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how to prepare DD to stay with Grandma while working
Hi ladies,
I have about another month before going back to work and I've been wondering about how to prepare Elise for staying with grandma for 8 hours a day or more. My mom has been coming over every day for a few hours to get back into the groove of taking care of a newborn. But, what can I do to prepare Elise? I have been feeding her on demand and most days she has her own schedule of every 3 hours or so, but other days she's all over the place. I also need to get my mom some baby gear - bottles, crib, etc. What other essentials do you think my mom would need?
What did you do to prepare your LO for staying with grandma/daycare, etc? She'll be 11 weeks by then.
TIA
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Re: how to prepare DD to stay with Grandma while working
We've already started stocking MIL. We've had very generous friends that have donated their hand-me-downs which are in pristine condition! We even got a peg preggo double stroller! Anyway, if Elise likes the bouncy or swing, I'd def invest in one for grandma... I know my boys LOVE the swing. You may want to look into consignment stores for them, and maybe even the crib (depending on condition - and remember to check for recalls on all items if used).
As for feedings, maybe start weaning her off nursing, to only night. That way you monitor how much she eats and get her on a more fixed schedule... obviously pumping and giving her that. Just an idea.
Best of luck!
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
BFP #3: 01/28/12, EDD: 09/23/12, MMC (BO), D&C 2/16/12 at 6.5 wks
BFP #4: 05/23/12, EDD: 01/31/12, Early MC at 5 wks
RPL Workup: + LPD (7DPO Prog = 7.8, Endometrial Bx = out of phase)
Elevated Alpha 2-glycoprotein IgA and antiphosphatidylserine IgM -->
Hematologist said not to worry and no need for treatment!
Dx: LPD
Cycle #1(08/2012): Clomid 50 mg CD3-7, Ovidrel CD13 + Progesterone = It worked!
BFP #5 on 09/10/12 (11 DPO). HCG #1 @ 14DPO = 131.6 HCG #2 @ 16DPO = 509
EDD: 05/23/2013
I went back to work when Emma was 14 weeks old and I found that the transition was pretty easy for her. I think at that age they are still changing so much on a weekly basis that it makes them really adaptable and you'll see after no time at all she'll fall into a groove with your mom. Since I was exclusively BFing, we had absolutely NO schedule when it came to eating, napping, or anything. I had no clue how many ounces of milk she got at each feeding and since each day of my maternity leave was a little different (some days we'd stay home, some days we'd run errands at different times, etc.) she didn't sleep at the same time or for the same number of hours every day.
I gave MIL some rough guidelines of more or less how much and how often she should be eating (based on a calculation provided by my lactation consultant) and instructed her to follow the baby's cues when it came to sleeping and I would say that within a week or two my MIL had settled into a pretty structured routine with her. And my MIL hadn't taken care of a baby since DH was a baby so it's not like she's some kind of expert nanny.
I don't know if I just got really lucky or if it's because Emma was so young that she got used to the change quickly, but I didn't notice any negative changes in her when I went back to work. The time I spent with her in the afternoons/evenings and on the weekends felt the same as the time I spent with her during my maternity leave.
MIL takes care of Emma at our house so the baby gear thing was not an issue, but my mom watches her for the end of the afternoon at her house and she has the following: a pack'n'play, a stroller (to take her for walks around the neighborhood), toys for entertainment, a few outfits (in case she gets her clothes dirty), diapers, wipes, bath stuff (not that she bathes her on a regular basis but in case of an emergency), a hook-on booster chair (https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2265745), pacifiers, a bottle, formula, and snacks/food. Oh, and both moms have car seats in their car. My mom uses it every day but my MIL has it in case of emergencies. Most of the gear at my mom's house were hand-me-downs or bought at discount stores (Marshall's type places).
The advice you got is great so I am pretty much just chiming in to say hi and can't believe you are going back in a month!
I will call you tomorrow, I am dying to see Elise again!
Jen, I have noticed that when we stay home she has a pretty set routine. It's those days when I take her out that it changes or during the weekends if we have a lot of visitors. I also wonder if those days that she's all over the place with the feedings mean that she's going through growth spurts. But, she has such a big appetite regularly that it's hard to tell.
Also, I was wondering if dropping off/picking up the stroller would work. My mom has gotten used to the City Mini and really likes it. I could look one up on Craigslist for her eventually, but maybe just in the beginning. And as far as the car seat, I was thinking of getting her a convertible one instead of another base for the infant car seat. That way, it'll have a longer lifespan and by then Elise can definitely just go into the stroller instead of having to get another stroller and adaptor and car seat base, etc.
BFP #3: 01/28/12, EDD: 09/23/12, MMC (BO), D&C 2/16/12 at 6.5 wks
BFP #4: 05/23/12, EDD: 01/31/12, Early MC at 5 wks
RPL Workup: + LPD (7DPO Prog = 7.8, Endometrial Bx = out of phase)
Elevated Alpha 2-glycoprotein IgA and antiphosphatidylserine IgM -->
Hematologist said not to worry and no need for treatment!
Dx: LPD
Cycle #1(08/2012): Clomid 50 mg CD3-7, Ovidrel CD13 + Progesterone = It worked!
BFP #5 on 09/10/12 (11 DPO). HCG #1 @ 14DPO = 131.6 HCG #2 @ 16DPO = 509
EDD: 05/23/2013