Daycare overstimulation
My daughter was a preemie (31 1/2 weeks) and still seems to be easily overstimulated. (She is now 22 months old and doing very well- all caught up.) While in the NICU for 5 weeks, it was under construction. They did what they could to minimize the noise but I swear it made her particularly sensitive to stimulation.
We recently moved her from an in-home day care that wasn't working for any of the parents and put in a daycare center. The child to teacher ration is good but I think there are too many kids in there. My daughter just can't seem to take a decent nap and she is a disaster by the time we pick her up. They say she is sweet and good but there must be a child swap but because she is anything but that when she comes home.
If you've experienced anything like this what did you do to help your child? I'm now working 1/2 days in the office so that she can sleep at home. Her home naps seem to be helping because she actually gets good sleep. I own my own business that affords me a flexible schedule.
Click to add these tags to your Interests:
Read more: 
2 Answers
My son was also a premie. When he was born the maturnity ward did not have enough delivery rooms for moms that were in labor. He spent his first three weeks in a NICU unit which was over whelmed with beeping monitors, crying babies, worried relatives and busy staff creating a great deal of noise. He had a very difficult time getting used to the quiet. The problem was that once he got used to it he couldn't stand any noice. If the upstairs neighbors vaccumed while he was sleeping he woke crying. It was suggested that I start adding white noice into the background while he slept so that he would again get used to having some sounds in the backround while he was sleeping. I started out with one of those Homedics white noice machines. I gradually starting putting in my books on tape or leaving the TV on as backround noice. Now he is five and usually at bed time I put in a book on CD. We get a lot of good read-along books on CD from the library and he will not go to sleep without them.
For some strange reason, I never saw your reply! Thanks so much. We also have always used some sort of white noise for our LO. I like the idea of books on CD. That's a great idea.
Fortunately, I co-own a few businesses and have been able to adjust my schedule. I now pick up my daughter from daycare so that she can sleep at home. It has made a huge difference. She sleeps anywhere from 2-3 hours for her nap and she never was getting that much sleep at day care. I know I'm fortunate for a flexible schedule. Some days are better than others because I'm still trying to work while she's sleeping... not good when she wakes up earlier than planned!
Jennifer Yeager
www.SassyOnesies.com
www.NapMatsAndMore.com
Jennifer Yeager
www.SassyOnesies.com
www.NapMatsAndMore.com