10-2014
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.
Reply
midaycare 11:33 AM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by 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?
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.
Reply
NightOwl 11:48 AM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
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.
Reply
Heidi 11:54 AM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
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?

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.
Reply
Indoorvoice 12:05 PM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
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!
Reply
midaycare 12:09 PM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by altandra:
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!
Interesting. I don't think I wouldn't go any longer than that anyway without checking on an infant. I'm a little paranoid.
Reply
TwinKristi 12:39 PM 09-10-2014
Wow they don't make it easy on you huh?? How are we supposed to allow children adequate rest time if we're in there every 15 min?? I mean I totally get it in the big picture but why aren't parents mandated to do this?? Babies die at home from SIDS or suffocation way more than at daycare. Granted this is our job and we're paid professionals, I feel it's extreme to check every 15 mins!!
Reply
craftymissbeth 12:49 PM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by TwinKristi:
Wow they don't make it easy on you huh?? How are we supposed to allow children adequate rest time if we're in there every 15 min?? I mean I totally get it in the big picture but why aren't parents mandated to do this?? Babies die at home from SIDS or suffocation way more than at daycare. Granted this is our job and we're paid professionals, I feel it's extreme to check every 15 mins!!
Infants are more likely to die from SIDS at daycare than home... and within the first few days of starting a new daycare.

Our reg is every 15 minutes, also. Monitors don't count. It's really not a big deal unless you have a dck that wakes up with every little sound.

OP, not all providers agree with me, but IME the babies who are rocked or fed to sleep have a tough time with sleep at daycare. It may be normal now to only sleep 30-60 minutes at a time, but before long it won't be normal. A sleep cycle is something like 30-45 minutes (I think that's how long) and I can tell right away when my kids have trouble going back to sleep it's because they need that little something (rocking, bottle, etc.) to get back to sleep.

Mom needs to stop rocking and feeding to sleep.

ETA: apparently the info has changed. 1 in 5 happens while in the care of someone other than a parent
http://www.childcarelouisiana.org/SI...esafesleep.pdf
Reply
melilley 01:18 PM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by altandra:
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!
This is how I read the rule too. I personally don't put infants in a room where I can't see them because I am also paranoid, but once they are 12+ months, they sleep in different rooms. I have one that sleeps in my room, one in the dc room, and the rest in ds' s room. I still check on them regularly though.
Reply
TwinKristi 01:19 PM 09-10-2014
Interesting, I just found an article referencing a lot of that info. Unfortunately it seems to me that suffocation and SIDS prevention are kinda mixed together. A true SIDS death can occur even when every precaution is taken and "risk" is avoided. Suffocation can be prevented.

I found that my state doesn't have any laws mandating safe sleep solutions, just recommendations. Centers have more regulations for infants but small home daycares don't.
Reply
Heidi 01:54 PM 09-10-2014
Originally Posted by TwinKristi:
Interesting, I just found an article referencing a lot of that info. Unfortunately it seems to me that suffocation and SIDS prevention are kinda mixed together. A true SIDS death can occur even when every precaution is taken and "risk" is avoided. Suffocation can be prevented.

I found that my state doesn't have any laws mandating safe sleep solutions, just recommendations. Centers have more regulations for infants but small home daycares don't.


My state does have safe sleep regs, but fortunately for me, they don't include sleeping-in-the-same-room.

My practice is to keep them in the main room/living room until it becomes a problem for them, usually at around 3-4 months. After that, they go in to the nearest bedroom so I can do more frequent checks. Once they are rolling over, I stop checking unless I'm worried; like if they have a bad cold, etc.
Reply
Reply Up