First time with babysitter - help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-03-2003
First time with babysitter - help!
Thu, 12-02-2004 - 11:07pm

First off, let me explain that I'm your typical first-time mom -- I have a 4 month old daughter, and the longest I've ever left her alone is 4 hours, and only a few times for an hour or two other than that. (I know, I know . . . .) She's only ever been left with my husband, and most of those times have pretty much been disasters. She is REALLY attached to me. At her 4 month pediatrician's appt this morning she had a total meltdown b/c the doctor needed to examine her -- this was long before the shots even entered the picture.

So here's my question -- I've only recently decided not to return to work after my maternity leave, but my office has offered to pay me to do some consulting part-time. I think that would be good for me, so I've hired a sitter 2 afternoons a week. She starts next week. Any advice about how to help my daughter bond to the sitter? How to ease into this? Or should I just do it cold turkey - get them settled (if possible) and leave the house? (I should mention that I am breastfeeding but she will take a bottle.) Help! Any magic spells I can use to make this easier on both of us? :-) Any advice is appreciated!!
Tina