Should I become a maternity nurse?

[HKDMaternityNanny]

Hi,

I am new to mumsnet and this is my first post. Hopefully I have the right section.

I would like some advice regarding a new/development in career. I am currently a 21 year old (soon to be 22) graduate from university who has spent the last 5 years working as an after school nanny and the previous year as a full time live in nanny, abroad and in the UK. I have for the past year worked with a 5 newborns-3 month babies and enjoyed every minute of it.

I would like peoples opinions on becoming a maternity nurse, own beliefs, views, ways to train and also from prospective employers as to whether you would hire someone of my age?

I would train at Norlands doing a MNT, have a CRB, first aid for babies and young children, insurance, a drivers license and am extremely well educated, well presented, friendly, kind, caring and come with glowing references. I am also described as being mature for my age. I have excellent glowing references.

Baby experience wise, I had a newborn in with me at nights, fed him, changed him, took sole charge of him and advised the mother, did the laundry prepared us all meals, helped with older children and helped with a routine until the 3 month stage. Since that job I have helped with newborns but not had such a strong role as before.

Would agencies take on a newly qualified, young maternity nurse? What do other maternity nurses do in the house in terms of laundry, cleaning and other children?

Any help and advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

You could get work as a trainee or maybe work as a mother's help which is what I did to get newborn experience with twins.

Just remember it is very tiring working 24 hours and you may think it is very well paid but as you will be self employed you will need to allow for times you might be resting or between jobs and save for NI contributions and pay your own tax.

Normally a maternity nurse wouldn't help with other children, laundry etc but to be honest I have always offered as sometimes I'm sitting around whilst mum breastfeeds and I like to think I am useful.

Good luck.

I did the MNT course but I am not working as a Maternity Nurse. Guess you probably are not a bloke... but if you are, then I don't suggest it - some mothers think you will see them without many clothes on.

Do you want to be running your own business? That I think is one question you need to ask yourself. It isn't without it's risks and you may need the financial backing in place for those times when you don't get any work but still have all your bills to pay.

I don't think you can train on the MNT course at Norland without already being a Norlander.

It may depend what your degree is in but honestly in this climate I wouldn't. 3-5 years ago it was different and even relatively inexoerienced, young MNs could get work but now even established MNs are struggling to fill their year.

I would stay nannying for a solid chunk of time building up good references, OS, 24/5 or 6, multiples and NB experience first.

why not try and do a bit of night nannying first you would prob have to offer to do it a minimum wage due to lack of experience but would build your experience and also you will get to see how you manage the nights really.

I'm a maternity nurse and have being for seven years, before that I was a nanny and I also am a trained Early Childhood Teacher. Since the economic dive there is a real shortage of maternity positions and I've seen an increase in inexperienced maternity nurses.

I've had to go in after three inexperienced maternity nurses that had given mothers bad advice re breastfeeding and routines (one baby was close to hospitalisation) and also they didn't know basic advice such as the correct way to make up formula.

First of all I would ask anyone considering maternity nursing to make sure the reasons are clear.

People see the advertised wage of £700+ per week? But how many consider that your take home pay will be about 2/3rds of this? Also how many people consider that your hours are 24/5 or 24/6 - how will this affect your life but also your interactions with friends and families? You will be living in family homes during especially emotional times for everyone in the family - are you strong enough to take a lot of others emotions on board without getting upset yourself. Can you be both there 100% but also at times be discreet? Many people think you spend all day doing what you want with baby BUT your aim is to leave the parents confident in all aspects of babies care this means you will spend a lot of time with them. Maternity nursing isn't just about cuddling babies its about giving a new family a great start so while work you have to give 110% to that family!

If maternity nursing is something you really want to consider I'd recommend setting up a long term plan eg five years plus. During that time get experience with new borns, do training in regards to all aspects of new born care eg massage, breastfeeding (please please do learn and understand how breastfeeding works). I would also either to the NEST or MNT course as non medical Maternity Nurse - but realise these only touch the tip of the ice berg of what you actually need to know. Start a portfolio of favourite equipment for newborns, read books and put book reviews in your portfolio, keep up to date with any new research or guidelines through WHO, NHS and the SIDS websites. Learn to market yourself and carry yourself well on interviews.

You may find some agencies will take you on but I don't think they should take anyone under 25 (maybe even 27). If they do take people on young than that person needs to show extraordinary maturity to handle everything that maternity nursing can throw at you.

In saying all that maternity nursing is an amazing job and I enjoy it plenty.

Good luck in deciding what you want to do.

excellent advice from mrswishywashy

Mrs WishyWashy thank you for your excellent advice.

I have already worked nights with a newborn, then having to work in the daytime as a normal nanny caring for older siblings and baby. I have got experience and knowledge in everything from babies health, sterilising, formula and feel knowledgable on breastfeeding. I was lucky enough to work for a family for 5 months where I worked extremely hard but the mother also widened my knowledge and somewhat increased it on baby care, she was very particular and I have left that job feeling I know a lot. I do however understand that I may not know everything. I have since then been offered work upon her recommendation to friends with their babies and young children so feel I did my job well.

I am not going for the job because of the pay, I enjoy working with babies, helping the mothers and feeling like I have helped families. I have just left my most recent job after 6 weeks with the family and their newborn and it was lovely to receive their thanks and praise at the end, as well as a happy relaxed mother and baby.

I plan to train by doing an MNT as well as continuing to work with families with newborns at a lower pay so as to build my knowledge and experience. Thank you for the advice regarding products and books and making a portfolio, that is a very good idea and one I will start tomorrow!

Agency wise, I feel I already have a few families lined up (by word of mouth) so wouldn't necessarily need an agency immediately.

I am mature and sensible which is why I am not rushing into this. I do realise I will have no life as such 24/5 24/6 and that I will have sleepless nights, as well as the stress of having to sort my own tax and NI, and the risk of not having work.

Thank you all for your kind and helpful advice, it is much appreciated!

Ps: I am female :)

So really it seems you're already MNing, which is half the battle (getting the first job and reference) and just wondering whether to go through agencies?

It doesn't cost you anything except the travel to try.

You sound very sensible HKD like WishyWashy says knowledge is the key and whilst book learning has it's place, hands on knowledge with multiple babies is the key IMO.

In my case I was a sole charge live in nanny working with newborns staying 18-24months and did this for 14 years, I then moved into mn and my first job was 6wk old twins who's mn had them and the parents in a tizzy, I straightened them out, got mum to realise she had mild pnd due in a great part to being made to feel inferior by the old mn and I have professionally gone from strength to strength, I did the MNT course 2.5yrs into mn and it was interesting but didn't tell me much having already had several sets of twins and triplets by then, I have the history of approaching 250 babies to date and tho each is different they help you 'learn' the norms and to spot issues like reflux, difficulty sucking from a certain teat and options available to deal with these, also tube feeding, oxygen needs and of a baby sensitive routine to help very new mums feel more in control and to further their confidence to make decisions now and in the future.

Posted too soon.

Continue to get experience adding multiples if it interests you and approach agencies with a clear cv, written references that the families are happy to confirm by post or phone and go from there.

I have had several jobs via agencies, gumtree and the majority in the last 5 years have been word of mouth recommendation - the best sort.

I am now in my 9th yr as a mn and my DH and I have a good routine ourselves.

I always allow at least 2-3 weeks between jobs to allow for early or extended positions and it has served me well.

All the best to you.