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Home › Articles › Caregivers › Sitters for Newborns

Sitters for Newborns

Finding the Right Babysitter for New Babies

By Katherine Bontrager

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For new mom Leanne Davis it was one of the most stressful parts of motherhood. No, not the delivery or the first time they brought Ian home. The source of panic was finding a caregiver with whom they felt comfortable leaving their newborn.

"My son is now 13 months old and we are still looking for a babysitter," says the frustrated San Antonio mom. After Ian was born, Davis' mother-in-law came to stay for two months, which was a huge help, but since no family members live in town, it's been tough finding a sitter.

"I do have a friend who's watched Ian, but only once because our schedules haven't meshed," Davis says. "She's a neonatal nurse and is one of our first choices among our friends. She loves babies and is highly qualified. There's another couple that have an 11-month-old, and they've watched Ian a couple of times, too. I hate to keep asking them, but we don't have anyone else."

Davis says ideally she'd like an experienced sitter who's certified in infant CPR, but among the only people she knows who fit that description are the caregivers at Ian's daycare. "The problem is that the daycare has a policy that says teachers are not allowed to babysit for any of the children," she says. "There is no 'fraternizing' with the parents or children outside of the daycare."

For most of Davis' friends, family members provide the majority of babysitting duties. At a loss for what to do, she finally made an announcement at her church asking families for recommendations for quality caregivers. Two families came forward with suggestions, but still her options are limited. "It's so frustrating!" Davis says.

The frustration of finding qualified sitters with the special touch a newborn requires was one that Jeannine O'Malley shared. And for O'Malley that concern was two-fold – she's the mom of 6-month-old twins, Charlie and Elizabeth.

"Going back to work four months after giving birth was an exciting yet extremely stressful time," says the Los Angeles mom. "My biggest concern, of course, was leaving my infants with a stranger. My husband and I asked friends of ours if they (or their nannies) knew anyone who worked with children who was looking for a full-time position. We got a few referrals, but none were what we were looking for. Having twins, and knowing firsthand the challenges that go along with caring for two infants, we were very particular in searching for someone who could tackle this enormous job with love, compassion, safety and responsibility."


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