Worried new mum.

[jelly15]

Have a six month old baby starting in November and having a few settling in sessions next month. First baby for mum and she is very upset al leaving him to go back to work, staying home not an option for her. A live in a rural community were everyone knows each other or someone who does IYSWIM. All my current parents knew me or family or freinds who did before they met me. This mum, however, is new to the area and I am the only CM who had a vacancy. We seemed to have hit it off and I have tried being reassuring but I can tell she is extreamly nervous. Any advice would be very much welcome.
Thanks in advance

Jelly x

[blue bear]

could you get exisiting parents to talk to her and reassure her?

sometimes you just have to tread gently and hope it all turns out, lots of photo's of her LO happy and settled with you would be reassuring in the early days - I always try to print a couple on each visit to send home in the child's daily diary.

[Alibali]

I have a new very nervous Mum too, just be yourself and be honest about everything from the start so you can start to build a trusting relationship. I had major concerns about mine, but this is week 4 now and I alreadt see a difference and Mum seems happier with the situation now. Dreading when lo gets her first bump though

[sarah707]

I have just settled a worried new mum as well.

I send her texts through the day and a couple of photos on my phone of her lo laughing and playing.

I also offered extra settling in sessions (charged at the normal hourly rate) so that she could build her confidence before she left him full days.

The only thing I need to work on is her going when she gets here - she is hanging around and making it harder for herself.

Hth

[Mykidsrock]

Ive have a new one start today whose mum was also a little nervous even after all the stay and play sessions we have done.

I have taken photos of lo and sent them to mum throughout the day (sometimes photos lo is not even aware I have taken as so engrossed in what they were doing) as well as text's throughout the day keeping her informed about how lo was doing.

I keep a daily diary which I gave to mum at pick up and I produced a collage of lo's first day (whilst they were at nursery for 3 hours) to give to her.

lo cried at drop off this morning, but when mum came to pick them up they wanted to stay which also reassured mum.

Just be yourself and be open to mum and for mum to contact you at any stage during the day should she need reassurance and you'll be fine.

Hope it all goes well xx

[francinejayne]

I sent quite a few texts telling mum that baby was fine, what he'd eaten, when he was asleep etc (all the stuff I put in his diary but it reassured her while she was at work during the first few weeks)

I printed photos of him laughing and put them in the diary too.

Within a few weeks mum was much better and I slowly reduced the amount of texts I sent - now I send none unless necessary!

It must be hard to leave your baby with a 'stranger' though, so I have huge empathy with the parents

[karensmart4]

I think settling in periods are as much about Mum as the child

[Mookins]

bless her heart, i remember those days, only i gave up work because of it

very good ideas given here especially about meeting with the other mums

xx