Starting nursery can feel like a huge adjustment for you and your little one. Quite often this milestone is linked with you returning to work and this alone has a huge range of emotions attached to it.

A new setting, new people and a new routine for your little one to familiarise themselves with, can see their sleep impacted in the short term. So here are some tips to help you manage this transition for you and your little one.

1. Provide some familiar items to take with them to the nursery. Think comforter, sleeping bag, cuddly toy, anything that they are attached to, can really help them settle. Just make sure you have more than one in case it gets misplaced (I say this from experience!).

2. Easing them in gently. If there is the possibility to drop them off slightly later during the first week or two, definitely explore this as it can help enormously with any overtiredness. You could even try the first nap at home during the settling in period. Shorter days initially can really help them adjust and curbs any potential overtiredness.

3. Offer earlier bedtimes. Quite often, when little ones start nursery their sleep is impacted and for even the best of sleepers, they regress temporarily as this new stimulating environment can make it challenging to switch off. Offering an earlier bedtime anywhere from 6pm onwards gives them the opportunity to catch up on any missed day time sleep and will help them deal with excitement from the day.

4. Offer 1-2-1 time with your little one when you get home. I know after a day at work, it can feel tempting to start the endless jobs. However if you can carve out 15 minutes when you get home for some connection time, this can really help ease any separation anxiety your little one may have felt in the day. This connection time will give you both a huge boost before bedtime.

Lastly, remember this is not only an adjustment for your little one, it’s also an adjustment for you too. Be kind to yourself and try not to worry if they don’t sleep very well to start off with. Things generally improve in time as they get used to their new sleeping environment.

Blog written by Infant Sleep Consultant Charlotte Hillyard. Visit Charlotte’s website to find out more about how she helps support families to improve their little ones sleep.