Before you walk out the door, your babysitter needs five things in writing: how to reach you and a backup contact, your child’s allergies and medications, where emergency supplies and information are kept, the pediatrician’s and poison control numbers, and your child’s bedtime routine and house rules. Verbal instructions disappear the moment a tired toddler starts crying — a one-page written sheet is what actually gets used. It takes ten minutes to prepare once, and then you just update it.
The one-page sitter sheet
Contact information
- Both parents’ cell numbers, and where you’ll be
- A nearby backup adult — neighbor, grandparent — who can arrive fast
- Your home address, written out (a sitter calling 911 from your house needs it)
Your child
- Full name, date of birth, and approximate weight (emergency responders ask)
- Allergies — food, medication, anything environmental — and what a reaction looks like
- Any regular medications, where they are, and exact doses and times if a dose falls during the sitting
- Pediatrician’s name, phone, and office/hospital preference
Emergency numbers
- 911 and Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 (in the US)
- Pediatrician’s after-hours line, if different
Authorization note. A short signed note authorizing the sitter to seek emergency care for your child, plus your health insurance information, can save precious time. Keep it with the sheet.
The routine part sitters actually thank you for
Emergencies are rare. The everyday questions are what make a sitting go smoothly — or not:
- Feeding: What, how much, and when. For babies: bottle amounts, how to warm them, burping, and the hard rule — babies sleep on their backs, in the crib, with nothing soft in it.
- Sleep: The bedtime routine in order, approximate times, what your child uses to settle, and what not to do.
- Comfort: Favorite toy or blanket, what works when tears start, screen-time rules.
- House rules: Doors to keep closed, areas that are off-limits, pets and their rules, alarm or lock quirks.
- Other children: Siblings’ routines differ — note each child’s sheet separately if needed.
Daycare is the same idea, bigger
If your child is starting daycare, the center will ask for most of this on its own forms — emergency contacts, authorized pickup list, allergies, medications, feeding and nap instructions for infants. Fill those forms out completely and keep copies at home. The authorized pickup list matters most: centers release children only to people on it, so add grandparents and your backup adult from day one, not during a crisis.
Make it once, update it often
The trick is having one binder or folder that holds the sitter sheet, daycare forms, immunization records, and insurance cards — and telling your partner and your backup adult where it lives. Update it after every pediatrician visit where something changes: new weight, new medication, new allergy information. Review it every few months; babies change faster than paperwork.
Walk a new sitter through the sheet in person the first time, show them where the first-aid supplies, flashlight, and exits are, and do a short paid trial run while you’re nearby if you can. Confidence goes both ways.
This is general educational information, not medical or legal advice. For specific questions about consent forms or care for a child with medical needs, ask your pediatrician or a local professional.
The Baby Emergency Information Binder and the Daycare & Babysitter Information Binder from MyBabyInfo turn this into fill-in pages you complete once and hand over — sitter sheets, emergency contacts, medical information, and daycare forms all in one place. Find them at mybabyinfo.com and on Amazon.
Get the book
Fill-in pages you complete once and hand over — sitter sheets, emergency contacts, medical information, and daycare forms all in one place.
Baby Emergency Information Binder
Daycare & Babysitter Information Binder
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing to leave a babysitter?
Reliable contact information — yours and a nearby backup adult’s — plus your home address and your child’s allergy and medication information, in writing.
Should I leave medical authorization for a babysitter?
Many parents leave a short signed note authorizing emergency treatment along with insurance details. It can help a hospital treat your child faster if you can’t be reached. Ask your pediatrician’s office if they have a preferred form.
What should a sitter know about safe sleep for babies?
Always on the back, in a crib or bassinet with a firm, flat surface, and no blankets, pillows, bumpers, or toys in the sleep space. Put this in writing — not every sitter learned the current guidance.
How often should I update the sitter sheet?
After any change — new medication, allergy, pediatrician, phone number, or routine — and at least every few months in the first year.
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