How do mums manage school pick up & baby sleep time?

Hello!

My oldest daughter starts preschool in a couple of weeks. School pick up is 2.30pm. Most days my 18 month old is still asleep at this time. I have tried putting her down earlier & she doesn’t sleep for as long & is grizzly into the late afternoon/evening while I am trying to cook dinner. Putting her down when we get home from school pick up would be too late & she wouldn’t settle properly in the evening. Would love to know how other mums handle this situation

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- - ozstarlett said
  - 12 Jun 2022
    9:22 pm
disruptions helps with coping – babies adjust to the parents/family.
- - cassy26 said
  - 03 Mar 2022
    2:45 pm
This is really hard. I had the same problem with my second daughter. Thankfully it didnt last long as she dropped her morning sleep and starting sleeping around lunch time so was ready to wake up by pick up, but if you have a friend who has kids that got to the same school maybe you could do morning drop off and they do pick up?
- - mom160421 said
  - 14 Aug 2019
    2:30 pm
Will she sleep in her pram so that you don’t have to change sleep time and can still make it to school pick up?
- - Ellen said
  - 03 Jan 2019
    8:47 am
I moved the nap time a bit more forward. Mind you my youngest would have a 4 hour nap ! She always was an early bird, so she didn’t mind when I put her down at 10am and then she slept till 2pm. It was lovely, I could even take a nap myself
- - mom112241 said
  - 16 May 2015
    9:51 am
i agree trying to just gradually change her sleep time. hope it all works out
- - mel1 said
  - 04 Apr 2015
    7:12 pm
Its a tough one, I always feel sorry for the second baby as the first didn’t get disturbed as much. Is there a friend who could drop your child home occasionally so the 18 month doesn’t need to be disturbed everytime?
- - mom111362 said
  - 20 Feb 2015
    12:52 am
not much you can do but wake them up?
- - shezbah said
  - 03 Feb 2015
    9:15 pm
I just wake them, after a few weeks he started going down earlier
Or leave early and sleep in the car
- - stepmom107932 said
  - 27 Jan 2015
    10:30 am
Do you have a baby capsule one of the ones which can be taken in and out of the car without taking the baby out?
These are great if you put little one down in one and then transfer to the car when you leave and then take into the school while waiting for pick up it wont disturb the bub as much
- - fruitwood said
  - 05 Jun 2014
    9:54 pm
I leave early for school pick up and let my kids sleep in the car while they wait. I bring a book or magazine to read. The kids fall asleep on the drive over and then sleep through until it’s time for school to finish.
- - louise_smith said
  - 04 Jun 2014
    4:29 pm
if she goes to sleep im the car easily, leave 30+ mins before and let her sleep while waiting
- - mle00 said
  - 31 May 2014
    8:56 pm
We too have a 2:30 pick up and yes its smack bang in the middle of babies nap time, I just get her up and in the car, thankfully she’s not too grumpy. When we get home I dont try to get her back down for a nap but I do pop her in the carrier while I cook dinner and she has a little more rest before tea!
- - jadedbutjoyful said
  - 26 May 2014
    12:37 pm
I used to have to put mine down to nap in the pram and walk to school, not sure if thats possible for you
- - christial said
  - 05 May 2014
    11:13 pm
You can try waking her earlier in the morning so she needs her nap earlier.
- - mummy liana said
  - 27 Mar 2014
    11:56 pm
there are some good comments here