Five Tips to Survive Daycare Naps
Sleep support for working parents navigating daycare naps
Daycare naps can make or break your evenings, especially if you’re a working parent trying to hold everything together. When your baby is in someone else’s care all day, you don’t have much control over sleep, but those naps matter more than most people realize!
My daughter started daycare at three and a half months old. Some days I’d pick her up after nine hours and learn she had slept a total of thirty minutes. She was overtired, cranky, and struggling. I was exhausted, anxious, and completely unsure how to help.
Once I finally worked with a sleep consultant and got a clear schedule in place, something clicked. Daycare couldn’t be separate from our sleep plan. They had to be part of it. For some families, partnering with daycare is easier than expected. For others, it takes more advocacy and patience. Both experiences are normal!
Here’s what I recommend when you’re trying to survive daycare naps and support healthy sleep.
1. Communicate your baby’s sleep needs clearly
Start by talking with your child’s teacher or daycare director about your baby’s sleep schedule and nap needs. You are paying them to care for your child, and it’s okay to set expectations!
When babies are in younger infant rooms, schedules are often more flexible and responsive. I brought my daughter’s nap schedule to daycare and explained when she typically slept. That clarity helped everyone stay on the same page.
Ask about the sleep environment, too. Many daycare centers use one room for both play and sleep, which can be challenging for babies who are easily distracted. Some centers allow parents to bring a white noise machine or a sleep sack from home. If those tools support better sleep at home, they may help at daycare as well!
2. Prioritize naps at home whenever possible
The more consistent naps feel at home, the better your baby can handle daycare sleep.
When I worked on naps with my daughter, I planned it intentionally. I worked Tuesday through Thursday, so I started on a Friday. That gave us four full days to focus on naps before she returned to daycare. I didn’t expect major progress so quickly, but it made a noticeable difference! Those few days helped reset her rhythm and made daycare naps easier to manage.
3. If daycare pushes an early nap transition, protect sleep elsewhere
Many daycares transition children to one nap earlier than parents would choose. This can feel incredibly stressful, especially if your child isn’t developmentally ready.
If you don’t have flexibility with daycare schedules, focus on protecting sleep at home. This often means an earlier bedtime, sometimes much earlier than you’d like. On days your child is home, offering two naps can help keep your child well-rested. Remember, this phase is temporary, even when it feels endless!
4. Research daycare sleep policies before enrolling
If you’re still choosing a daycare or considering a change, sleep policies should be part of your decision-making process.
Some daycare centers offer separate nap rooms that are dark, cool, and quiet. They’re not common, but they do exist! Home daycares may also provide a calmer sleep environment.
If you’re worried about an early move to one nap, ask whether the center has a transition room, often called an “infant two” room. These classrooms are designed for older infants and young toddlers who still need more daytime sleep and can make daycare naps far more manageable.
5. Give yourself grace
It’s easy to spend the entire workday worrying about how much your baby is sleeping at daycare. Do what you can, advocate when needed, and remind yourself that perfection isn’t required.
If you pick up your child and naps didn’t go well, aim for an earlier bedtime and move forward. You’re doing the best you can in a system that doesn’t always support infant sleep. Your baby will be okay, and so will you!
And yes, sometimes grace looks like a glass of wine or a bowl of ice cream at the end of the day. That absolutely counts, too!
Still struggling with daycare naps?
I work with families to create individualized sleep plans that support both home and daycare routines. If naps, bedtime, or early mornings feel off, I’d love to help.
