How many naps are needed per day? - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

Tinkerbelle1 · 10-05-2007, 06:44 PM

Am I being a paranoid mother? My DS will be 12 months next week and he goes to daycare 5 days a week. Once a child is 12 months and walking they move him to the next level. This means he will only get one nap per day. He’s used to two naps, but they are doing everything the can to keep him awake until the designated time in preparation for the move. He doesn’t seem as happy when I pick him up at the end of the day. I believe it’s because he’s so tired. Twice he appeared to have dark circles under her eyes, although I didn’t notice the circles today. They are letting him take 1 three hour nap. I’m worried that he’s not getting enough sleep. Does anyone have an opinion? He just doesn’t seem to be himself lately.

xinerevelle · 10-05-2007, 07:23 PM

Time to look for a new daycare provider???

I agree that some kids just need more sleep during the day, or at least need it in different increments than others do. For example, my 10 month old takes 2-3 naps a day, never for more than 1.5 hours at a time, and usually for only 30-40 minutes. She would not be very happy in the daycare situation you describe.

Does he HAVE to move to the next level just because he has a birthday, or do they care more about a child's development progress? I would want a daycare provider that looked at more than age when evaluating where my child is placed and how he interacts throughout the day.

Good luck!

Brooke85 · 10-06-2007, 09:38 PM

The same thing happened to my daughter at that age. She is one of those babies that sleeps A LOT and she had been getting 2 naps a day as well. At the daycare she only got 1 2 hr. nap at the time THEY chose, which wasn't her nomral naptime, so at first she wouldn't even go to sleep during the naptime and she was EXTREMELY cranky when I picked her up as she'd had NO nap. Then the state nurse came in there to evaluate the progress of the children (a normal routine thing they do here which I had consented to), and they tried to tell me my daughter was behind because she wouldn't say any words or copy any hand motions...or pretty much do anything. Well long story short, they were concerned and did an evaluation in my home to check again and she was her GREAT normal self and doing everything she should have been at her age. I told the daycare the reason for them thinking she was behind was that she didn't get the sleep she needed, and she is an absolute monster & won't do anything if she doesn't get sleep (just like me, hehe).

I wonder if you could ask the daycare if he can make his own sleep schedule? Is he the kind of baby where he'll go until he drops or does he go to sleep when you put him down? I hope things start to work out for you, it is a hard time transitioning with sleep. My daughter started taking 1 long nap at 15 months old, so it does take awhile, but hopefully he'll get used to it.

Hope2Heal · 10-07-2007, 09:44 AM

HI

NOt only is my son in daycare (the one year old class just moved up from infant 2) but I work there as well. I teach PRe-K aND LOVE IT. However I have worked in daycare centers for many years and unfortunatley that is the way most centers do it. I think there needs to be a huge change in the way daycare centers are run. I have met a few people along the way who opened centers and tried to do it different and better but in the end, money and state liscencing rules make the decisions. I just had a huge fight with the director about the fact that all the toddlers have to eat what is on the school menu, many foods I feel are unhealthy, processed and not appropriate for one year olds. She said I had to and it was a liscencing rule. Well I kept fighting about it and my doctor said he would provide a doctor note because he agrees with me. I spoke with the teachers who said no problem they will feed him whatever I bring and not to worry.

Anyway as to your issue with naps I empathize. I went through this when we started back at daycare after taking the summer off. My baby was taking 2 naps (he is now 13 months and takes one) a day and his first nap was around 10-10:30. They weren't putting him down until after lunch around 12 and sometimes he wouldn't fall asleep until an hour later due to being over tired. Thank god I work in the center, I would pop in there during my break and rub his back until he fell asleep. Believe me the teachers did not like me checking up on him (on them as they saw it) so much but oh well. Try and do just one nap a day at home to get him in the habit. Make sure your baby is getting a good nights sleep every night if he is sleeping 10-12 hours a night he really doesn't need more than one long nap a day. I put my son to bed a 6:30-7 on school nights and he sleeps until 6:30 AM.

It cracks me up that my son is in one of the higher end daycares in the area I could not afford to send hiim there if I didn't work there and get a discount. This is a school where the wealthiest in the area send their kids. To me it is just another run of the mill daycare with nothing special about it.
The State needs to lower ratios (toddlers ratio is one:eight) in my state. That means there can be 16 one year olds with 2 teachers. CRAZY!

ANyway I can go on and on and vent about my opinions on daycare but will stop here.

I hope you can work this situation out. Try and talk with the teachers and be very proactive in how they handle your child. Remember YOU are the paying parent and they should cater to you as much as possilbe.

Tinkerbelle1 · 10-07-2007, 07:04 PM

Thanks everyone. Your words and advice help. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that has dealt with this. One of you mentioned the menu and I have to agree. I'm often concerned and rather surprised at the unhealthy things they feed the kids. DS is really on his own schedule with naps. He lets us know when he's ready and we put him down. I'll talk to the doc this week and take it from there. Thanks again!