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View Full Version : Opinions please, babys sleeping arrangement



natlou82
18-08-2014, 09:14 PM
Tonight a parent questioned baby's sleeping arrangement, as baby sleeps much less for me than at home. The set up is a travel cot in the lounge area (I have a separate playroom) I close the curtains and have the door slightly ajar for easy checking. Mum was concerned that the mattress may not be comfortable enough and asked if I had something softer I could put in! I felt a bit put out by this as I don't really know what she expected. I explained that she may be more disturbed by the noise of the other children than the quietness of home. I do tell the other children to use inside voices and to be generally a little quieter when baby's are sleeping but I don't expect them to whisper or tiptoe. She has asked if we could trial upstairs for sleeping and I'm unsure how I feel about this as I haven't registered upstairs as I wanted to keep part of my home private. I think she may sleep better when school starts back as in the day I will only have 2 children. I'm just interested in how others would handle this.

Vikki5531
18-08-2014, 09:33 PM
Tonight a parent questioned baby's sleeping arrangement, as baby sleeps much less for me than at home. The set up is a travel cot in the lounge area (I have a separate playroom) I close the curtains and have the door slightly ajar for easy checking. Mum was concerned that the mattress may not be comfortable enough and asked if I had something softer I could put in! I felt a bit put out by this as I don't really know what she expected. I explained that she may be more disturbed by the noise of the other children than the quietness of home. I do tell the other children to use inside voices and to be generally a little quieter when baby's are sleeping but I don't expect them to whisper or tiptoe. She has asked if we could trial upstairs for sleeping and I'm unsure how I feel about this as I haven't registered upstairs as I wanted to keep part of my home private. I think she may sleep better when school starts back as in the day I will only have 2 children. I'm just interested in how others would handle this.

I've got a 9 month old mindee (only had him for 3 weeks), and I put him in the travel cot upstairs, but he still doesn't sleep as much as he does at home.

When I have him towards the end of the week, I also have 3 school kids plus my own DD, so there is a lot going on, and like you, I tell them to use quiet voices indoors but it doesn't always happen! I'm also hoping it will be better once school term starts!

I've been wondering if it's comfortable for him in the travel cot as the mattresses are quite flimsy and I was thinking of maybe getting a better one.

Be interesting to hear advice from other members on this :)

natlou82
18-08-2014, 09:45 PM
Hmmm, thanks that's interesting. I'm not sure where I would purchase a better mattress which would be the right size?!? Tbh the more I think about it I'm very reluctant to extend my registration to upstairs as my husband works shifts so sometimes he's asleep up there or he may just be up there chilling out of the way, and I believe he should be entitled to this privacy. Also my own son is nearly 9 and he is also going to want a private space even more as he gets older.

greanan
19-08-2014, 05:56 AM
Use fleece blankets on ton of mattress and under the fitted sheet. Makes it a lot more comfier x

sing-low
19-08-2014, 06:31 AM
Don't feel pressured into using upstairs if you don't want to. It's your house, your decision. I like greanan's idea about the blanket. If Mum is still wanting upstairs, you

Is the lack of sleep at yours causing other problems with sleep? Baby not sleeping at night? I assume this is still a relatively new arrangement. Mum may just need some reassurance that different sleep patterns at different places are to be expected. I'd also double check his sleep routine at home. I had a LO who suddenly started sleeping less with me than he had been and then mum remembered that he was sleeping with a cuddly toy at home. Once she started bringing it for him, he started sleeping better again.

If you think the little one needs more sleep than they are getting then could you try playing some white noise at the point they usually wake up to try and see if they'll sleep longer?

sing-low
19-08-2014, 06:34 AM
BTW, I love your avatar. My little sister had a Rainbow Bright.

natlou82
19-08-2014, 06:59 AM
Thanks, rainbow bright was my favourite as a child :-) I like the blanket idea x tbh when LO started she had no routine and mum just left me to my own devices, I've worked hard to establish a routine while she is here and now mum has decided that she has a set sleep routine!

