1. Ask mother to show you how to hold the baby, and how to burp him.
2. What does mother want you to do if baby wakens in her absence? She may suggest you pick the baby up for a few minutes, or perhaps she will ask you to check the baby's needs, say a few comforting words and depart from the room.
3. When mother calls you to make the baby-sitting date, ask her if the baby is shy of strangers, as some six-month-old babies are likely to be. In that event, arrive at the house a little early and get acquainted with the little child before mother takes off.
Very few mothers will ask a new babysitter to give baby a bath, but^f mother does ask you be sure you know where she keeps the baby powder, lotion, rottofl swabs, and oil, Nurse Odegard suggests. If baby is chapped or has a rash she may ask you to apply medication or soothing lotion, perhaps with cotton swabs, so 't is a good idea to get a preview of their application.
