MANY working parents rely on caregivers to take care of their children while they are at work.
Some have a caregiver in their own home, while others send their children to a babysitter’s house.
If it is the latter, I know many mums and dads have very good intentions for their children’s health and nutrition. They wish they could be physically present to ensure their child eats well every day but, unfortunately, they can’t.
Remember, your caregiver is meant to be part of your support system. You know what they say — it takes an entire village to raise a child!
Communication is key. Don’t nag your caregiver. Instead, use examples and analogies to get your point effectively across to them.
Instead of worrying unnecessarily and feeling like your child’s eating is out of your control, here are some things you can do to help your caregiver feed your child right.
It would help tremendously if you can hire your caregiver even before you start work.
This gives you time to get acquainted and teach them the things you want them to follow.
While you are still on leave, I encourage you to feed your child together with your caregiver. Let the caregiver observe how you do it — then watch as she does the feeding.
Don’t assume that just because the caregiver has children of her own, she will automatically know what to do when it comes to meal times. They might do things differently from what you expect.
Doing it together right from the beginning will give your caregiver more confidence when she handles the feeding duties on her own when you start work.
MANAGING EBM
If you are still breastfeeding your baby, show your caregiver how to store your expressed breast milk (EBM) in the fridge if you are sending your child to her home.
You want to make sure that there is no risk of contamination from other food items stored in the fridge.
Show your caregiver how to warm up feeding bottles containing your cold expressed breast milk.
The feeding bottle should be put to stand in a pitcher of warm water. Once the bottle is lukewarm, show the caregiver how to test it by flicking a few drops of milk onto the inside of their wrist to ensure it is not too hot.
Be sure to make it clear to the caregiver not to microwave the bottles of breast milk or formula as this can cause the milk to get too hot and scald your child.
Show your caregiver how to mix the milk formula properly. The instructions are clearly on the packaging but don’t assume they will read it. Besides, different brands have different measurements of water and milk powder to make up a bottle.
When mixing the milk, always measure the amount of water into the bottle. Only then add in the scoops of milk powder. That’s the proper way to do it.
HOME-COOKED FOOD
Some mums cook food and send it along with the child to the caregiver. Explain to the caregiver to never leave out cooked food on the kitchen counter for more than two hours as microorganisms in the food will start to multiply rapidly when left at room temperature.
Our Malaysian weather is hot and humid, ideal for microorganisms in food to multiply quickly!
This causes food to spoil. Precooked food should be kept in the fridge and reheated thoroughly just before meal time.
Remind the caregiver to only dish out a small amount of food from the container first to feed the child. When the child needs more, offer a second helping accordingly. This prevents any uneaten food from getting contaminated by the saliva from the child’s spoon.
If the caregiver cooks food for your child, then take an interest in what is on the menu. Make sure the meal is nutritionally balanced, with sufficient servings of protein, grains, vegetables and fruit.
Also, advise the caregiver on the use of salt and sauces. Foods cooked for babies do not need additional salt or seasoning. If feeding a toddler, make sure to show your caregiver how to puree or chop the foods to an age-appropriate texture to avoid choking.
Talk to your caregiver about appropriate snacks you wish your child to have. You may be concerned about junk food and sugary snacks, so explain why you don’t want your child to have them.
Give your caregiver a list of snacks that you would prefer your child to have, or provide such snacks to the caregiver including fresh fruit, cheese, yogurt, etc.
Have regular conversations with your caregiver on certain practices that can raise the risk of choking such as letting toddlers eat whole nuts or sweets or lying down while drinking a bottle of milk.
If your child has special nutritional needs or allergies, make sure to explain these to your caregiver.
WRITE IT DOWN
Also, write down the instructions in simple, clear language and place it in the kitchen as a reminder for the caregiver.
If your child takes medication for a specific health condition, make sure your caregiver thoroughly knows the dosage and timing of the medication.
If your child is diabetic, make sure you establish an eating routine with your caregiver as timing of daily meals is important for blood sugar control.
Write out a list to stick in the kitchen of suitable and unsuitablefoods for your child that the caregiver can refer to. Remind your caregiver regularly to make sure the information stays with them.
Make sure your caregiver encourages your child to drink enough water to stay well hydrated.
Fill up a container of water that you want your child to drink each day when they’re with the caregiver. If the container remains unfinished by the time you pick up your child, it shows your child has not been drinking enough throughout the day. Also, check on the colour of your child’s urine. If it’s dark yellow, it’s time for them to drink up.
Lastly, drop by every so often to have a “meal date” with your child at your caregiver’s place. This helps you foster closer ties and to observe how your caregiver feeds your child so you can nip anything you notice before it becomes an issue.
* Indra Balaratnam is a consultant dietitian who believes in simple, practical ways to eating well and living healthy. She can be reached at indra.balaratnam@gmail.com