AliceK
19-08-2014, 07:00 AM
I agree with Sing-Low, children usually have different sleep patterns with us than they do at home. How do you feel about the LO, do you think they need more sleep or are they happy and thriving on the amount of sleep they are getting with you? It could also be that this LO is just getting used to the noise when they are at yours. At home they are probably in silence but having noise is to be expected when a child is in any kind of childcare and in my experience they get used to it. I am always amazed at what the children here will sleep through lol. Depending on what your feelings are about this LO's sleep would depend on what I would do next.

xxx

natlou82
19-08-2014, 07:02 AM
She was also having a late bedtime which I can only assume has to be brought forward after her shorter sleeps here x

Maza
19-08-2014, 07:10 AM
Are the sleeps much shorter at yours? As AliceK said - do you think baby is happy with the amount of sleep she gets at yours? If you have not registered upstairs then I wouldn't use it. Babies also get used to sleeping in different places for naps - if she was at nursery she would get used to sleeping on a mat on the floor. Does she wake up after a similar amount of sleep each day or does she sleep for random amounts so therefore something could be waking her? x

natlou82
19-08-2014, 07:12 AM
She seems content with the amount of sleep she is having, if she seemed tired or unsettled I would try and encourage a further nap but she's been really happy playing.

natlou82
19-08-2014, 07:17 AM
She has 45 mins in morn and an hr in the afternoon, this has been fairly consistent here even when the older children were at school, she's 11 months old.

Mouse
19-08-2014, 07:23 AM
I would explain to mum about the advantages of lo sleeping in different places. What if they go on holiday, or to visit people? It's going to be no good if lo will only sleep in a proper cot, upstairs in a quiet room. It's so much better that she's getting used to sleeping in a different cot, in a different environment.

Does she settle easily when you put her for a sleep, does she seem comfortable while she's asleep and does she wake up happily? If the answer is yes, I'd carry on doing what you're doing. Tell mum you're not going to put her upstairs to sleep, but that you will try to make the mattress more comfortable. I'd be worried about putting blankets under the sheet in case baby gets too hot, but you can buy mattress toppers for travel cots, so would look at getting one of those.

AliceK
19-08-2014, 07:24 AM
It sounds like a reasonable amount of sleep and if you feel it is enough for her then it is obviously mum worrying just because her DD is not doing the same as she would at home. Is she an only child? It might be worth you chatting to mum and trying to explain to her that children will usually have different sleep routines when in a different environment and that in your opinion she is happy and thriving on the amount of sleep she is getting. Let mum know that upstairs is not for work use (you don't need to explain why) and maybe if mum still seems worried then advise her that you will see what you can do to try and see if LO can have a longer sleep but don't commit to anything.

xxx

shortstuff
19-08-2014, 07:55 AM
Im the same as greenann I put a fleece blanket over the mattress. I have a lo who started with me at 8 months is now 14 months and most days he will sleep for 2ish hours a day but thursday its just me and him so he has a mammoth 3 hours straight. He is great either way and lots of fun.

natlou82
19-08-2014, 08:56 AM
Great advice as always :-). I tried to ring mum but her phone was off so I have txt her that I'm not going to offer sleeping upstairs but will consider ways of making the mattress more comfortable. I try so hard to keep routines as close to home but I think she needs to be aware that there will be differences in a childcare setting :-)

Jiorjiina
19-08-2014, 02:41 PM
I've always used just the mattress and sheet with the travel cots, and none of my mindees have had a problem sleeping. Just remind parents that babies and toddlers can fall asleep while dangling off a sofa, flat on their face with their bum in the air, on a rocking animal, while scooting a cosy coupe and any other position that an adult would probably find really uncomfortable, so flat on their back, on a firm and secure surface is nothing! ;)

Travel cot mattresses are also easier to properly clean, which is really important.

If you haven't registered the upstairs for childminding, then I wouldn't use it to let the baby sleep. Also surely that makes it harder for you to monitor them properly?

blue bear
19-08-2014, 02:52 PM
Have you tried outdoor sleeping, mine all sleep so much better outside.

loocyloo
19-08-2014, 02:53 PM
Have you tried outdoor sleeping, mine all sleep so much better outside.

