When did you let someone else watch them?

@milliekeeling23 We started with a night doula twice a week to get longer stretches of sleep (we also did shifts) starting the week we got back from NICU. They were also under 5 pounds (3.5 and 4) and were tiny. I was nervous the first night but then felt fine. We were also sleeping like 20 feet away from them. Then probably two weeks later another post partum doula would come so we could get breaks, walk the dog, sometimes go to errands for 2-3 hours a couple times a week.
 
@milliekeeling23 I've had a hard time with people watching my twins. I know how overwhelming it gets with being alone with them. And with my anxiety I just imagine anyone doing horrible things to my babies. I'm sure that's the postpartum intrusive thoughts talking. But I haven't trusted people with them. But my babies are gonna be 2 months. So I don't know if it gets better.
 
@milliekeeling23 After a couple of weeks of them being home, we 'left' them with friends & family that we trusted while we napped/got unpacking done elsewhere in the house (we moved and had lots to unpack/set up).
  • I also left the kids with my mom while my husband worked in his home office at like 2 months?
  • left left them with in laws at like 4 months
 
@milliekeeling23 Slowly. Now at 14 months I have a very short list of people who can watch them without me or my husband around. At first I hated anyone except for my husband or my mom even touching them, I think it's a normal instinct we have as moms, as they get stronger you'll get more comfortable. Never apologize for it, they only need you and your husband and anyone extra is for you to get a break.
 
@milliekeeling23 Our girls were in NICU for 2 weeks and I was fortunate to be able to have my mom there most of that time as well as my husband, and my dad a couple times. The day after we got home with the girls, my husband had an art thing to attend for work, so my parents ended up babysitting for us for 2.5 hours! Thus began their love of having the twins fall asleep on them while cuddling on the couch (still going strong at 14 months LOL, Sunday's at grandma & grandpa's "watching" football or golf is definitely a tradition). About 2 months in my mom and her mom decided they wanted to start giving me a chance to have a day to do things, so they watch the girls for me every Friday and sometimes I am able to accomplish something, but I still have a difficult time just dropping the girls off and going to do my stuff. And in December (girls were 10 mo old) my mom wasn't available but my aunt was, so my grandma and aunt watched the girls a number of times for us.

All that to really say, I still can't imagine attempting to find a babysitter (outside the few who are regularly watching them) for the girls especially since they are super mobile now. But, they are quite resilient, great eaters, and love to read so if it really came down to it, I probably could let someone else watch them, after a supervised visit or two...
 
Back
Top