Moving wake up time and day care transition Q's

[raynes]

Well, I've got a huge weight off my shoulders, we registered with a DCP yesterday! She's super nicer really close and exactly in our budget, and, she has great hours.

So now I need to figure out how to get this kid up earlier. Lately he's been content to snooze in his crib until 9-9:30 (waking up a million times in the MOTN must be tiring) but I'm going to have to drop him off at 7am to get to work on time.

I've got a month to get this sorted, should I do it gradually or just rip off the proverbial bandaid and just make the change?

Next question, for those that have started/are starting their LO's at DC when they're older, what did you do? Our DCP doesn't have a normal routine for introducing kids, she's leaving it up to us.

[rxbeth]

The whole waking up thing is going to be like a bandaid for us. Madison starts daycare on Monday.

Normally she would wake right around 8am but today she decided 7am was appropriate so maybe she knows? lol. For us because we aren't going to have to get her up that much earlier, we are just going to go with the flow. Her drop off will be between 7:15 and 8am usually but will vary in that range based on my schedule. I'm thinking we will start waking her at 6:30 or so. We will just need to nurse her, dress her and get her out the door.

If I were in your shoes (time to adjust, making a DRAMATIC change in wake up time AND a shitty sleeper), I would try to start getting him up earlier. Perhaps get him up 15 minutes earlier every day and, in turn, put him down 15 minutes earlier, too?

I did go with her a few times and hung out for an hour or so. Then last Friday I dropped her off for the whole day. She did well. They said she just got upset when all the babies were loud at the same time. She is very sound sensitive.

[Regina Philange]

Earlier bedtime? I don't know! I will have the some problem in September. That is when he starts daycare.

[raynes]

He usually wakes around 5:30-6:30 to nurse, so H thinks I should just keep him up then, but then I'm going to miss out on that sleep. Boooo. Don't wanna.

[browneyedhunni85]

We have to leave the house by 7:00 every morning. He is usually in bed each night no later than 7:30. He will get use to the early wake up and get on a schedule. It will take a few weeks.

[Deleted]

I would start like the week before transitioning him. Start waking him at 8:30, then 8, etc.

You might notice he sleeps better at night if you wake him early and he's at daycare all day. When my LO was in daycare she slept 12-13 hours a night. Now, she's at 11 at night that I'm home with her.

[katie]

I'm not sure how to do it but I agree with Lindy about sleeping better once starting DC. L doesn't STTN every night but she comes home exhausted, so that maybe a good thing!

[skiesthelimit]

X started DC when he was 9 1/2 months. Our plan was to start him 3 days a week for 2 hours a day but that didn't work out. He was so used to being home with DH and I in a really quiet home. DC was very loud and there were a lot of kids running around. He was scared at first and would cry. She asked us if we could bring him 5 days a week instead, she thought that he needed to be there more regularly to get used of the chaos. So we ended up bringing him 3 days that first week for 2 hours a day and we started 5 days a week the 2nd week. Everytime we went to pick him up at the 2 hour mark he was sleeping, so she asked that we leave him for 4 hours so he could get used to napping there. So the second week we sent him 5 days a week for 4 hours a day. We did that for a few weeks. Then we did 2 weeks of 6hours/day and 2 weeks of 8hours/day and now he goes FT (750am-430pm).

As for waking him up, we didn't until he had to start FT (when DH went back to work). He was normally up around 730 and I had to wake him up at 7 that first day, he was fine with it. I woke him up by rubbing his back and then would bring him to my room to nurse him. Once he was done nursing he would "wake up" and be happy. If I tried to get him dressed before nursing him he would cry and whine and keep his eyes closed. So now I just keep him in his sleep sack and everything until he's done nursing. He just needs that extra time to wake up. He adjusted fairly quickly and now wakes up on his own aroud 7. He also started going to bed earlier once he started DC full time. Most nights he goes to bed at 6:30. Before DC it was more like 730-8.

