If you've had biological children, you're probably familiar with the term "nesting." During pregnancy, women have this innate desire and drive to get their home ready for the new baby.
Similarly with respite care, you'll want to make sure your home is ready and that you've got the necessary supplies on hand.
I want you to learn from my mistake! Before we had a license in hand, I spent almost $1,000 on supplies for our future placements. I bought some necessary things - but I also bought a lot of unnecessary things.
If you're providing respite care (as opposed to long-term care), you really don't need to keep much on hand for infants. The foster family should bring you the child's clothing, bottles, formula, diapers, favorite blanket, pacifiers and the like. But there are some things you'll need to have.
I'm not sharing links to specific items, but rather a general list of things you can search for! I am not an affiliate and do not earn commissions; this post is strictly informational and intended to help you foster well!
Crib, Crib Mattress and Sheets
The crib needs to meet the safety guidelines outlined by your agency. (When we were licensed in 2019, cribs had to be manufactured after 2011 - so don't just use the spare crib in your grandmother's basement)!
The crib mattress needs to be firm and fit appropriately in your crib.
Have at least 2 sets of well-fitting crib sheets. You need to have at least one spare on hand for middle-of-the-night accidents.
You do NOT need pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, coordinated bedding, or crib bumpers. The crib should be completely empty for the safety of the baby.
Unless you're only going to accept placements for children up to 2-3 months old, you need a crib and NOT a bassinet. Bassinets are only safe for very young infants and you don't want that bassinet taking up valuable space in your home year-round! A crib suits a wider age range and you don't need both in a short-term placement situation.
2. Extra Diapers and Wipes
The foster family should bring you diapers and wipes; however, if they forget or they don't bring enough, it's good to have one pack of each size on hand just in case. A 32-pack of each size, and one or two packs of wipes, would be enough to stockpile for a weekend respite situation.
3. Medical Supplies
Consider getting some infant Tylenol, gas drops, a nasal aspirator, a thermometer and a humidifier. A small tube of Aquaphor or your preferred diaper rash cream is also good to have on hand.
*Remember that you must follow your agency's rules when it comes to giving medication.
4. Feeding Supplies
Have a few burp cloths on hand! Even if the foster family sends some, it's nice if you can send theirs home washed / clean. Use your own burp cloths on the last day of a placement, when you won't have time to do another load of laundry before the child goes home. (You can wash your burp cloths after they go back home!)
For infants who might be starting solids (4+ months), have one silicone bib (easy to wash) and a few baby spoons. The foster family may send jars of baby food but its good to have a few. You can always ask which foods the child likes and purchase those ahead of time!
5. Car Seat*
The foster family may be able to give you the child's car seat. It's nice to know that the straps are already fitted to the baby and that the baby is already comfortable in it; however, it's a hassle for the foster parents to uninstall and reinstall those seats before and after their respite stay. While it's more work for you, it's helpful for you to have a car seat of your own. Bonus points if you can get a car seat / stroller combo, so that your car seat clicks easily into the stroller when you're wanting to take your little one out for some fresh air!
And that's it!
Really - that's all you need to keep on hand. There are so many items marketed for infants that simply are not necessary. Many of them are designed to make caring for infants more convenient - but for just a few nights, you don't want to clutter your home with extra supplies you don't need.
Additionally, you want to help this sweet baby feel comfortable and safe in your home. Using the same bottles, diapers, clothing, pacifiers, etc. that they use in their foster home is going to be more comforting to them. It'll also make their transition back to their foster parents easier, if you use what they're already familiar with.
If you do have some extra space and resources, here are a few bonus items that could make things easier (even though they aren't necessary):
6. Infant Carrier
If you're married, make sure you get a carrier that both you AND your husband can wear. (I don't ever see my husband wearing a Moby wrap or baby K'tan!) A structured carrier that just clips on and adjusts to different body sizes is a better purchase for respite care.
7. Noise Machine
The foster family may send a noise machine if the child is used to sleeping with one. If they don't send one, you can always pull up a white noise video on YouTube or use a free white noise app. However, you can get a portable white noise machine for $20 or so on Amazon. We have a Hatch sound machine for our sons and we love it - but its a pricey alternative. Get what works best for you!
8. Blackout Curtains
A dark room may help the child sleep better. You may want to throw some blackout curtains especially if they're used to a totally dark room at their foster home.
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Emily | Respite Foster Mom