Choosing Babysitters and Childcare

You are a busy and devoted mom, and love watching every new thing your son or daughter does. It is important, however, to set aside special time for you and your partner, or just time for yourself. Planning time away from your new baby means that you will need to find a trusted babysitter to care for your baby like you would. That may seem impossible, but knowing what qualities you need in a babysitter will help you to find the best person to take care of your child. The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) recommends taking the following steps to familiarize a new babysitter with you, your baby, and your home. 

Tips For Familiarizing A New Babysitter With Child Safety And Your Home

Safety/First Aid:

• Ask if the babysitter knows infant/child CPR and Rescue Breathing.
• Remind the babysitter that infants should not be placed on an adult bed of any kind.
• Remind the babysitter to place the baby on her/his back to sleep.
• Be sure that the babysitter knows the signs of illness in an infant including: changes in skin color, sweating, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Show the babysitter where the fire extinguishers are kept, and explain how they are used.
• Be sure to show the babysitter where the first aid supplies are kept.
• Remind the babysitter to keep all balloons or plastic items away from the baby.
• Instruct the babysitter that children should never be unsupervised in the bathtub. He/she should take them with him/her if they must answer the telephone or the door bell.
• Remind the babysitter to keep the bathroom door closed, and the toilet seat and lid down when not in use.

Familiarity with your House:

• Before leaving, be sure to give the babysitter a tour of the house.
• Ensure that all windows have been closed, and that the babysitter knows to keep them closed.
• Show the babysitter how to operate your child safety gates, and indicate where they need to be kept.
• Also show the babysitter where the flashlights are located.
• Make sure that you have put away all sharp items including scissors, knives, and any other objects that can cause injury.

CHOOSING AND USING CHILDCARE

Many moms today work and rely on child care for their children. Relatives or family members sometimes take on child-care duties, or children are enrolled in child-care programs. All parents wish the best start for their children. Child care is more than just a service that allows parents to work. It is a world that will affect a child's development in many ways - physically, emotionally, intellectually, and socially. Finding quality child care that is affordable can be challenging. Many parents need inexpensive or cost-free day care where they know their children are safe and are being helped to grow and develop. Parents can contact their local social service agency (listed in the phone book) for information about government-sponsored programs such as Head Start and Early Head Start and other community programs. The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) recommends taking the following steps to choosing quality child care. 

Steps to Choosing Quality Child Care

• Look. Visit several child care homes or centers. Visit the home or center more than once and stay as long as possible so you can get a good feel for what the care will be like for your child. Continue to visit even after you start using the home or center.
• Listen. Make sure the place is cheerful and not too quiet, which can mean not enough activity. Happy-sounding children means they are involved and busy.
• Count. Count the number of children in the group and the number of staff members caring for them. The fewer the number of children for each staff member, the more attention your child will get.
• Ask. Adults who care for children need knowledge and experience. Ask about the background and experience of all staff that will have contact with your child in the home or center.
• Be Informed. Find out more about efforts in your community to improve the quality of child care. Ask if the home or center is involved in these activities. Consider getting involved yourself.

For additional information, please visit the Children's Health Center.

The above information has been provided with the kind permission of The National Women's Health Information Center (http://www.4women.gov).

Last Editorial Review: 2/5/2003