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Napping Infant at Daycare

  • 1.  Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-22-2020 12:12 PM
    I have an infant who is in a program who has been in the program for a month and a half. She is the first baby for mom and dad. Mom and Dad hold her when she falls asleep and also sleeps with her at night. Whenever she sleeps at home it is in the arms of Mom and Dad. Since she has started at the program she is unable to sleep without being held. This is difficult because we want the baby to be able to sleep but also have other infants o get to care for and are unble to hold her for long periods of time for her to get a proper nap. We have tried to discuss the importance of joining home and daycare napping routines like trying to not hold during napping at home. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas, experience, or advice for this situation. 

    Thank you so much!

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    Ashleigh Goldberg

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  • 2.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-23-2020 11:31 AM
    I am not an infant teacher, but I can share what the lead infant teacher at my center says. She says that any parent, especially one who may be feeling guilt about leaving an infant at childcare, will be resistant to anything that feels like diminishes the intimacy between their child and them - like not holding their baby while their baby sleeps.  Or if they're tired when they come home from work, they will be resistant to things that make bedtime stressful. They might tell you they tried it, but ... what I've seen her successfully do is gradually teach the infant to self soothe, to be comfortable not being held by introducing them to the positive sensory experiences in the world. Do they like singing, or having their back scratched, or their ear lobes rubbed? Do they like the sound machine of a heart beat? Infants will sometimes learn that they can fall asleep in arms with this person and not with this person, although this isn't always the case. I hope this helps.

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    Casey Lalonde
    Director
    The Evergreen State College
    Olympia WA
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  • 3.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-23-2020 12:07 PM
    Hello,

    I have found that sound machines work wonders.  We supply some for the infant classrooms, but sometimes parents like to supply their own.  This can be helpful because the sounds are familiar to the infant and helps to soothe them to sleep.  I have also found that the first few weeks in an infant program can be hard because babies will be overstimulated by all of the sights and sounds, but babies are also very resilient and adaptable.  If we as caregivers stick to a consistent routine at the center the baby will adapt and learn when it is rest/sleep time.  The teachers should remind parents that infants are very resilient and adaptable and will eventually create their own routine.  Communication is key. Letting parents know when baby slept, how long, and how they fell asleep also establishes trust between parent and caregiver.  If all else fails sometimes a little holding and patting tummies never hurt anyone.

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    Alicia Anderson
    Assistant Director
    Bright Horizons Family Solutions
    Allen TX
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  • 4.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-24-2020 07:16 AM
    Hi Ashleigh,

    As an infant primary teacher, I had to relearn different strategies due to covid19 and what fascinates me is brain development. We have to remember this infant has only been in one environment with two adults which are their parents and that was their world. Now all of a sudden their world has changed into another environment with other adults different from what they know, and on top of that they have new different feelings probably for the first time. It's important to give them the words they need since they are not able to communicate. Talking to the infant while acknowledging their feelings, using facial expressions,  soft tone of voice and giving them the words they need.  This helps them put together the words with their feelings in their brain for later recollection.

    We ourselves had to adapt to our new environment (our world) which has changed.  We, that have the words and emotions had probably a difficult time, so imagine infants that don't have the words yet.

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    Laura Silva
    Infant Primary Teacher
    ECYC
    Elizabeth NJ
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  • 5.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-24-2020 02:01 PM

    Hello Ashleigh,
    This is what we do in the infant room. We put the baby's crib as far away from the other infants. We let them cry longer if they are older than 6 months. The teacher just has to make sure that she aknowledges the infant every so often with a gentle tone of voice. She also picks up the baby just for a few seconds and affirms the baby by saying things like " I know it's hard, I am sorry, I will be here to protect you" but then you put the baby right back into the crib. You can go back and forth using different ways to let the baby know " i hear you, i am here for you" without having to keep the baby on your arms. You have to be consistent and it is a very hard process. What we explain to the parents is that unfortunately their baby is goig to cry until baby is able to learn the routines and is able to self regulate. The way we put it to the parents is that, it is hard for the infant teacher to have to carry all the infants at the same time when they cry. And if the infant continues to have difficulty adjusting, they have to withdraw them from our program since it does not help the rest of the infants. We encourge parents to find a private care taker, especially if they are younger than 6 months old and can not adjust to being in a preschool setting. Hopefully this helps.



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    [Sandra] R
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  • 6.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-24-2020 04:10 PM
    If parents are asking for their child to be held then they will need to hire a nanny who stays in their home.  They must realize it is not realistic for an educator to sit and hold one infant while he/she sleeps.  This would be neglectful of the others.

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    Deandra Wimberley
    Le Bonheur Comm Health & Well-Being
    Memphis TN
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  • 7.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-25-2020 04:40 PM
    That is why when I had my own babies. I stayed with them for the first year. I used to carry them around all the time. I was not expecting anyone to do the same. Not my family members, not my friends. Only me and my husband. Then, we prepared them to go to a preschool setting. I did not expect the teachers to carry them a lot. It is a great plus but that was not my expectation. I agree. Teachers have more than one baby to care for.

