12 answers

What to Pack for Nanny/daycare?

My question has 2 parts:
First: a friend of my parents will be starting to watch our preemie/newborn twins at her home in April. She's wonderful - 30+ years of childcare experience and is one of the sweetest women i've ever met. She's watched kids in her home before, but currently doesn't have any. She doesn't really need the money, is just watching our babies two days/week because she really really wants to.
I know it's a silly question, but I'm wondering what we should call her?? Nanny seems the most appropriate, but isn't that when someone comes to your home to watch them... also it seems like such a fancy term for lower-middle class family like us. But caregiver seems so impersonal and babysitter doesn't do her justice! What would you call her?

Secondly: I want to make sure i send them with everything they need... she has a pack-n-play and that's about it. We're giving her 2 bouncers that we got extra at the shower and 2 high chairs (the compact kind to strap on the chair) that we got as hand-me-downs and don't need here. I figured i'd send a few diaper bags every day - diapers, wipes, extra clothes, burp cloths, milk/formula, bottles, toys, blankets and their feeding/diapering log that we keep at home (it has our phone #s, emergency contact #s & the pediatrician #s on it too) Is there anything else you'd suggest that i'm forgetting??

1 mom found this helpful

What can I do next?

So What Happened?™

Thank you to everyone for the responses!!
You definitely had some great ideas that i will work into the plan - leaving a bag there with some necessities so i don't have to lug as much back and forth. Getting an extra first aid kit for her, extra formula, maybe some diapers (we're using cloth so maybe easier to send back and forth).
Plus we were worried about what to do with the carseat bases - but turns out when i looked into it the carseats can be strapped in without one! (not as easy, but possible!)
And sending the stroller to her those days is an excellent idea!
Thank you all for the ideas!

Featured Answers

First, just call her by her name. She is a babysitter. Secondly, I would
send case of diapers, wipes, formula, bottles. This way you do not have
to lug that stuff every time you take them. Give her extra onesizes and
several comfortable outfits for emergencies. Getting out will be so much
easier without having to worry about what you packed. Good luck.

More Answers

I think you listed just about everything she might need, but as someone who takes my child to someone's house for childcare I would recommend that you get a box or a bag or whatever and put the stuff in to keep at her house all the time. For the first month or two I was toting washcloths, bibs, change of clothes, etc back and forth. It's just a pain and inevitably I would forget something the day she needed it. She just washes the bibs and washcloths when she does laundry and then I don't have to take things back and forth. It was so much easier for me to just grab his bottles (I pumped breast milk, so I had to take them each day), put him in the car seat and go. If your caregiver doesn't have toys you could put some toys in the bag/box too for the twins when they are there. Infant tylenol, a thermometer, and diaper cream are also good items to throw in.

Our sitter also likes to take the kids for walks and has a double stroller. I'm not sure if you could get a stroller for her to use or not, but outside time each day really helps my son's temperament. If you do think they will spend a lot of time outside then I would also pack hats and sunscreen (depending on how old they are).

As a side note, someone mentioned what to do about carseats (although if there is an emergency I would think she should just call an ambulence), if they are still in an infant seat many of them can be used without the base. We had a graco snugride that can be used with just a seatbelt. Check your manufacturer's instructions to be sure.

our "babysitter" prefers to be called a "nanny" so that's what we call her in reference to her job but the kids call her "amber". :o)

Yes, you definitely want a full infant first aid kit there. Infant motrin, Infant tylenol, mylicon, children's benadryl, thermometer, etc. Maybe even a small thing of baby wash and some baby washcloths. Also, she may need a baby monitor as well. And maybe two carseat bases incase she should ever have to leave the house unexpectedly.

The best trick I ever learned: 2 ziplock bags with complete changes of clothes... from jackets down to socks... **to stay there** in case of "emergency"... one for each baby... in addition to the back and forth bags.

From infancy until a year past potty training accidents the "whoops" ziplocks have saved so many headaches, I can't even begin to count them. As anything gets used, you just replace them. With infants replacing every 6mo works great... for older kids replacing the whole kit once a year works fine.

We have always refered to my childrens in home daycare provider as Ms _____(christie in our case). As far as what to pack it seems like you have listed everything you could need.

First, just call her by her name. She is a babysitter. Secondly, I would
send case of diapers, wipes, formula, bottles. This way you do not have
to lug that stuff every time you take them. Give her extra onesizes and
several comfortable outfits for emergencies. Getting out will be so much
easier without having to worry about what you packed. Good luck.

We call our sitter just 'Miss (her name)'.

As for supplies. Our sitter had us bring a full bag/box of diapers, wipes, a can of formula if the sitter will be making the bottles or you'll be sending them. The sitter will also need a spare can of formula as backup.

The diapers, wipes, etc. stayed at the sitters house. The diaper bag travels back and forth daily.

M.

We supply diapers and wipes as needed. Basically, I just give her half the box of diapers I buy and one package of wipes. When she is getting low; I resupply. I also let her keep extra bottles, sippy cups etc. Packing every day all the essentials is a bit of a pain. Our son has a travel bag with an extra set of clothes and sweater and maybe a new toy he has to have when we leave for the day.

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