Maternity nurse issues

Was she lying down? I think you must talk to her, but don't sack her immediately if you like her otherwise and she is doing a good job. I had a maternity nurse for both of my children (not twins) for 6 weeks each, and I would have been extremely surprised to find her asleep - but would have understood as a one-off. ReetPetit - why NOT have a mat nurse if you can afford it? It makes you utterly enjoy those first few weeks of having a baby when it can otherwise be a hard time (esp for 1st time mother). Whats not to love?

When you say she overslept, I take it that she was supposed to bring them in to you at a specific time, rather than waiting for them to wake and bringing them to you when they cried (and woke her). If so, perhaps one woke "early" and she was giving him/her a cuddle to try to avoid waking you early and dropped off herself. It is easily done; in fact many people co-sleep quite deliberately, but I am sure she is mortified. I think you do need to discuss what you can do to avoid it happening again. Does she have plenty of uninterrupted time off during the day and a private and quiet place to catch up on her sleep? Most people do find it more difficult to sleep in the day and are more easily disturbed.

How long is the nurse contracted to stay with you? How many hours a day is she working and is she getting sufficient sleep? I'm not sure why she is sleeping in the room with the babies if she is waking you up to feed anyway?

Er, if she's doing her job well, your twins should be sleeping and waking exactly as they need to at 12 weeks.

There are two issues in play: her ability to cope with what you require of her and whether your requirements are sustainable. I wouldn't be happy for someone to fall asleep holding my child but I remember the crushing exhaustion of looking after just one newborn, so two must be an interesting challenge, to say the least.

If you are otherwise pleased with her, then you need to sit down and talk to her about it and find out what happened from her side. You need to make it clear that this is unacceptable to you and that if she needs more support, you will provide it.

If you are otherwise unhappy with her, I would say it is grounds for dismissal (morally, I don't know about the legals).

Best of luck.

Most mothers fall asleep holding their baby at one point or another: it's absolutely exhausting! Give the girl a break, she's only human!

if she is doing her job well, then hopefully your twins should be sleeping 10.30/11pm-7am or even possibly 7pm - 7am

when is she booked to?

why on earth do you have a live in maternity nurse for 12 week old babies anyway?

you are right ghislaine, it gets my goat tbh....

I don't think you're overreacting at all, she could have easily dropped your baby! She may well be tired, but that's no excuse for acting unsafely around your babies.
I would certainly let her go, as they're 12 weeks you could probably just have a daytime helper and you could catch up on some sleep during the day if you have a very bad night.

i would be worried that she fell asleep holding a twin, but not so that she was asleep unless the baby was crying in her arms which woke you up

doing 24hrs a day is tiring and she should have 2/3hrs a day free time which should be her 'sleep' time

i have done a lot of twins recently back to back,but i work nights only and can catch up on sleep during the day

Agree with Frak

It is dangerous but have you been honouring her sleep catch up/rest time? Has she mentioned feeling tired?

You certainly need to sit down and talk about it but unless she's exceptionally bad at her job and wholly irresponsible I imagine this wasn't typical behaviour.

FGS ReetPetit you really have it in for people who have in-house childcarers today don't you?

I would be very concerned if I found an employee who was supposed to be looking after my child asleep on the job. It is dangerous to fall asleep in an uncontrolled way with a young child (I take it she's not supposed to cosleep with them). Did you hire her through an agency? Can you talk to them immediately and see what they say?

haven't a clue but do you ever wake up for your own babies? do you know how tiring it is?