Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Working Women
WORK'G FROM HOME WITH INFANT
1  2  3  Next



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

queen




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 6:11 pm
mothers out there who work from home and have/had an infant- please help!!!

I run my own business from home. My baby is only 5 weeks old and I'm not sure what to do regarding a babysitter now that I'm about to return to work.

when dd is around I can't get very much done, not housework, not work. We're I to send her to a babysitter- I'm afraid she'll be left to cry/fuss at (even the best of babysitters)... however to hire a woman to come watch baby at my house will add up ($$$) very fast.

Does anyone here have help come to the house to help with kid/s (& light house work) and how much does it typically run?

or how much would it be to have a babysitter come to my house to watch my dd AND someone elses child? (would we split the babysitters cost 50/50, or does the other woman pay less as she has to come to my house?)

BOTTOM LINE- I dont want my dd screaming at a babysitter. I'd rather have her at home---- but need to find a way to justify the expense.

(please excuse me if I dont respond this week as we're moving...)
(babysitting fees in correlation with East Coast USA standards)

Thank you
Back to top

shoy18




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 7:28 pm
I had a babysitter in my home she charged 8$ an hour.
you can send your baby out if you want just do a lot of research and ask a lot of people who they recomend thier are good people who do it in thier own home.
Back to top

ElTam




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 7:29 pm
Is the time you do your work variable? You could get a mother's helper in in the afternoons after school for a few hours a day for probably $4 an hour. For babysitting we pay $5 to $6 an hour for a high-school/seminary girl.

I do not employ cleaning help, so I can't give you a price on that.
Back to top

Mommy912




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 8:45 pm
Hey Queen - welcome to the club of working mothers Smile

Things that may happen if you bring a sitter in your home:
- You will hear her cry and will be distracted from work - it will take you longer to get work done -> more babysitter hours needed.
- Your babysitter will have to be the type who will not be nervous from your scrutiny - it is the winter and the baby is likely to be home most/all of the time.
-Your house will be messier and you will find yourself cleaning up for the babysitter and keeping food in the house for her to eat.
-More expensive than sending out.

Things that may happen if you take your baby out:
-You will have to take your baby out in the winter - and you lose time shlepping back and forth.
-Harder to keep up nursing (don't know if that applies to you)

As far as sharing with someone - ask around and see what you find.

I would look for the right sitter and work with her location. And definitely get cleaning help if you can afford it. I look at it as an hour spent cleaning is an hour spent away from my kids or an hour when I could have rested/recharged and didn't.

Queen sweetie, this is only the beginning - your life is gonna get a whole lot more expensive and complicated! Shep Nachas!
Back to top

baby's mom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 9:09 pm
mommy912 her baby is 5 weeks, the house wont be messy for at least 4-5 months!! Wink

I would probably get a mother's helper since I would want my baby around at this age, especially to feed and change diaper if necessary... It's also not as much $ as babysitter. Your baby still sleeps a lot at this point and doesn't need much entertainment . Good luck!
Back to top

baby's mom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 9:16 pm
mommy912, did you mean the babysitters food or the baby's?! Confused Wink
Back to top

Mommy912




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 9:37 pm
I meant the babysitters food and the babysitters mess. Even adults mess things up!
Back to top

tzivi




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 9:55 pm
Queen, what do you do?
Back to top

happymom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 10:00 pm
queen is there a way you can go back to work later.. like when your baby is 3 months old? because its hard the first few, they need their mommies ALOT... and even with a sitter...... but I definitely think if you have no other choice in the house is better.

Last edited by happymom on Wed, Nov 23 2005, 11:11 pm; edited 2 times in total
Back to top

raizy




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 10:09 pm
queen what did u do in the end.?I dont see why yu cant work around your baby's squedule she is so young and she doesnt take much to entertain. I think till 13 or 14 months u can keep her at home and watch her yourselve and save money.
Back to top

stem




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 10:16 pm
I was able to work from home till my baby was about 5-6 months by working during her naps and a lot at night. After that, they awake for much longer during the day so if you want to keep working the same amount of hours you'll have to find a babysitter. I didn't want to do that, so I cut my hours drastically instead and only worked a few hours at night.
At 5 weeks she is probably still not sleeping through the night which makes you a very tired mommy! Why not take a few more weeks before you start work? And after that, would you consider cutting down your hours so you could work while she's sleeping?
Back to top

IndyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 23 2005, 11:30 pm
I'm not working, but I am going to school. I found that with child #1 I couldn't get my work done at all when he was around becuase I was always afraid of him waking up in the middle of something important so I just wouldn't start anything. I had my cleaning lady keep an ear out for him when she was here and that was when I did my work. I also ended up hiring a sitter.

Now with baby number three I am more in tune with her sleep schedule and more flexible about stopping and starting my work and we are doign fine with no sitter. I have a girl some afternoons that plays with my boys and sometimes I give her the baby but usually I have the baby and doing my work is fine.

