Help me do the right thing here. I have been a nanny for this family for 2.5 years. They recently had child #2. Dad dotes on her before and after work. For the entire time Mom was on maternity leave, there was a baby nurse here. Mom was so out of it that when the baby nurse needed a break or a shower, I was asked to watch the baby. The baby nurse was very skilled, so I know she had to recognize the problem, but she never said one thing. I even tried to make eye contact with her during certain bizarre events and she looked past me. She was not one to get involved.
Now, mom is back to work and I am home with two children. If Dad doesn't get the baby up in the morning, she will lay in her crib starting up at the mobile. She cries a whole lot from 10-2, but I don't think abnormally so for a now 7 week old child.
I like my job. My life is comfortable because of my job. I don't know why the mom doesn't want much to do with the new baby or doesn't want to attach to her. Literally, I have seen her cover her ears to not hear her cry (when we were home together). She would make excuses about errands to be out of the house. I don't know if it is depression because she responds to child #1 the same. I don't know how to describe it but she will pick up, hold and laugh with child #1 (age 4), She smiles at the baby but with a tight smile. The most contact I have seen from her to the baby is rubbing her forehead. I can count the times I have seen her hold the baby on one hand. I cannot stress enough to you how the baby nurse was providing the child 100% round the clock care for the first six weeks, minus the three days she took off. (only 3, even though she worked 24/7).
My question- does this sound unusual to anyone? Am I imagining things? The last thing I would do is say something to the mom or Dad, but should I look for anything? Should I just keep trying to make parenting the baby easier? I prefill her bottles, set out formula, set out stacks of diapers, etc. It's making me very sad and I don't understand it!
Now, mom is back to work and I am home with two children. If Dad doesn't get the baby up in the morning, she will lay in her crib starting up at the mobile. She cries a whole lot from 10-2, but I don't think abnormally so for a now 7 week old child.
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| Margaret Keane |
My question- does this sound unusual to anyone? Am I imagining things? The last thing I would do is say something to the mom or Dad, but should I look for anything? Should I just keep trying to make parenting the baby easier? I prefill her bottles, set out formula, set out stacks of diapers, etc. It's making me very sad and I don't understand it!
