[cjrogers]

I remember there being a comprehensive list of questions that we should be asking the FM. I know that I have a lot of them, but worry they are not comprehensive.


Any help?

Thanks so much,

Cheryl

[shellysarita]

I think I may have combined 2 lists I found...

Foster Mom Questions
What is his schedule during the day? What does she enjoy doing?
What is his schedule at night? How do you get him to sleep?
Does she sleep in a bed or crib? Does she share a bed?
When does she nap and for how long?
How do you comfort him? How does she like to be held?
How do you give him his bottles? How much at a time?
How do you feed him other foods?
Does she have a favorite toy or blanket?
Is she crawling? When did she start?
When did she roll over? Sit up?
Who is she around during the day?
Teeth or teething pain?
what are the names and ages of your children?
Have you fostered other children?
Do you have access to email?

Questions for Foster Mother:

Sleeping-
Does she sleep in a crib or bed?
What time does she sleep for naps and bedtime?
What are his bedtime/nap routines? Rocking, singing, etc…
Do you wake him in the morning or does she do so on his own?
How many naps does she take in a day and the times?

Eating-
How often does she eat and how much does she eat?
What are his eating times?
Does she have an eating routine or any favorite foods?
What brand or type of formula do you use?
What brand or types of foods does she eat?
How many bottles per day and how much in each bottle?
Any known allergies?

Health-
Has she had any of the following…
Colds
Infections
Ear Aches
Teething

Miscellaneous-
What scares him?
What comforts him?
Does she like his bath? What is the routine and what are his favorite bath toys?
How does she react to strangers or crowds?
Does she have any favorite songs or stories?
What makes him laugh or happy?
Does she have any nicknames?
Does she have a favorite toy or stuffed animal?
Does she have a favorite game?


Hope this helps!
Shelly

[shellysarita]

Questions to ask Foster Mother or Pick-up Trip


General Schedule (eating/sleeping/playing)

Eating Habits
What type of formula is she on?

Does she prefer a certain type of bottle or nipple?

Is there a type of bottle that she hates?

How does she take her bottle? (holds own bottle, bottle head by a person, bottle probed)

What types of baby food does she like?

What types of baby food does she not like?

Is there any type of baby food that upset her stomach?

Is she allergic to anything that you know of? (food, medicine)

Sleeping Habits
What time does she normally go to sleep at night?

Do you rock her to sleep or does she put herself to sleep in the crib?

What position does she like to sleep in? (on back/side/tummy)

Does she sleep on a pillow?

Does she wake up during the night?

If she wakes up, what do you do? (Feed her, she goes back to sleep on her own)

Do you have any bedtime rituals that let her know that it is bedtime? (sing songs, turn lights down low, read a story…)

Does she sleep with a night light on?

Does she sleep in bed with you or your children or does she sleep in her crib alone?

If in her crib is she alone in the room or are there other people in the room also?


Teething

Is she teething?

What are the symptoms you notice when she is teething?

When teething what helps him feel better?

When did she get her first tooth?

Health
Do you know if she had the BCG vaccine?

What kind of illnesses has she had?

How have they been treated?

What did the doctor say or prescribe (antiobiotics, over the counter medication)?

Has she had any chronic problems/illnesses?

Has she had fevers? Does she tend to run high ones?

His/Her Life With Foster Mother
Names and ages of other people in the house to put in her scrapbook?

How does she deal with car rides? Bus rides?

Describe her personality?

What makes her laugh?

What makes her cry?

Is there anything that she is afraid of?

Does she us a pacifier or suck her thumb?

How does she comfort herself?

What seems to comfort her best when she is crying and you don't know why?

Can she roll over? What date?

Can she sit up by herself? What date?

Anything that you wants me to tell her about her foster family when she grows up?

I'm sure some of these are repeats from the other lists....

Shelly

[kzwief]

Those are great lists! I have saved them on my computer. Thanks!

[cjrogers]

you rock Shelly, thanks!

[cjrogers]

Bumping this as I just had to refer to it and know there are many others travelling, visiting, picking up, etc. who may need it!

[swjp]

Thanks so much for asking and posting these lists! Very helpful!

[DeeVee]

Great lists! I was such a nervous wreck that I wound up leaving my list of questions in the hotel room, and I wouldn't have remembered the answers anyway (plus our translator never showed up -- fortunately DH speaks enough spanish to get the basic info, but beyond that we were on our own).

cjrogers, I'm sure you will do better than me and remember your list! Have a great trip!