Baby sitter

Ok so my boys are about 3 1/2 months old (only a month adjusted) and I'm still nervous as heck at the thought of leaving them alone with someone. Just a couple weeks ago we left them with his mom for a few hours while we went downtown to Waikiki and met with one of my hubby's friends from California who was in Hawaii for a training thing (military). I was pretty okay with that, but still nervous that we'd get a phone call from her with bad news. My boys spent 8 weeks in the NICU. Wyatt did really well those 8 weeks. He had a cpap for a total of 3 days and that was that. He didn't really have an apnea episodes. He had one hernia surgery in the NICU, then just had to have another one a couple weeks ago. However, I never worry about Wyatt. It's Riley. He was off and on Cpap what seemed like the whole time we were in the NICU. For the longest time when we'd go visit them, when holding Riley his o2 would drop, he'd turn blue, etc etc. We had to always put him back sooner than his brother.

Now that they're home, they both have reflux, but Riley's is worse. He spits up much larger amounts than his brother and on a more constant basis. On top of that, he'll spit up so much sometimes that he begins to choke. I swear it automatically makes me think he's going to turn blue like he did with his apnea issues and I panic! He hasn't yet, but still.

Dane Cook is going to be here Nov 28th and we never ever have good concerts or shows come to Hawaii, so it's a shock. Both my hubby & I are fans and we'd really like to go, but I'm nervous to leave them. I'm afraid someone wouldn't understand that it takes a little extra work to get my boys to take their full feeding (they take about 4ounces). Sometimes it only takes them 15 minutes to finish, sometimes it takes them 45 minutes to finish a bottle. On top of that, I get frustrated when they spit up all over me, I'd hate for them to do that to someone else. My hubby & I were really active people before and I think it's getting to us cause we never get to leave the house.

So my question is, when did everyone here leave their babies alone w/ someone other than family? And also how much do you typically pay a baby sitter to watch two 3 1/2 month old twins? We'd only be gone long enough for the show then come right home.

 

I can relate to your concerns!! I have only ever left the girls on 3 occasions and that was with granparents back when they were 6wks, 3 months and 4months old. As i have left it so long and since one of the girls got ill while we were out i feel very anxcious about leaving thm with them again even with grandparents. I am feeling more and more in need of a night or just few hrs away but i'm struggling with actually doing it. So sorry i am no help really but with hindsight i wish i had percivered with them being looked after by others when the were smaller, it might not be such a big deal now. Hope you get some helpful replies :ibiggrin:

 

We just left our twins for the first time this past saturday for about 3.5 hours. Wwe paid $10 per hour as she requested. I have to say that I don't think I would have left them so soon but 1) we have a 17 month old too and I am run off my feet and out of my mind and 2) we hadn't been on a date since the night before the 17 month old was born so it was time!

We waited til the 17 month old was asleep and then went out. We also had our 11 year old here to help the sitter hold babies as they are usually fussy at night. We did end up coming home to a screaming and crying baby though, I can barely manage so I don't expect someone else to be able to hold and soothe 2 babes at the same time (dd had gne to bed) but it still made me feel bad, especially since it was our usually good natured twin who was so upset. Typical mommy guilt. I told DH that I would like to have 2 sitters next time but he said that would be way too expensive LOL.

I say go for it! You guys need time away and honestly it made me feel even closer to them to be saparated from them if that makes any sense at all LOL. Try not to worry momma! :hug:

 

I'm not sure what to pay in your state. Here I paid my son and his teen GF 25.00 for 4 hrs. I put the twins down for the night about 6:30.

Easy money for them. Plus I bought pizza. Teens are a good choice for night time, or quick trips to the store.

If your twins are not STTN I would probably pay extra for nightime feedings.

Dane Cook is fantastic, don't miss him, you need the laughs. I don't think you should ever feel guilty for wanting a little me time.

Good luck.

 

i definetly understand your concerns and i even have the same issues when thinking about letting even family members watch them.

if it's any sort of comfort to you in regards to you not wanting your boys to throw up all over the baby sitter when my kids seemed to be at the peek of projectile vomitting multiple times a day any time a "stranger" (grandparent, close friend) would feed them the boys would be perfectly fine and keep everything down. weird, huh?

 

My twins do not have health issues and I left them alone with someone other than family at six weeks. My two year old had a five-week NICU stay for lung problems and I was completely freaked out about leaving him - for the first few months, we had an RN babysit. I've had a number of friends with twins (one with preemie twins, the other with twins with heart defects awaiting open heart surgery) go this route as well. You might consider contacting the NICU you were at and asking if any RNs might be interested in babysitting on the side.

 

we pay our sitters 10.00 an hour.
I had to start leaving my babies at 6 weeks when I returned to work! It was hard but I could call and check on them/ or stop in whenever I needed to. I left very specific instructions on what I wanted done and the sitter was a very experienced 50+ woman who had raised 5 kids and ran a childcare center for 25 years before she started keeping our twins.
She kept me a log of what they did, when they ate, when she changed them etc. A bit over the top but it helped me feel better.

If its a younger sitter (teenage or young 20s)perhaps youd feel better if there were 2 of them? one for each baby? If you dont go out that often, I think thats what Id opt for it possible until they are bigger and/or you're more comfortable.

You definitely deserve some time out with your spouse!

 

hi!
i am new here. we have 12 week old BG twins. they were born at 33 weeks, and spent a few weeks in the NICU. we bonded with a few nurses and when we left, i asked one of the nurses if any of them ever babysat. she didn't because she was older and had a family of her own, but she sent an email to several of the NICU nurses and i heard back from three. they are each fabulous. i have an 8 year old daughter, so i need to get out and do things with her from time to time. one of the NICU nurses actually diagnosed my son's inguinal hernia while babysitting! (they had missed it in the NICU...) so i feel like i get a check up and medical expertise in addition to babysitting. it does cost a little more, so we wont do it forever - but while they are still little and fragile...its a nice option.
good luck!!
sarah

 

Finding a NICU nurse to baby sit is a great idea and I might have to check into that because I can't imagine leaving them with a "stranger." At least a NICU nurse, I'm sure I know to a small extent.

I also vaguely mentioned my thoughts/concerns to a friend and she offered if her husband didn't have any plans. He's just getting back from a 2 month deployment so who knows what he has planned, if anything (him and my hubby work together).

I think between that friend and a NICU nurse that's the only people I'd feel comfortable with right now

 

Honestly my kids are almost 3 and 5 and we have not left them with anyone other than a family member. I just feel like 3 small kids is too much for a teenager/college aged person to handle. There are too many what-ifs.

 

I have never have anyone other than very close friends or family watch my kids, however, if I did, for whatever reason, have to have a babysitter, I would absolutely make sure that they were CPR certified, especially with refluxers. I'm really not trying to scare you, just being realistic.