Adapting to a nursery or a nanny is an essential step that allows babies to familiarize themselves with a new environment, sometimes occupied by other children. To succeed in a smooth adaptation, here are the advice of mothers.
Often after maternity leave, the time has come for parents to entrust their baby to a nanny or place it in crib. This first “real” separation with the newborn can be difficult for the child and his parents. Fortunately, there is what is called a adaptation time in the crèche or with the nanny, which concerns the baby of course, but also the parents and the early childhood professional(s). This is an essential step, which allows baby to discover his new environment where he will spend his days, with other children, and to get to know the new people around him. To pass this transition serenely, here are the feedback from three mothers.
Rest assured, you are not going to entrust your child overnight to someone who is still unknown to him. The adaptation to the nursery or the nanny takes place gently over several weeks. The first week, you stay with your baby for half an hour, then longer and longer each day (an hour, an hour and a half, then two hours the next day, etc.). Until leaving him alone the second week, a little longer.
During this time, you can watch what he does from afar: his moments of play, his meals, etc. “Tout is done gradually and in stages, which gave him time to get his bearings“, explains Marine B, mother of Joseph, who was 4 months old when she entered the crèche. Camille, mother of Fleur, aged 9 and a half months when she met the childminder, took the time to show the professional how she took care of her child. “I stayed with Fleur the first week at the nursery assistant’s for half days, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. or from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. This made it possible to see how the morning or afternoon naps went, how I changed her and gave her the bottle, how I played with her, etc.” she told us.
“The adaptation is done gradually and in stages, which gave him time to get his bearings.”
Kindergarten adaptation sheet for a baby to be completed
To the nursery, the first day of adaptationthe parent goes to an interview during which a adaptation sheet, in the form of a questionnaire, is given to him. The questions focus on baby’s habits: where he is in his development, his diet, his sleeping pattern, the activities and games he plays, etc. Information about other family members may also be requested.
After completing the adapter plug, “we are invited the next day to submit the questionnaire and take stock for 30 minutes“, specifies the young mother.
How long does the adaptation to the crèche or the nanny take?
The adaptation to a crèche or to a nanny generally lasts two weeks. The duration can be reduced if the parent decides so and if the child adapts more quickly than expected to his new environment. Of course, the goal is not to leave the baby alone overnight, but to gradually reduce the presence of the parent.
What to do if baby cries during the adaptation in nursery or at the nanny?
If baby cries during the adaptation in nursery or at the nanny, it is often tempting for the parent accompanying the child to intervene. First, let the early childhood professional do it. You will be able to analyze the situation and see the techniques she uses to soothe your child. If the crying spell drags on, you can show how you calm your baby down.
It is possible that the adaptation to the crèche or the nanny is going badly, especially for parents and mothers. This was the case for Marine F: “After 5 months, 24/7 with Milan, I didn’t want to leave him.” It is indeed sometimes difficult for a mother to leave her little one with another person. As for Camille, she felt a loss leaving her little Fleur alone for the first time, even though everything was going well from the first week, “I was with the dad, in a café just next door. I was sad and I cried. Without her, without the stroller, I felt a void. But gradually, I left it for a few hours and everything was fine.“Generally, babies adapt rather well, especially since separation anxiety only appears around 8 months.
Our advice to live serenely the adaptation of your child:
- Relax and tell yourself that they are professionals who take care of your child.
- Look at the positives : your child has fun, he grows up and meets other children.
- Make time for yourselfto occupy your mind.
- Ask if it is possible to have news and photos of your child during the day.
It is possible to reconcile breastfeeding and adaptation in the crèche or with the nanny. For this, the mother can choose to switch to mixed breastfeeding or to express milk and provide the structure or the maternal assistant with bottles of breast milk. But for this, it is advisable to have already accustomed baby to the bottle.
“Before adaptation, I had decided to wean Fleur during the day. I then favored bottles between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., when I was supposed to pick her up in the evening. But it was difficult, I usually broke down around 4 p.m. because she was crying a lot with the nanny, and finally I gave her the breast again“, recalls Camille.
Milan’s mother, Marine F., has also chosen mixed breastfeeding giving her a few bottles. “I didn’t want to pump my milk at work like some mums did. They brought it in coolers to the crèche, but that required a lot of organization and I found it a bit of a hassle. Milan took the breast at home and bottles of infant milk at the crèche”, she testifies. In this type of situation, dialogue with the person who takes care of your child is important, to adopt the right routine for feeding baby.