New York Nanny Center » newborn

Fussy Baby Means Sleepy Parents

Alison Gore — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:01:31 +0000

Dear #AskaLLDSitter,

I am a new mom who is trying to get our newborn to sleep. Any tips to help us with our fussy night owl and avoid sleep deprivation?

Best,

Sleepyhead

Dear Sleepyhead,

Funny that you should ask that question. I was recently having that same conversation with Winter Parris of Winters Play Place, who helps new moms with postpartum about how to get a newborn to sleep. She gave me such insightful tips beyond the running list of swaddling your baby, constant movement and using white noise because every family is different, so what may work for one may not be the best option for another. Her main idea is that new parents need to find a way that is comfortable not just for their child but also for them, otherwise it’s an unsettling situation for both parties.

The biggest point Winter made was for new moms to take some time out for themselves. If you are rundown and not feeling well, how will you be able to take care of your lil’ one? Be sure to take time to work out, read, nap, talk to other moms/get support and make time for that date night. Find a reliable sitter or sitters that you can coach through your routine. You can also get help through an agency & have them assist in coaching the sitter based on your parenting style. Having a trustworthy sitter who follows your instructions completely is almost like you are there, but really you’ll be downstairs sipping vino with your hubby or partner. You’ll feel confident that your instruction is being followed, and you’ll get some time to relax!

It’ll make you feel so much better knowing that the sitter is following your instructions and knows the routine.

#AskaLLDSitter from LLD and Renee Pena.

-Renee is a lifelong learner of parent’s education,creativity, special needs and early childhood. She is addicted to Pinterest, organizing, and the color purple. She is honored to be a guest blog for LLD as their go to sitter expert via #AskaLLDSitter. Renee is currently working on an upcoming blog on education, you may follow her launch and tips on Reneepedia. You can also chat with her via twitter at @enrichingkids.

How to Find a Sitter for your Newborn

Alison Gore — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:11:53 +0000

Dear #AskaLLDSitter,

As a new mom, I’m wondering what type of questions I should ask my potential new sitter. Do you have any suggestions or a checklist for effective methods of interviewing new sitters to ensure I find the best fit for my family and newborn? What are your top must-ask questions?

Best,

Question Block Mom

Dear Question Block Mom,

This is a great question! Even when you are using a babysitting service like LLD which performs background checks, reference checks, and in-person interviews, as a new mom you want to perform your own personal interview before you hire a new sitter. Firstly, you want to make sure you and your sitter click and that he or she will make a great addition to your family. Secondly, every family has a different philosophy regarding childrearing, so you want to individually talk with a sitter to make sure he or she is on the same page as you and your family. LLD does the initial vetting process and suggests only the best in childcare, but as a new mom you want to be comfortable with your new sitter. So if you are conducting your interview with an LLD sitter in person, over the phone, or via Skype these are my go-to tips on conducting an authentic and meaningful interview.

First and foremost: Trust your gut!!! If an answer to a question does not feel right to you, or if you immediately click with a sitter and feel comfortable, trust that initial reaction. One interview technique I have used is asking fill-in-the-blank questions. For example, ask the sitter to complete sentences like: “Children are _____,” these kinds of questions give you a chance to really see what a sitter thinks.
Make sure to ask about his/her personal philosophy about raising children, discipline as well as past experience with siting for children of all ages. Even though some questions might not exactly pertain to caring for a newborn, they are still vital for understanding a potential sitter’s overall childcare philosophy.
Ask a scenario question. I tend to ask sitters what they would do in a variety of both emergency and daily situations to see their level of preparedness in dealing with a newborn.
Is the sitter CPR trained for infants? If not, would he/she be willing to receive the necessary training before beginning work?
I highly recommend asking about the vaccines a sitter has. When dealing with infants, it’s important for a sitter to have the flu shot and pertussis booster.
Finally, I recommend starting your search for a sitter early to reduce stress! Give yourself ample time to interview candidates, get to know him/her & find the best fit for your family!

As always thank you so much for your amazing questions and we hope to see you hear same time next week on

#AskaLLDSitter from LLD and Renee Pena.

Bedtime Routine Tips from the Experts!

Lindsay Bell — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:15:00 +0000

Big City Moms always supporting LLD, invited us to their Sleep Experts Lunch to speak about the importance of communicating bedtime routines to your sitter. Here are a few important tips!
1. Give your sitter a tour of your home. Show your sitter the kids rooms, point out dangerous areas you want the kids to stay away from and give specific instructions on how things work.

2. Bedtime Rules. Talk to your sitter about your bedtime routine with the kids i.e. What time do you begin to wind down the night? What is your child’s favorite story and/or bedtime song? What time should they be asleep by?

3. Special Instructions. Are there any special rules you have? Do your kids have any allergies the sitter should know about? Are the kid’s sick and need medicine?

4. Exchange Contact Info. Be sure to leave your sitter with your cell phone and an emergency contact numbers. Be sure to get her cell phone number so that you can text her throughout the night if you have any questions or to check in.

5. Anything else? Sitters are happy to lend a helping hand. If you’d like them to unload the dishwasher or change the laundry most sitters won’t mind. Especially once they have been at your home a few times and you feel connected to them. They will be happy to help!

I stayed to listen to Kira Ryan, mom, sleep lover and co-founder of Dream Team speak about her infant& toddler sleep tips. Here are a few!

Newborns should get 15-18 hours of sleep per day (24hrs)
A good bedtime for an infant is between 6-8pm
Signs of a sleepy infant: the cry is different, no engagement or eye contact, fussy
What is normal?
- Up to 6 mo infants take naps every1 ½ -2 hours
- At 6mo infants usually take 2 naps per day
- 15-18 mo 1 long nap in the afternoon
- Naps or ‘quiet time’ is recommended up to 3-4 years
- White noise machines are great especially for city noise
- Crib should be a sleep sanctuary, anything that screams party or playground should be removed
- Check the nursery temperature! It should be between 68-72 F.
- Is the room dark enough? Get blackout shades!

For more info on Dream Team click here