My babes all sleep outside too .. In lay flat buggies.

natlou82
19-08-2014, 04:52 PM
Tbh all of my older children spend most of their time outside so it's probably even noisier. She doesn't really like the idea if sleep in a pushchair either, but understands that will be the case if we're out and about. I'm still waiting for her to respond to my text. The hardest part of this job is I am a people pleaser and usually go out of my way to do things for others and to avoid conflict, with the help of this forum I'm learning that it is not always the best idea, and I'm glad I've been firm about upstairs not being used :-)

Koala
20-08-2014, 10:48 AM
Could it be a case of mum not been happy rather than child not been happy with the sleeping arrangements?

Sometimes I have found that parents need to make comments/suggestions about the care you provide - not necessarily because they feel they have a particular problem but feel they need to impose/interfere to keep a little bit more control over their childs care possibly because of parental guilt. An all too common problem that hinders childminders. I think your compromise of comfier mattress may help although I don't think it is a problem for the child, I too have experienced children falling asleep in all sorts of areas, half stood up, laying on a table top, high chair, outside on the tarmac!!!

Good luck :thumbsup: and don't feel pressured into using upstairs if you don't want to. But I bet if you told mum you did and improved the mattress , it would make a remarkable difference to how she feels about lo's sleep, :D .

hectors house
20-08-2014, 01:50 PM
I always have a radio on classic FM in the bedrooms where babies sleep - it reassures them when I put then into bed while still awake (whereas parents rock them to sleep in arms first) as I only have time to pop them into bed, put on radio, say night night and leave the room as older children free range downstairs. Radio also drowns out any noise from downstairs, eg phone or door bell or children playing noisy games

ziggy
20-08-2014, 02:41 PM
I always have a radio on classic FM in the bedrooms where babies sleep - it reassures them when I put then into bed while still awake (whereas parents rock them to sleep in arms first) as I only have time to pop them into bed, put on radio, say night night and leave the room as older children free range downstairs. Radio also drowns out any noise from downstairs, eg phone or door bell or children playing noisy games

I do the same, leave radio on low volume and it seems to stop disturbance from other noises like doorbell etc. Maybe it would be worth trying. All 3 of my mindees sleep 2-3 hours every afternoon and are all in travel cots

natlou82
20-08-2014, 04:21 PM
Thanks I may give the music a try :-)

tigwig
20-08-2014, 09:53 PM
Sorry to butt in but can I just clarify about not using upstairs if not registered. I thought this wasn't the case anymore? Actually since eyfs changed in 2012?! Am I wrong? I just remember when I first started in 2009 I originally had downstairs registered but then had to ask ofsted to register upstairs bedroom too for practicality. However I thought all those conditions were then removed so it was up to us what was considered appropriate.

natlou82
20-08-2014, 10:17 PM
Hi tigwig, I'm pretty sure you're right on this, but I am aware that the inspector noted on my pre reg visit that I was only using downstairs so I felt I would still want to clarify with ofsted if I decided to change this. I'm not changing it anyway, going to take on board peoples suggestions though to see if she may sleep longer :-)

mandy moo
21-08-2014, 06:00 AM
Anotherone butting in..lol
When I first registerd 6 1/2 years ago, I also had it put on my registration that the only room to be used up stairs was my bedroom and en suite for sleeping babies and accidents of a pooey (is that a word..lol) nature.
My boys were that bit older than the minded children and had all sort of unsuitable toys for exploring babies or toddlers, plus I also thought they need to be able to have somewhere to chill out away from childminding noise, if you get what I mean.
Anyhow as some one else above said, this was taken off my registration too, I still dont let the minded children up stairs, they accept this is the way it is (although im sure theyd love to go have a look..lol)

watford wizz
21-08-2014, 06:38 AM
Please take care with what you are using to provide extra comfort in case of accident you need to follow manufacturer instructions or could invalidate your insurance if God forbid anything happened.

natlou82
21-08-2014, 08:38 AM
Thankyou Watford whizz, I'm going to do as someone suggested and look at proper mattress toppers for travel cots x