For a lot of us, leaving your baby in anothers care for the first time can be daunting and we naturally worry about our childs needs and emotional security in our absense. With social and financial pressure, health needs or simply needing a break we all eventually face leaving our baby in anothers care, no matter how long we put it off! Preparation is key to a successful transition for both mum and baby.
The timing of this depends on a lot of things including personal preference, lifestyle, finances and support system. Going back to work for a lot of mums means handing over the daily tasks required to meet their childs needs to somebody else and this can produce a lot of anxiety. This entry is aimed at people who have a partner, babysitter, family member or trusted friend to watch the child. A professional childcare setting should support and instruct you on what to prepare for your childs time at the setting.
My son recently turned 8 months and I will soon be heading off to a day long music festival. I have never been far away from or left him for more than a couple of hours at a time, so I thought I would share tips that have helped me feel confident that we will (hopefully) both survive the day with minimal tears. Preparation is key here!
Routine
Write it down! Routines can take a lot of work, not only finding one that suits both yours and your babies needs, but also adapting to meet new changes and sticking to it every day to stay consistent. Keeping the same routine while you are away will comfort your baby and help them know what is coming next. You can also be reassured that all of your hard work will not be interrupted as it will carry on in your absence.
I would like to note that it is likely that the routine will be slightly disrupted as baby may be harder to settle for naps or may refuse some bottles, however, this shouldn’t affect the routine you have in place as long as it is consistently kept to.
Food
Preparing babies food in advance or working out how many feeds/bottles they will need in the period you are gone will help you feel confident that baby has everything they need.
- Breastfeeding – Express and store milk in advance. It is a good idea to store more than will be needed in the period you will be gone in case any is wasted or if baby refuses milk and needs to be offered more bottles than usual. There are lots of good sources online that can help you work out how many oz your baby will need.Leave instructions for making and sterilising bottles if needed as well as the infants feeding schedule.
*I prefer to express in advance and store in the freezer, then take out to defrost in the fridge the day before it is needed. I also store it in small quantities, e.g. 2.5oz or 3oz to limit waste as my son prefers to feed every 2 to 3 hours. Another tip would be to label any milk expressed during the nighttime specifically for night feeds as it will contain a small amount of melatonin that may help your baby fall to sleep if you are away at bedtime.
- Bottlefeeding – Work out how much formula is needed and make sure you have more than enough needed for the period you will be away.Leave instructions for making and sterilising bottles if needed as well as the infants feeding schedule.
- Solids – If baby has started weaning you could make some meals and freeze them or buy the ingredients needed in advance and simply leave instructions on how to prepare them. Make sure the person caring for your child is aware of any allergies and dietary requirements.
Sleep/Naps
Where are the spare sheets kept? What are babies sleep ques? What does baby wear to bed?
Ensuring this information is at hand can mean a smoother Bedtime for baby and carer/babysitter. Either writing down or sharing your childs nap/Bedtime routine means that the sleep associations your baby is used to will not be missed and can help them feel more settled and able to sleep.
Changing Nappies/Clothing
Ensure that there are enough Nappies, Wipes and creams for the duration you will be away from baby, and that clean spare clothes are accessible.
Emergency & Safeguarding
Leaving instructions in case of an emergency can easily be overlooked, but is very important.
Leave emergency contact numbers somewhere easily accessible e.g. on the fridge or by the phone. These could be numbers for a close by relative, yourself, the childs doctor or midwife and the emergency services.
Make sure the person caring for your child is aware of any medicines the child needs and how/when to administer them. Write down where to find them, including medicines such as calpol in case it is needed. If someone is watching the child in your own house make sure they have access through the front and back doors in case of a fire.
While it is preferable that anyone caring for a child has first aid training, we often rely on partners or family members who have not completed a training course. In this case, you can give basic instructions specific to your childs care e.g. what to look out for if your child has a minor medical condition, signs of a fever or what to do if a child chokes.
Susanna has a Level 3 Qualification in Child Care and Development. She lives in the UK with her husband and 7 month old son. For the story behind mum first, read ‘From Anxious to Mum First Mindset’.
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