I'm so happy you found a good DCP! I hope going back to work will be a smooth transition for you. Babies adapt so easily so I'm sure your little man will be fine.

[laurack]

What is his bedtime now?

[spaghetticat]

I'm glad you found someone you like!

Since you have a month, you could probably try adjusting bedtime in like 10 minute increments. Or if you just do the band-aid approach, I'm sure he will adjust. Good luck!

[sunshineluv]

I vote strongly for band aid. He is going to be so worn out from daycare that first few weeks he will go to bed early and adjust himself. No need to make either of you miss any sleep before hand.

[raynes]

Apr 10, 2013 12:32:26 GMT -5 laurack said:

What is his bedtime now?

Bedtime right now is usually between 8-8:30.

[raynes]

Apr 10, 2013 14:36:31 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

I vote strongly for band aid. He is going to be so worn out from daycare that first few weeks he will go to bed early and adjust himself. No need to make either of you miss any sleep before hand.

I think I like this. Ha. Maybe start the week before I go back so I'm used to it too.

[sunshineluv]

Apr 10, 2013 14:47:53 GMT -5 raynes said:

Apr 10, 2013 14:36:31 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

I vote strongly for band aid. He is going to be so worn out from daycare that first few weeks he will go to bed early and adjust himself. No need to make either of you miss any sleep before hand.

I think I like this. Ha. Maybe start the week before I go back so I'm used to it too.

Haha, yes you may need an adjustment period :-). 

[creamsiclechica]

I don't have any advice really, I just wanted to say I'm super excited that you found someone you're comfortable with, that has to be a huge relief! best of luck, and maybe this will be the magical key to Owen STTN! I have my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed for you that it's the case!

[laurack]

hmm thats not a very late bedtime. I guess he's in bed a long time then!

hey maybe being forced to get up earlier will reduce his night wakings?

[shevacc]

Apr 10, 2013 14:36:31 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

I vote strongly for band aid. He is going to be so worn out from daycare that first few weeks he will go to bed early and adjust himself. No need to make either of you miss any sleep before hand.

I agree with this too. When we traveled across the country to visit my parents it only took G a day or two to adjust to a 3 hour time change each time. I think the slow approach will just drag it out and be more work for you.

I also think that his sleep needs will adjust once he's in daycare. All the noise and stimulation of other kids will probably tire him out so that even if you slowly adjusted his bedtime/wakeup times, he may need to readjust them.

Finally, G is transitioning from the infant room to the Waddler/Toddler room at her daycare and they do it by sending her over to play in the toddler room for a few hours a day for a week, then a few hours twice a day for a week (this week), then full-time. So if you want to do a slow transition into daycare I like the 5 days a week for a few hours method, at least it's working great for G.

[laurack]

I'd also lean towards band aid because well you've got a month, a whole month more to sleep in! I'd just put it off til the last minute, that's how I roll...

[jaime183]

Bandaid.
And then wake him up at the last possible second. Let them feed him breakfast. It's so much easier to get packed up if he's still asleep!

[raynes]

Yeah, I have no idea why he wants to stay in bed for so long. The last bit in the morning is often light dozing, but I get to keep sleeping.

Thanks for the advice ladies. I guess bandaid it is!

And yeah, here's hoping that this transition helps make something click sleep-wise!

[teamhayes]

I would just wake him up when you are ready to go and get him changed and in the car.

K doesn't go to dc until 2pm but I leave for work at 5 and we only have 1 car so dh needs to wake up K so they can drop me off. Vice versa I need to wake K up at 12:30am so we can go pick up dh. He just goes right back to bed both times so maybe your lo will go back to bed when he gets to dc. Maybe bring him in his pajamas and have them change him when he wakes up.

Good luck! He is going to love playing with his new little friends so much. Maybe drop him off for a few hrs the week before or go there with him a few days and play alongside him to get him used to the place and the other kids.