1st time Mum, any childminders about to advise about settling in?

[snowchick1977]

Hi

We have found our childminder, who, on face value, seems awesome :)

My daughter will be 6 months old when she goes in January. We have been to see her twice and all seems ok, but I am due to go over twice this week for a chat.

Its the first time that she will be handling her I guess. Do any of you have any tips or hints to make the settling in time easier for all of us? Ill be staying there this week to observe etc, getting to know us etc but then I will leave her for 15 mins at first and then build up to a proper settling in session of 2-3 hours, then half a day.

She will be going for 35 hours a week and, at the moment is still breastfed.

I really want to do the right thing by this lady as it is her livelihood at the end of the day, but just after any tips or dos and donts.

Thanks in advance

I think 6 months is perfect time and you shouldnt have too much trouble, its usually around 9 months I find that its harder to take babies as they have trouble leaving their Mums. I think the settling in period is very good and youre lucky to have someone who will accomodate you. I think the most important thing will be that you sort feeding out. Are you going to express milk. If you are you need to make sure that your baby is established in taking milk some other way...if expressed breast milk you can even cup feed and let your cm know how to do this. Its not always as easy as people think to get a baby to bottle feed when it has been breastfed, some find it easy, others dont. For your childminder this will be the most important thing, especially with a 6 month old baby when their whole world is milk! Good luck, hope it goes well x