Talk to me about people babysitting

Blue990 · February 2012

First off I already have anxiety leaving DS with certain people and I know this is early but I can't help but wonder how I am going to do with two now.

I am so scared they will leave the two alone to make a bottle or just to grab something. Or not pay attention to LO1 because they are trying to calm down LO2. I will feel kinda weird saying you can't leave them alone even for a second but I feel like I am going to have to spell out the obvious.

Anyway, how was it leaving your 2u2? I know I am going to be nervous but I obviously will leave them for my sanity here and there.

Summer20 · February 2012

I don't really know how you will get over your anxiety, but as your LO1 gets older he'll be able to be left alone for a couple of minutes. For example, I can now take a shower while DD is awake and I don't have to keep her in the bathroom with me. Every room she has access to while I'm in the shower is within hearing distance and is well child-proofed. I usually just put on a TV show for her and I leave the bathroom door open. She's fine, but this is something I never could have imagined doing 6 months ago.

You are going to have to leave your LOs unattended here and there when you have two - you can't keep them both glued to your side all day! But they will be fine. Just invest in good child-proofing.

middlemarch26 · February 2012

As pp said, don't forget that your DC#1 is going to be so much bigger by the time the baby comes and you are actually ready to leave them with a sitter. That's a huge difference at that age.

Make sure things are well-child-proofed, and make things as easy as possible by getting snacks/sippy cups/etc. prepared and ready to go before you leave. And obviously don't leave your kids with someone you don't think can handle them both. I wouldn't leave both of mine with a thirteen year old sitter, kwim?

sweetpea2003 · February 2012

Like someone has said, as your LO gets older it will become more realistic to leave them alone for short periods of time. For example, I have a routine most mornings where we eat breakfast and play and then I put DD (2.5) in the den to watch TV for 20 minutes while DS and I go upstairs to get dressed and ready to go to the gym, run errands, etc.

When my kids have a sitter during the day I know that occasionally one of the kids might be left alone (in a safe area) while the other is being tended to. My DD has only been potty trained for about a month so things are still a little new and take time. DS sometimes needs a diaper change or to be put down for a nap. It happens.

You will find that when you have #2 that you cannot be *everywhere* all the time the way you were with your first baby. It was really hard for me to get used to that - one of the toughest transitions into the multiple kid world. It just is what it is.

At the end of the day, I have found it is much easier to verbalize exactly what you want and talk about it with the sitter. I have talked about some things with my sitters that most people would find obvious... but knowing that they KNOW makes me feel better.

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