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babysitting worries

In two weeks we are hopefully going out for a friends birthday meal. This will be the first time we have ventured out without DD. I'm looking forward to the meal but am really nervous about leaving DD. I know this is normal, but I feel a bit silly!

She'll be left with mum-in-law who will be fine. But how can I prepare myself with leaving her? Will I seem really obsessive if I were to tell mum-in-law everything that DD needs, from when to feed to how to soothe her cries, don't want to seem patronising seeing as she has been a mum thre times over!? Also I'll have to give her a couple of bottles of expressed milk to give while I'm out, which I haven't even attempted yet, so am nervous about that too!

Also what happens about DD bedtime routine - it currently starts at 8 and in bed by half 9 although I am hoping to move this forward half hour to in bed by 9. We'll still be out then, prob won't get back til 10ish, so does mum-in-law do routine and I just collect her and put her straight to bed when we get home? Or does the routine get left for the one night?

So many questions, but I'm fretting!! Probably unnecessarily, but I haven't done this before! Any tips welcome xxx

She'll be 8weeks old when we do this

Replies

  • Firstly you are quite normal too be worried so dont think you are the only one.

    Secondly, if you plan to give your LO ebm i would start doing it soon as she might refuse it, especially if its the first time. Im struggling to get my lO to take bottles at the moment and we have done it once a week or so but he refuses sometimes.

    Next you are perfectly right to leave strict instructions as to routine. I always do it with my kids

    Then relax and enjoy your night

    Gemm x
  • Could you ask your MIL to come over to your house to babysit, then pay for her to get a taxi home? That way the bedtime routine can stay in place. If not, I wouldn't worry too much about it for one night.

    My mum babysat for us when Adam was nearly four weeks old - just for a couple of hours while hubby and I went out for dinner.

    I talked her through everything! How to make up the feeds, what Adam's different cries meant, how to soothe him, what to use when changing his nappy etc. She listened very patiently, despite being a mum three times over and (more recently) looking after my two nephews while my sister is at work!

    So I'm sure your MIL will understand. After all, no one knows your baby better than you! image

    xx
  • Lol! thanks girls - think I'm just going to risk sounding patronising and just tell her everything - DD is quite particular about when she wants to lay down or sit up! Think I'll not have the normal bath routine either, we've sometimes not done it on other nights for various reasons and she has never been fazed by it!

    Just got to tackle the expressing now - haven't managed to start that yet as have been wasting time reading the instruction manual, buying things and talking to my mummy friend about it - think I'm subconciously feeling nervous about it! Job for the weekend, me thinks - hoping I haven't screwed it up! Would really like to go out next week!
    xx
  • If possible, get an electric pump for expressing. It's really quick and easy I promise! image

    You can store breast milk in the fridge for a couple of days then just heat it up in a jug of hot water...

    xx
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