She is almost 5 months now and I plan to send her to a babysitter two mornings a week for next semester becuase once they become mobile they are a lot harder.
Back to top

tzivi




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 24 2005, 12:08 am
It really depends on what it is that you do from home. I have my own shop at home and even though it is difficult, I don't have any babysitting help and I have k"ah two children who are full time at home. Smile But, I have to say, I have alot of fun trying to serve a custome and juggle a kvetchy baby and a toddler wanting to take a few pairs of new socks for himself out of my shop! LOL
Back to top

queen




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 30 2005, 9:16 am
thank you all for your responses, they helped to clarity the subject somewhat! firstly, I never would have believed it, but it IS getting easier each day/week.

As I'm beginning to work again next week I will try to work around her schedule.
if that doesn't work I will try to see about having someone come to my home as I nurse- and sending to a babysitter could distrupt that.
If THAT doesn't work I guess I'll have no choice but to send to a babysitter.

I feel badly that I'm returning to work after only 6 weeks.... but I really enjoy what I do and it's my outlet. By my taking care of myself, I will be a better wife and mother......

I'll have to let you know how it goes!
Back to top

happymom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 30 2005, 9:36 am
queen I understand what you are saying. But do you really think you will be a bad mother if you wait till your baby is at least three months?
Back to top

queen




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 30 2005, 10:42 am
if I wait another 6 weeks before returning I run a big risk of losing my clients. they would understand that I need more time- but for their own convenience switch to using someone else. in my business it's word of mouth... it wouldn't be so easy to get clients again were I to stop.

this does sound like I'm putting my business before my child- but please understand that I'm a very creative person, and my work is a big outlet for me and something I really enjoy.... and having a little break from the baby would make me more patient and better with baby the rest of the day.

now...... I'm not planning on working full time, but rather getting help for about 4 (max on occasion 5) hours a day, mon-thurs. AND- the more I think of it, due to my nursing PLUS shlepping a newborn out in the snow to pick up other kids germs is EVEN more of a push to have someone come to the house.

feel free to disagree with me......but am I makingany sense????!!!
Back to top

Yael




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 30 2005, 10:43 pm
are you able to work and nurse at the same time? what kind of work is it? think about the fact that even when you have a babysitter for 4 hrs you will be nursing at least twice during those hrs and your babysitter will be bored. are you sure you cant just do you work and take breaks to care for your baby and go back, without needing a babysitter at all?
as you get more experienced you'll see thats its not that hard, esp since a newborn doesnt need that much.
Back to top

tzivi




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 30 2005, 10:50 pm
Quote:
as you get more experienced you'll see thats its not that hard, esp since a newborn doesnt need that much.


I think I am experienced B"H with 6 kinderlach k"ah and I wouldn't neccessarily say that "it's not that hard" with a newborn and working from home. Sometimes it actually is. And "a newborn doesn't need that much" - some babies do need lots! Some babies cry for long periods of time, some babies may not nurse well every single day or be having a growth spurt anf nursing every hour or so and some babies need to be rocked to sleep.


Last edited by tzivi on Thu, Dec 01 2005, 1:15 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top

baby's mom




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 01 2005, 12:32 am
tzivi wrote:
Quote:
as you get more experienced you'll see thats its not that hard, esp since a newborn doesnt need that much.


I think I am experienced B"H with 6 kinderlach k"ah and I wouldn't neccessarily say that "it's not that hard" with a newborn and working from home. Sometimes it actualy is. And "a newborn doesn't need that much" - some babies do need lots! Some babies cry for long periods of time, some babies may not nurse well every single day or be having a growth spurt anf nursing every hour or so and some babies need to be rocked to sleep.



I agree with Yael. What they need is their mother, to nurse, to hold, to rock and not a babysitter. I think that's what Yael meant. The babysitter won't be helping with the nursing, and may not know why the baby is crying non stop...
Back to top

tzivi




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 01 2005, 1:21 am
I don't think that I explained myself properly. I don't think she should get a babysitter at all now. I think she should stay at home and concentrate on getting her baby into a routine, all I was saying is that some babies are difficult to take care of. Once the baby is in a routine, she should be able to structure the baby's sleep and feeds around work, allowing her to go to work for 4 or 5 hours, and without disrupting the baby at all or at least minimally.

I was also trying to get the point across that working from home with a tiny baby is not always so simple. Sometimes going out to work for those minimal hours is easier than working at home. However, having said all of this, I actually prefer that mothers stay at home and take care of their babies, unless they davka have to work for financial reasons, because a babysitter taking care of a baby is NOT the same as a mummy raising their child.

I hope I explained myself better this time.
Back to top
Page 1 of 3 1  2  3  Next Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Working Women

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Moving to LKWD - work remote or look for new job
by amother
5 Today at 4:32 pm View last post
Please help me find a work bag
by amother
9 Tue, Mar 26 2024, 10:37 am View last post
Should DH go to school or work?
by amother
22 Tue, Mar 26 2024, 10:05 am View last post
Do you join in group gifts at work
by amother
7 Tue, Mar 19 2024, 3:32 pm View last post
How does this Shabbos kettle work?
by bigbird
3 Tue, Mar 19 2024, 12:27 am View last post