We are talking daycare with our resident expert, Ensley Nesbitt. Did you know, in addition to being a new twin mama and amazing sleep consultant, she also owns a nursery school in Roswell, GA? She is truly a supermom!!

Whether it's your baby's first time heading to daycare or just first time back in awhile, the transition can feel overwhelming and stressful. Here are 4 tips to help your baby start daycare smoothly!

1: Talk to the daycare a few weeks before starting to know what they can and can not accommodate. For example, sleep sacks, noise machines, a chance for baby to self soothe, and putting him/herself to sleep.

2: Be open and honest with the teachers about your sleep goals. Share your schedule,
sleep plan, and what soothing techniques work best for your baby.

3: If your baby is used to nursing throughout the day, do some trial runs with days of just bottles. This will help determine how many ounces per bottle to send to daycare, if he/she is drinking at appropriate rate and if the nipple size is appropriate. There will be lots of distractions at daycare so testing these things out will help your baby be a more efficient eater which will also help with sleep.

4: Have realistic expectations. Most daycares are juggling a lot and your baby’s sleep may suffer. Make up missed sleep with cat naps and early bedtimes. On the weekends, allow your baby time to sleep in an ideal environment and make up the sleep debt they accrued during the week.

One thing that we know to be true, naps are going to be trickier at daycare, especially in the infant rooms. It’s a part of life! Talk to your teachers about what you’d like your baby’s day to look like and continue to keep that communication open as the weeks go on. See what they can and cannot do regarding sleep and help work together to build a plan! And always, use an early bedtime to compensate for any sleep they missed during the day.

More questions about daycare? Email us today to set up your free 15 minute phone call and learn about how Sleep Baby can help!