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    [Sandra] R
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  • 8.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-25-2020 07:05 AM
    I have a family program, about  25 yrs experience. Every baby and family is different and respecting the needs of each child and their culture is important. Working alone, I only take 1 fulltime infant in a group with 1-2 toddlers and 2-5 older kids(Wisconsin licenses is 8. ) it can be difficult if a baby always sleeps on a person, but remember that a babyused to be physically part of its mother and is slowly seperating into an independent being. For the 1st 9 months they were carried within the body. It is not unreasonable to believe that the next 9 months should be spent close to the parent, gradually learning to seperate. Some babies are always held traditionally, for much of the day. A smaller infant can be carried in a sling or wrap for much of the day. It is easier to teach independence first while they are awake and comfortable. Then gradually work on the sleeping once confidence is established. The sleeping child can be eased down to the bed slowly, held close to your body and will eventually learn that this sleeping environment is safe. It will be difficult and not always work with some, but this baby's infancy is such a short time in their life. We can give them what they need until they are ready to be more independent. When they are a little older they do learn.

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    Emily Hefko
    The Tree House Family Child Care
    Pardeeville WI
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  • 9.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-27-2020 05:17 AM

    Hi Ashleigh!

    Presently I am the assistant director at the Landstuhl Youth Center in Germany but previously was a teacher, lead teacher and supervisor. I had that experience as a lead teach in the infant room and after much research in attachment theory I came to the conclusion that continuity of care is essential. When the parent is unable to carry the child because they are at work, we as caregivers have to stand in the gap for them in the development of their children. So in order for me to do this I would seek assistance from volunteer moms, any one else, that would be willing to come in and help. Maybe someone on break that you would talk to ahead of time. I am an advocate for infant attachment and interaction is imperative in that critical moment of birth to 1 year. Make life easier for yourself and the infant. The book, Ghost in the nursery: Tracing the roots of violence by Kart-Morse & Wiley, shook me to the core. In my opinion, the most important caregiver is the infant caregiver. I commend you for reaching out for help. Please, please, love those infant! 


    Pastor Harry Rodriguez Jr



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    Harry Rodriguez Jr
    APO AE
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  • 10.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-28-2020 04:01 PM
    I think as a early childhood educators, we are fully aware of the importance of holding infants to help them with their early development. I will not doubt that if you are in this career, it is because of the fact that you love what you do. 

    I think what Ashleigh is presenting is a realistic situation. In the perfect world, I will be carrying infants all day, because i love babies. But in the real world, these scenarios are not equipped of all the support that some people are expressing. You have to look at the environment, population, economics, etcetera. I do know that letting babies cry does not cause any damage as long as the infant is older than 6 months and as long as you remain engaged with the infant throughout. You are able to remain engaged by talking to the infant, rubbing her-his back or any part of the body that is showing aknowledgment by the caregiver. It is a great idea to get volunteers and any extra help. This method is not always available to the preschool teachers. The average scenario that i have witnessed in the years as an early childhood educator is more like this. Infant teacher with 4 infants to care for. Very little help available because the other teachers are dealing with their own children. Before i became a director i was a preschool teacher in different classrooms. For years i was the preschool teacher and I had 15 children by myself that were 3yrs old. Some of them were not potty trained so i had to figure out how to bring my entire class to the bathroom to change diapers. I had to sing and make silly faces to keep the rest of the children sitting and engaged. Was i happy with this scenario? no, Did I love my children? Absolutely. My love and devotion to those children was never in question. But i had to figure it out. I do not advocate being neglectful. I do advocate for all children. But if you are dealing with a crying infant all day and the parents keep holding the infant at home 24-7 and not helping the situation, then you should kindly ask the parents to get a private sitter. I have witnessed these kinds of scenarios too. And believe me. It is absolutely frustrating to have an infant constantly crying as much as you love children. If the infant keeps on crying then you do not only have one, but more likely 4 or 3 depending on your ratio. I always tell the parents. Our main goal is the welbeing of your child, therefore we must work together, if this does not happen, then I give them information on other centers. I do not want to put any of my teachers in a situation that i myself would not be able to handle.



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    [Sandra] R
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  • 11.  RE: Napping Infant at Daycare

    Posted 06-29-2020 09:31 AM
    Tronic began studying infant attachment starting in 1972. The issue is bigger than most early childhood educators understand. Newborns need constant attention their first weeks of life. How primary caregivers attend to them can make severe differences throughout the infant's life. They need to be related to--allowed to manipulate their caregiver with their wiggles and giggles.They will sleep when they're comfortable, have developed a secure attachment, not an anxious one. The best solution to thus crucial need is to give mother's at least six months off from work. The best we can do now is get as much trained help for infants as we can.

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    Jack Wright
    Child Development Consultant
    Success With Children
    St Ignatius MT
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