Advice needed: baby hates creche

[verds]

I've been taking my baby to cr?che while I go swimming. She's been 6 times, only for 40 minutes, but she hates it.

Yesterday I went in and she'd cried the whole time. Today I went and stayed with her and she seemed to be getting most upset whenever a toddler squealed. So I couldn't bear to leave her there in tears and took her home.

The ladies who work there are lovely and say she'll get used to it, but I feel like giving up.

She's just turned ten months and since Christmas has become more clingy. But when we're out she'll crawl away and go to anyone.

Should I persevere or perhaps try again when she's a bit older? I know it sounds soft, but I'm a bit worried it might all be too scary for her even though I know lots of younger babies who'll happily go to nursery.

[Smiler]

verds, this happened to my little one, she was fine at the gym creche until she hit 9/10 months, then separation anxiety kicked in and she cried a lot. It was stressful, even though as you say the ladies were lovely.

In our case I stopped leaving her there, but only because I returned to work so no longer had time to go to the gym, and she had to go to nursery instead!

Younger babies don't care as they haven't got to the development stage of having separation anxiety. Those who are used to nursery from a young age will probably continue to be OK (at nursery, though not necessarily in a creche) when they get to this stage: others will need to adjust, guess how quick / difficult this is depends on the child.

If you give it a break and try again when older you might just find that the same thing happens: my little one is now two, and has been at nursery part-time since she was one and is OK there, but am sure she would still get upset if I left her at a creche as she isn't used to it. Perhaps if you persevere (indeed go more often for a bit!) she will get used to it. It'd be a shame not to go swimming anymore, as it is good for health to get a break!

[tallgirl]

My child didn't like the Creche at the Peckham Pulse, I don't know why, he was 2.5 at the time and in part time Nursery. I only he left him there once, the second time he refused to stay and now, every time we go to the Pulse he comments that he doesn't like the Nursery there, and its one year on from the original visit!

[legalbeagle]

I think all children are different so go with your gut instinct. You know your child best. My daughter hated being left anywhere when she didn't know the people well, and still does (she is now 4) but my son loves it, never looks back, I don't even get a kiss goodbye (he is 2.5). Both have been raised the same and put into the same nursery at similar stages. There's no right answer!

[Fuschia]

I don't think it would be normal for most babies to stay with unfamiliar people, once they have reached the separation anxiety stage.