What to leave for a babysitter
By The Baby Care Cards teamUpdated 5 min read
Short answer
Leave a babysitter three things: written care instructions (feeding, routine, medication, emergencies), the supplies they need laid out in one place, and access details for your home. Add your pediatrician's contact information and written permission to authorise treatment up to an amount you choose.
A good handover takes ten minutes and prevents almost every awkward text message while you are out.
Written instructions come first
Verbal handovers are forgotten within an hour. Give the sitter something they can re-read: feeding amounts and times, nap schedule, bedtime routine, medication, house rules and emergency contacts.
Supplies to lay out
- Enough formula or food for the full evening, plus a backup portion
- Bottles, sippy cup, or a pre-portioned set of meals
- Diapers, wipes and a spare outfit
- Snacks, separated from any allergen foods in the house
- Comfort item: blanket, pacifier or favourite toy
- First aid basics: thermometer, infant pain reliever if authorised
- Crib, monitor and a nightlight if needed
Access and house details
- Keys or door code, and how the lock behaves if it sticks
- Alarm code and what to do if it goes off
- Wi-Fi password
- Which doors, gates or stairs must stay closed
- Neighbour's number as a backup
Pediatrician and emergency authorisation
Give the pediatrician's name, phone number and address, the nearest children's urgent care, and a written note authorising treatment up to a set amount. Tell your pediatrician's office who is caring for your child so they will accept the sitter's call.
The details parents forget
- Which foods are choking hazards at this age
- How the child reacts to strangers or loud noises
- Whether the child can be left alone in a room, and for how long
- What settles the child during a meltdown
- How much crying or fussing is normal at bedtime
Do a short walkthrough
Walk the sitter through one feed and one nap or bedtime step before you leave if you can. It surfaces the things you would never think to write down.
Frequently asked questions
- How much food should I leave for a babysitter?
- Leave enough for the full evening plus one extra portion, in case you are delayed. Pre-portioning bottles or meals removes any guesswork about amounts.
- Should the sitter have my pediatrician's details even for a short evening?
- Yes. Emergencies are not proportional to how long you are out, and a clinic will move faster when the caller already has the child's name, age and details.