Nap question- need help (But there is a celebration in this post, too!!!)

So Katie started daycare this week and I returned to work.
She has not spent a whole day there yet, dh has been dropping her off at 10, 11 or 12 and I pick her up around 3:40.
Anyway, the first day she cried the WHOLE TIME.
I thought I was going to die- I cried all night.

The next day dh stayed there with her for over an hour and she cried a lot, but a little better.
Yesterday and today she did great! I am so happy and she is in a great mood when I pick her up. I am so very relieved! Thank you all for your support- this has been a way harder week then I thought it would be.

Now for the nap help, she takes scattered 1/2 hour naps throughout the day and a long nap from 5pm to 7:30 or 8.

So obviously we have trouble getting her asleep at night, and also it would be nice if she would be awake during the time I get to spend with her.

Is there anyway I can shift her long nap to during the day?

Re: Nap question- need help (But there is a celebration in this post, too!!!)

I'm so glad it's working out and she's starting to enjoy herself at daycare!!! The same thing happened with Alex for the first 2 weeks at daycare. I think that there was soooooo much stimulation that she was in such awe that she stayed awake all day as much as possible to take everything in, so when she got home, she'd collapse and take a long nap at 5pm. It made for an interesting evening trying to get her to go to bed after such a long nap! And, I hated that when I came home, all I wanted to do was play with her, but all she wanted to do was sleep! I don't think there's really much you can do other than to wait it out. Give her a week or so to acclimate to her surroundings... with time, she'll feel more comfortable at daycare and then feel more comfortable taking longer naps, which will eventually eliminate the 5pm nap... it took us a couple of weeks

Re: Nap question- need help (But there is a celebration in this post, too!!!)

Talia used to nap from 4-6:30 - in order to change it I would wake her after she was asleep 30-45 min. - the first day or two it wasn't pretty - but after that she automatically adjusted to nap longer during the day, and shorter at 4. Now she naps for half an hour exactly at that time of day.

I am glad things are getting a little easier - hang in there - it will get better as time goes on.

Re: Nap question- need help (But there is a celebration in this post, too!!!)

I guess I will try waking her earlier. I have tried to shorten it but she gets so cranky!

She has always taken her longest nap in the evening from the beginning.

One problem is that she only takes long (quality) naps when we are holding her. Other wise she sleeps only a half hour. So she sleeps only a half hour at a time in day care.