nappy changin at nursery - help

[Blackhorse]

ok my mindee 3 goes to nursery every morning for a couple of hours.

she comes to my house in a fresh nappy at 7.45.
we leave the house at 8.30 to drop off at schools and then she goes to nursery where she is from 9.15 to 11.45

a lot of times on the way home she will fall asleep and wont wake up again until about 13.00-13.30. In fact she is asleep now...

anyways, I had asked the nursery to change her nappy at 11.30 so she has a fresh one on for coming home as otherwise she will get wet some days.
this is what mum had agreed with nursery as well even before she came to me.
anyways, I noticed that some days her nappy was really wet and I wasnt sure whether it was because she drank a lot of juice and it all came out at once of if it wasnt changed...although I also noticed the yellow cream her mum uses in the morning on her nappy so I was then sure that she hasnt had it changed. So I asked them again to change it and started counting the nappies in her nursery bag.
Well not had her nappy changed again for a while so I spoke to her nursery nurse today and was told the following:
they dont have enough staff to change the nappies as they have less kids as expected so not as many working there either. she said the other girls should have told me when they didnt have the chance to change a nappy.

Is it really to much to ask of a nursery to change a child's nappy?????
I could change if before she goes there but at that point it is still dry!! So no point really? And even if I wake her up when we get home, which I dont really want to do as she really needs her sleep, sometimes she would already be wet then..and I cannot change her nappy in the car!!

I have told her mother so she can phone the nursery if she sees fit, but what do you make of this??
Am I expecting to much and dont know enough about the workings of nurseries or should we insist??

thanks

[helenlc]

Is this a day nursery? And little one is just doing pre-school session?

I used to work in a pre-school where they took kids that were in nappies. BUT we would only change them if they were soiled or so wet that they were about to burst!!

I also worked in a day nursery in the baby unit. They would be changed before lunch, before tea and before going home and obviously any time in between.

To be honest, I am not sure that its the nursery/pre-school's job to change LOs nappy so that you dont have to do it til after her sleep. I am not having a go but if she doesnt need to be changed before she leaves, they will assume that you are are able to do it as soon as you get home. She is only there 2 1/2 hours so they will probably assume that with a clean nappy on at the start of the session, she shouldnt need changing before the session is over.

Could you not take her into nursery and change her then? So about 9ish? If its you changing the nappy, they will allow you to use their facilities, I am sure. Of course, it depends on any other mindees you have as to whether this is possible.

Hope I havent offended:blush:

[Blackhorse]

you havent offended at all..

it is just that mum had an agreement with them to change it at 11.30...that' why I asked.

And it isnt just about me not having to change it or waiting until she is up..there where occasions where she was wet when I picked her up or by the time we get out of the car at about 12 at home.
Most days I have 3 under 5s with me to drop off at nursery in the monring and I am not sure how happy they would be for all of us to go in and change her nappy. I can obviously change it before we go but she would probably manage to completely soak it anyways.

but that is why I was asking how nurseries work..as I dont have a clue.
If someone asks me to change a nappy at a certain time I will do it....but obviously they cant/wont.
If they wont change it then I will have to wake her up and change it but by this point it sometimes is already too late and she needs a full change of clothes but then there is nothing else I can do about it.

I am also not sure if they let her drink too much there. She has problems knowing how much food and drink she really needs and as long as there is water/juice/food she will continue eating and drinking so that might also make it worse...might check that with them too maybe??

[helenlc]

Ofsted like children to have free access to water at all times and pre-schools should adhere to this too. The one I worked at had a jug and cups available all morning for the children.

You may find she is going and helping herself over and over. For some, its not that they need a drink, but the novelty of helping themselves.

Maybe you could try a different tact and ask the nursery to keep an eye on how much she drinks. Maybe ask them to watch and see whether she is really needing the amount she is having.

You could also approach it from a different angle again and insist that she has her nappy changed at 11.30 to prevent her getting too wet and then sore down below.

Ultimately though, if they have agreed with Mum to change her nappy at 11.30 then they should be doing it. I would be a little concerned if they are saying they dont have enough staff to be able to see to a childs basic needs ie a clean nappy.

[youarewhatyoueat]

Are you talking about a playgroup session as they are gearing up to potty training and although they should be happy to change the nappy at 11.30 in reality they are probably more likely to forget. Do you do a nursery/childminder diary where you could write a message in for them and explain why.Otherwise I would change her on pick up, you should be welcome mindees and all.

[Mrs.L.C]

Have to say we had this problem when I worked in a nursery - they had set times for nappy changes and would only change a nappy out of these times if it was soiled. I personaly dont agree with this and a childs nappy should be changed as and when needed so I think you are right to bring this up with the nursery esp considering it has been agreed. The fact they are using they dont have enough staff to change a nappy as an excuse is a concern - what if a child needed some first aid? Would they not do it because they dont have enough staff?

Unfortunately I cant offer any suggestions as you are doing what I would do except using their changing facilities to change the childs nappy before you leave

[Blackhorse]

for medical reaons she is not going to be potty trained any time soon and for the same reason she cannot control her fluid/food intake like other kids do.

I will talk to them again and also see what mum wants.

If not I will just take all the kids and go change her nappy there..
after a couple of times maybe I am too much hasstle that they will change it instead..:blush:

[youarewhatyoueat]

If thats the case then I would insist they change her nappy at the time mum has suggested as they should be meeting those basic needs.

[Helen79]

I only have experience of working in nurseries that offer 8am-6pm care where children were changed whenever they need to be. I don't have any experience of playgroup settings where they only attend for 2.5hours as there isn't any around here.

Do they have nappy changing facilities? or a nappy changing policy?
Surely under every child matters they should be meeting every child's basic needs, which includes changing nappies?

I had huge problems with dd's nursery not changing her nappy when needed :angry: so much so she got v sore & ended up with regular visits to the gp for infections :angry:

[Princess Sara]

If not I will just take all the kids and go change her nappy there..
after a couple of times maybe I am too much hasstle that they will change it instead..:blush:

I would choose a day you have the most mindees(or loudest maybe!) and when you pick her up at 11:30 change her there and then. If they come up with some kind of excuse why you can't use their facilities I'd pull out my own travel mat and change her in the floor in front of them. And then every day until they agree to change her nappy before you collect.

But I'm rather mean like that...

[mushpea]

what about if you go in at the end of the session and change her nappy before you take her home? maybe if you tell the nursery staff that they either do it for her or you will need to do it in the nursery before she goes home as she sleeps this might help. I would also ask them to keep a record of how much she eats and drinks for the parents and your reference and it may also help the medical proffesional helping her.

[helenlc]

for medical reaons she is not going to be potty trained any time soon and for the same reason she cannot control her fluid/food intake like other kids do.

Even more reason to make time to change her, surely?

I always go with the making a nuisance of myself approach!!!:blush:

[miffy]

I'd see what the nursery said when mum phoned them - I don't think it's too much to expect that they change her nappy before you collect especially if that's what mum has requested.

Miffy xx