5 Things Your Nanny Needs to Know
Starting a new relationship with a Nanny is more fraught with anxiety than a first date! You're leaving your most precious thing in the entire world - your baby - in the care of someone other than your immediate family. Once you've made the decision to use a Nanny, whether in your own home or in the Nanny's home, there are several things you can do to make your baby's transition as smooth as possible. Here are a few tips:
- Take a small, blank spiral notebook and record all of your important family information on the front or back cover. Include the baby's full name, date of birth, you and your partner's full names, your home address, and all telephone numbers noting which are home, mobile, and work. Include the name and relationship of all family members who are allowed and/or likely to pick up the baby. Provide your pediatrician's name, address, and phone number.
- Explain to the Nanny that you would like your baby's entire day recorded into the journal (It's important that you continue the journal entries when the baby is with you as well.). Days run from midnight to midnight, and usually a single page is adequate to record all the day's activities. You want recorded every time your baby has a wet diaper change, has a bowel movement, goes to sleep, wakes up, and eats. You also want any abnormalities in your baby's average day recorded. An example of a typical day's journal entries would look like this:
- Explain to the Nanny that you do not want the baby awakened from their sleep for any reason whatsoever. The baby should make the schedule, not the Nanny. Sleeping is your baby's job - it must be respected.
- Have a clear understanding on whether or not you want to allow the Nanny to take your baby outside the home, either by car or in a stroller. If you do allow it, have any outside the home time recorded in the baby's journal. From the outset, review all travel safety precautions and make sure you're entirely comfortable with any travel plans.
- As a regular form of communication, you can't beat text messaging. It can be read and answered when either of you have a moment, and it is much easier to deal with than constant telephone calls. However, recognize that if your Nanny is calling you on the phone, it must be important. Stop whatever you're doing and take the call. Explain to the Nanny that telephoning is for emergencies and all other conversations should take place via text messaging. It will make your life and your Nanny's life easier to communicate on a regular basis in this way.
Monday, 11/21
| 2:00 am | WU (wake up), WD (wet diaper) 6 oz. (baby took 6 oz. of formula) or Nursed |
| 2:45 | Sleep |
| 5:50 | WU, DD (dirty diaper) |
| 6:00 | Sleep |
| 8:35 | WU, WD 4.5 oz or Nursed |
| 9:10 | Arrived (at Nanny's) |
| 9:42 | WD |
| 10:10 | Sleep |
| 11:46 | WU, WD |
| 12:02 pm | 6.5 oz |
| 12:34 | DD, BIG BM! Large, loose stool |
| 1:16 | Sleep |
| 3:19 | WU, WD - a little chafed, used diaper cream on bum |
| 3:48 | 6 oz - spit up a little more than usual, kind of gassy |
| 4:14 | WD |
| 5:05 | Picked up |
| 5:30 | Sleep |
| 6:20 | WU, WD Bath - used diaper cream |
| 7:30 | 7 oz |
| 7:48 | Sleep |
On a daily basis, total up the number of wet and dirty diapers used per day, the number of ounces being eaten, and the number of hours the baby is sleeping. You will be able to track eating, sleeping, and digestion trends and determine when something is off or if there are any developmental issues you need to discuss with your pediatrician. This daily baby journal will become invaluable to you. Make sure your Nanny knows that you want to be kept informed of any injury - however minor. A minor bump, even if it leaves no mark, should be recorded in the baby's journal.
