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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

How can childminders care for more than one baby????

29 replies

sheepgirl · 08/09/2007 17:29

I have one 6 1/2 baby who I love dearly but is blooming exhausting. So how do CMs look after more than one!!! That has to be more stressful than caring for toddlers?

OP posts:

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Original poster

sheepgirl · 08/09/2007 17:30

sorry baby is 6 1/2 mths old.

OP posts:

smeeinit · 08/09/2007 18:03

it is very stressfull !
i have cared for twins in the past,they came to me at 5 months old and it was extremely hard work! my hat goes off to all parents of multiples!

kathcariad · 08/09/2007 18:58

We don't suffer from the sleepless nights that go with them , or the mountains of washing , organising and bills! That's how!
And of course we're experienced and trained to do it! Find a mum with many children or a friendly cm at the local toddlers and ask them for tips- the first is always the hardest!

Katymac · 08/09/2007 21:24

I would say it's the lack of sleep that makes a baby so difficult combined with your body getting over pregnancy, childbirth & breast feeding which can drain you both emotionally and physically

Other peoples are easier

MightyMoosh · 09/09/2007 11:47

I have had 4 babies under 6m at once, alone in a nursery, even after 3 hour session was so knackered, its bloody hard work!

Original poster

sheepgirl · 09/09/2007 21:21

But when caring for babies what do you do if 2 are crying at the same time?

OP posts:

kkey21 · 09/09/2007 22:12

Don't forget its only one baby under 1yr of age at any one time-unless you have variation?

I look after an little boy who will be 1yr old this Fri!
A 16mth old little girl, and i have my own son who has just turned 2!
So hands very full and well, you just cope! I find it fine and if one is upset and another gets upset then they share my lap! And if another gets upset then we have a group hug! arrrrrrrrrr!!!

Its actually pretty unusual for them to all be upset together, but i suppose they could be classed a toddlers now!

I only work Tuesday-Thursday and then when its just me and my boy the other two days its sooooooo easy!
And im shattered! xx

Original poster

sheepgirl · 09/09/2007 22:38

I guess I was thinking about mightymosh's comment about the babues under 6 mths old.

OP posts:

maisym · 09/09/2007 22:41

I always think that a cm has to look after the kids but not do all the other things parents have to do at home.

madamez · 09/09/2007 22:43

Well, think of a single mum with triplets. She manages, so it's doable.
The other factor, of course, is that childminders get time off to do whatever else they want or need to do.

maisym · 09/09/2007 22:51

plus the kids go home.....

princessandthepea · 09/09/2007 23:07

I worked in a baby room at a nursery & loved it. Its harder looking after your own children because you don't get to escape at the end of the day

Kiddi · 10/09/2007 00:50

Each Child comes with its own challenges and beautiful little traits whatever age it is. As with every parent, a childminder does wonder(risk assess)whether this or that would be possible, practical, or copeable when taking on a new child, but one thing we do which parents probably dont, is self evaluate. What I am trying to say is....... Look back to what you could do/ were doing 3 months ago and see how your skills and coping strategies have grown and changed. Your 6 month old will soon become more mobile and you will then, how easy it was when they were more still. Its all a great adventure and you will and probably have already become a major multi tasker. Please do not forget to give your self credit for what you have acheived already, and anyway beds and sleep is overated. Having said that I had better get some as two of mine have their first full day at school today!!!!!!!

frannikin · 10/09/2007 22:59

How do you do it? You prioritise!

If one baby is screaming because they're bored and the other is screaming because they have their hand trapped in their bouncer you go for the dangerous situation first. And if they're both screaming because they're hungry then one just has to wait their turn - like twins at night - and next time you make a mental note to feed one just before the other realises s/he's hungy.

Personally I'd rather have (and indeed have had as a nanny) 2 babies than 2 toddlers....

Original poster

sheepgirl · 11/09/2007 19:27

oooh I don't know 2 screaming pre-verbal babies sounded bloody scary to me. Toddlers might be exhausting but at least you can have a chat about wiating your turn and even getting them involved in a task in a fun way. No definitely give me toddlers over babies any day!!!

OP posts:

star1976 · 12/09/2007 14:50

I'm a childminder and my first mindee was 11 months when she started and my DS was 9 months (yes I had a variation). First couple of weeks were hard whilst mindee was getting used to being away from her mum, but no actual problems with them both being so young.

Now they are 20 months and 18 months, and 3 days a week I have another mindee also who is 17 months (been having her since she was 12 months).

Guess that they are no longer babies, but we do have good fun. Won't deny that it is easier when just two of them here though! My house permanently smells of dirty nappies though as they have managed to syncronise (sp) their No.2's!

Jackmummy · 12/09/2007 19:48

When my dd was 7 months I started looking after another LO who was 2 days older than her. Along with my just 3 year old ds.
We all just kind of got on with it... the only time I felt stressed was in meal times. I felt like all I ever did was feed children!
The girls always napped at the same time, so I guess that I was lucky! I always found ds competing for attention far more stressful!
The girls are now coming up to 2 and it is easier now, dd is far more challenging than my mindee as I am her mother and aren't they all terrors for us at times!

Original poster

sheepgirl · 12/09/2007 20:46

my hats go off to you ladies :0)

I went to see a CM today and she had 2 toddlers screaming their heads off and I could see that she was finding it stressful working out which one to deal with first...couldn't have helped having a potential client watching!

OP posts:

fluffygal · 14/09/2007 17:17

CM can only have one under one at a time which makes it easier, I worry about the nursery staff who have 3 under ones to look after at a time, that is ridiculous!!!

Katymac · 14/09/2007 18:55

Shame for all those parents with twins....or even triplets?

I can care for up to 2 under 1's by myself & up to 3 with a co-minder or assistant

tori32 · 14/09/2007 19:08

Not really, I cm and my colleague has 2 babies. They both have good routines. Don't forget most babies are over 3 mths so have got into a pattern of eating / feeding and sleeping by then. Usually mums returning to work are quite organised with this because they know they need to be. Its actually easier with babies as they don't go in their own directions (like my 3 2yos and 20mth old! )

Shoshable · 14/09/2007 19:27

Tis fun watching Tori have her three all on reins, tis something like a cartoon

tori32 · 16/09/2007 20:28

Yes, like taking three untrained dogs for a walk

SlightlyMadSweden · 16/09/2007 20:31

Some of us with DTs do it 24/7

tori32 · 16/09/2007 20:37

DT's? is that triplets? If so massive hats off!! At least my other 2 go home at 1pm and 1600hrs Leaving just 1

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