When new parents have their first child, their whole world is turned upside-down.
You change practically everything about how you live your life, and that includes sending your baby to daycare.
Parents look everywhere to find the best daycare for their child, but daycare creates new challenges for parents.
One of the worst things for parents to deal with is a new sleep schedule.
There are a few tips below that will help you understand how to deal with your child’s daycare schedule, their sleep schedule, and how these schedules make baby exhausted after daycare.
Content:
- Is it normal for your baby to be exhausted after daycare?
- What’s the reason?
- How long did it take your baby to adjust to daycare?
- Helping your baby with the daycare transition
Is It Normal For Your Baby To Be Exhausted After Daycare?
It is perfectly normal for your child to be tired when they leave daycare. The daycare setting is tiring for children because they are active the entire time.
Daycare teachers and staff must keep your child active to prevent any breakdowns or tantrums.
The children eat at the same time every day, and they take a nap at the same time every day.
While the children are occupied during the day, they are much more active than they would be if they were hanging out at your home during the day.
You need to take breaks during the day, but a daycare team has enough people to provide breaks, keep the kids active, and help them learn.
You should not be concerned about how tired your child is unless these tips do not help you.
You can contact your pediatrician when you feel your child is not responding to all the steps you have taken to help them adjust to a new routine.
Because babies cannot communicate with you normally, you should try all these steps to learn what makes their lives easier.
Why Is This Happening?
When your children go to daycare, they start with a schedule that teaches them basics for school, keeps them active, and allows them to get to know each other.
The daycare setting is an educational one, and that is taxing on a child who has not been to school before.
Daycare is a good way for kids to prepare for school, but they are not accustomed to going to school all day.
When you send your child to daycare, they do not get a break until they take a nap. Your child, however, may not be able to sleep when they first start at the daycare facility.
Your children may not want to leave because they have made new friends, or they might not have finished the activity that they were doing when you got there.
You want your kids to be attached to the daycare facility, but they will not be happy with you if they need to leave before they are ready.
You are driving your child home, and they have a routine that they must go through when you get home.
Because of this, your children might fall asleep in the car or as soon as they get home.
If they go to their room when you get home, they might fall asleep because their bed is comfortable.
If they are watching TV when they get home, they might be lulled to sleep by a show they enjoy.
In short, your children are tired because they were working hard all day at daycare. Their bodies are not used to this much activity, and they might not have napped.
Plus, some kids fall asleep almost instantly in the car. All of this can make baby exhausted after daycare.
How Long Will It Take For A Baby To Adjust To Their New Schedule?
Your baby will adapt to your daycare schedule after a few weeks of attending daycare.
An adult might adapt to their new schedule in a few days, but a child needs a few weeks to grow accustomed to the daycare schedule.
If you believe that your child is taking too long to get used to their daycare schedule, you should ask the daycare staff if there is anything you can do.
They might tell you that your child is not napping during the day, or they might explain that your child is hyperactive at the end of the day before you pick them up.
When your child is not adapting to their new schedule, you can use the steps below.
Plus, you might want to consider these tips when you first go back to work and send your child to daycare.
You want to adapt quickly so that you are not missing out on sleep or feel as though your schedule has been ruined because your child cannot sleep at night.
How Can Parents Help Their Babies Adjust To Daycare?
When parents want their children to adjust to daycare, they can use the following tips.
You should consider how daycare fits into your schedule, and you should work with your child to help them handle their daycare schedule well.
You may need to make major changes to how you manage your home, or you might want to adjust what you do when you pick up your child from daycare.
#1 Make sure your baby is napping during daycare.
Until they start napping at daycare, you must adjust their nap schedule. You can even ask the daycare staff every day how long your child napped.
#2 Keep your child on the same schedule every day.
Your child needs to be accustomed to waking up at a certain time, eating at a certain time, and arriving at daycare at a certain time. Your child should be picked up from daycare at the same time, and they should nap in the afternoon at the same time.
If you do not maintain the same schedule, your child will be tired after daycare every day.
#3 Maintain the same schedule over the weekend.
You need to keep a consistent schedule over the weekend so that your child will sleep at the same time every day. You will be much happier when your child naps and eats at the same time.
As your child gets older, they will not need to maintain such a strict schedule.
#4 Do not pick up your child early if you can help it.
You want your child to have the same experience at daycare every day. This is important because you are maintaining the sleeping and feeding schedule that your child is used to.
New parents often have a hard time dealing with a new schedule because they are not sure what is correct.
There is no right answer for any family. You should choose a schedule that works best for your family. You may need to find a daycare that is a bit more adaptable than others.
You might not show up at the same time as all the other kids. You might need to leave a little earlier or later than normal.
Let the daycare know what time you will arrive and depart every day. The daycare staff can help you get ready, and your child grows accustomed to the routine that the adults use.
Conclusion
When your schedule can make baby exhausted after daycare, you should use the tips above to help your family cope.
Young parents have a hard time creating a new schedule for the family, and you should not be afraid to follow a strict schedule every day.
This is important because you will sleep better, do a good job at work, and train your body to get the rest it needs.
Get to know the daycare staff, communicate with them every day, and be sensitive to how your child feels when they leave the daycare facility every day.
Additional information:
- Find Daycare nearby using this map
- What to do if your baby refuses to take bottle at daycare?
- 8 tips for an easier daycare drop-off for both parent and child
- Signs of a good daycare center