What should I leave in writing for my baby’s sitter?

The short answer

A good sitter’s checklist doesn’t need to be long. It should help them quickly answer three questions: how to reach you, what your baby’s routine is like, and what to do if something unexpected happens.

Write down your child’s name and age, your contact details, the details for an emergency contact, the usual times for feeds, meals, and sleep, and any important individual needs. These are the kinds of details recommended in Quebec’s Mieux vivre avec notre enfant guide. The INSPQ also suggests sharing your expected return time and, if you can’t be reached, the name of another person to contact. (inspq.qc.ca)

The checklist supports a conversation; it doesn’t replace one. Take a few minutes to go through it together and show the sitter where to find the things they may need.

Contact details and essential information

Start with the information that will help the sitter reach you without having to search:

• Your name and phone numbers. Identify the number where you’ll be easiest to reach.
• Where you’ll be, if you feel it’s useful, and when you expect to be back.
• The name and number of an emergency contact, such as the other parent or an available relative or friend.
• Your full home address, especially if the sitter doesn’t already know it.
• Your baby’s name and age.

Write the numbers clearly and make sure they’re current. Also make sure the sitter knows how to get into your home and where to find the checklist. For a health concern, they can call Info-Santé at 811; for an emergency, call 911. These instructions are also included in the INSPQ’s Mieux vivre FAQ. (inspq.qc.ca)

If you don’t want certain details on a visible sheet, give them to the sitter directly and explain where to find them if needed. The goal is to make essential information available to the person caring for your baby, while sharing only what’s appropriate for that period of care.

Your baby’s routine, without a complicated schedule

The checklist should offer helpful cues, not turn the evening into a test. Write down the usual times for feeds, meals, and sleep, as the INSPQ recommends. Add the details that will actually make it easier for the sitter to care for your baby:

• What your baby drinks or eats while you’re away, and where to find their things.
• The signs your baby shows when hungry or tired, if you know them well.
• The bedtime routine, such as putting on pyjamas, singing a song, or reading a story.
• What usually comforts your baby: holding them, speaking softly, or offering their soother, if that’s part of your routine.
• Things that bother your baby or other individual needs the sitter should know about.

Be specific. “They like being rocked” is more useful than a long description of their personality. If your baby’s habits vary, say so: “They often feed around bedtime, but follow their hunger cues.” That gives the sitter permission to adapt to your baby instead of worrying if the routine shifts a little.

Health and safety instructions

Write down health information that affects how your baby is cared for: known allergies, foods to avoid, important individual needs, and the plan your family has agreed on. If your baby has a severe allergy, explain what symptoms to watch for and leave the instructions somewhere easy to see. The Mieux vivre guide to food allergies in children highlights the importance of sharing these instructions with the person caring for your child. (inspq.qc.ca)

When it comes to medication, don’t leave vague instructions or ask the sitter to guess. If a medication needs to be given, explain the instructions already established and ask your pharmacist if you have questions. Don’t ask the sitter to decide on a dose or treatment.

Include safe sleep instructions too. Health Canada recommends sharing safe sleep practices with everyone who cares for your baby: place your baby on their back, alone, in a compliant crib, cradle, or bassinet, on a firm, flat surface, with no soft items in the sleep space. You can read Safe sleep tips and write a short version that fits your home, such as: “For sleep, use the crib in the baby’s room and follow the instructions we reviewed together.”

A written note can’t replace a demonstration. Show the sitter where the sleep space is, how the safety gate works, and which products they should use or avoid.

Get the house ready and keep the checklist up to date

A practical checklist can also say where to find diapers, a change of clothes, washcloths, bottles prepared according to your instructions, and diaper bags. Note which rooms or areas the sitter can use, along with any special instructions about pets, the front door, or going outside.

Before you leave, take a quick tour together. Show the sitter your baby’s supplies, the sleep space, and where the checklist is kept. If it would reassure you, ask them to repeat the important points back to you. The INSPQ recommends meeting the caregiver before leaving your baby with them and observing how your child responds in their presence. (inspq.qc.ca)

Keep the checklist short, readable, and easy to find. Leave out information that isn’t useful for that particular period of care. Review it when your contact details change or your baby’s routine evolves. You can also keep a digital version, but make sure the sitter can access it without needing to ask you for a password when they need the information.

Finally, be clear about what updates you’d like: a text when your baby falls asleep, a call only if a problem comes up, or a message when you get back. There isn’t just one right way to organize this. What matters most is that the sitter knows what to do, who to contact, and where to find useful instructions. If they’re concerned about your baby’s health, Info-Santé 811 can guide them; if it’s an emergency, call 911. (inspq.qc.ca)

Frequently asked questions

This article is for information; it does not replace advice from a health professional. In Québec, call Info-Santé 811 when in doubt (elsewhere in Canada, your provincial health line). In an emergency, call 911.

Sources

1. Safe sleep tips, Santé Canada