s/o of MM Moms Babysitter post

[trafficgirl]

Saw this on MM Moms and was curious what MoMs did.

When did you start using a non-family babysitter for your twins/triplets/etc?  And at what age did you leave a non-family babysitter to put your kids to bed?

We've had a neighbor girl help out when I was away for a bit and H was by himself, but he stayed there since they had never met her before.  We would like to use her during the evening, but I think she (or anyone by themselves) would have a difficult time putting the boys to bed. I don't want to scare her off!

[twotrue]

Pretty early. We have no family here though so we have to use sitters. I nursed them so in reality it was probably around 3 or 4 months before someone else put them to bed.

Sent from my SM-G900V using proboards

[egishere]

They were probably closer to two before we had a non family (or non regular nanny) babysitter. We used a 17 yr old from our neighborhood. The first few times we always put them to bed then went out but then we started leaving earlier and having the babysitter put them to bed but we usually get them in their pjs, etc. They are 3 now and last week we had to use a new sitter and leave at 4:30pm so we still put them in their pjs but she fed them dinner and later put them to bed. Luckily it went great! Having a babysitter is always a bit nerve wracking but when they are responsible for twins, etc that are babies that is hard! I just try to make it as easy as possible on the babysitter.

[floridakat]

Our girls were around two when we started using a non-family sitter. She's a lovely woman (nurse) in her 40s who babysits to pick up extra money. She's awesome. I can trust her implicitly, and my girls are a handful. One of them has trouble separating from me, and she puts up with that pretty well, too. The only downside is it's $15/hr.

[shananagins]

We are super lucky and have lots of family around so we haven't had to use a non family sitter yet, but we have a set of 17 yr old twins that live next door who petsit for us. I would have no problem leaving the girls with them. We joke with their mom about how bizzare it it to have 2 set of twins next door to eachother!

[fryjack2]

We don't have family near us.

The first time we used a sitter was 2 weeks after they came home from the NICU. ***insert judgement*** We left them for just under 3 hours to go to a concert I did not want to miss. We left them with 2 NICU nurses that we have known for years. I fed them/pumped, went, pumped again on the way home ( I was power pumping). They slept 95% of the time we were gone.

Then it wasn't until they were 6 months old and we hired our nanny. I had a 4 month maternity leave and H took the 1st month of his off the first month they were home, and the 2nd 2 after I went back to work.

[trafficgirl]

fryjack2 - no judgment here. Do what you gotta do.

[nomad]

We had our nanny watch them at night at about 7 months. In 14 months we've had a sitter after work hours 3 times and it's always been our first nanny. We now have a different nanny because the first one has a job with benefits but the first one will always be our first choice for a sitter.

[cinnamoncox]

They were about two until someone other than Dh and I put them to bed, and it was my mom and aunt. The only times they've been put to bed by anyone but me and/or Dh has been my mom. And it's been only a handful of times.
They went to an in home daycare starting at two for one afternoon over week to give me a break and get them out with someone else. Once they turned three they started four days per week of preschool. This is their last year of preschool.

Non family has never watched them in my home. Ds (teen) either. I'm funny about people in my house though.