Six Steps to Make Your Domestic Helper Ready to Care for Your Baby

It’s never easy to let someone else take care of your baby. Are you ready for your domestic helper to take care of your baby?

In Asia, it is common practice for parents to let the domestic helper take care of their baby. Although everybody agrees on how convenient this arrangement is, it is often pretty tough for mummies to leave their little love to the care of a stranger – especially if they just hired her. Before leaving the helper with your baby, follow these six steps to ensure your helper can take good care of your baby.

#1 Observation

Let your helper observe how you like things to be done: how and when to feed the baby, how to clean the bottle, how and when to change the nappy, how to give the bath and so on. Make sure she understands how you want things to be done.

#2 Proof-run

Before you let your helper do all the tasks while you are out to work or with friends, let your helper do all the tasks while you are at home. Be gentle and nice to her, but do not hesitate to tell her if something should be changed. Do not keep this for yourself, because that will bring unnecessary stress later on.

#3 Increase time and frequency slowly

When you believe your helper is ready, let her take care of your baby while you are away for a short while. Increase the length of these moments slowly until you finally reach your objective. The first time you can be gone for two hours, but don’t leave for a weekend getaway. Also, make sure your helper can reach you on the phone, in case something goes wrong.

#4 Be clear on what you want to do yourself

If there are things that you would prefer your helper not to do when you are gone, discuss this with her. You can explain that you want to give the baby a bath for personal reasons. Just make sure that it is not because you think she is not good enough. She will understand that you, as a mum, want to bond with your child as well.

#5 Track your baby’s day through a baby dairy

Ask your helper to write down in a baby diary what’s going on: what time did she feed your baby, how much did the baby eat, how many times did she have to change the nappy, how long was the nap time and so on. Set a good example by doing this yourself, so your helper can refer to it if needed. It is important for you to follow that your baby is behaving in a normal range for his/her age.

#6 Be updated with pictures

Most domestic helpers have smartphones with cameras and apps that allow them to chat and send photos. You can ask your helper to send you pictures whenever something cute happens. You will feel so much more at ease if she can send you a few pictures of your baby throughout the day, and it will help you feel that you never left home.

#Extra: Never be jealous!

And do not forget: never be jealous of your helper, she is doing her best to take care of your kids, she will love your kids and your kids will also love her in their way, but you will always remain their mummy.