What would you expect when hiring a maternity nurse?

[BBMs]

Just as the title says...
Always wondered what new mums expect when hiring a maternity nurse...

As a nanny who worked with maternity nurses I would expect to pay a high wage but to get someone who works day and night 6 days a week. I would hope by the time she left the nursery would be totally set up and the baby would be well on his/her way to being settled into a routine. However there are a few out there who just strap the baby carrier on and go out shopping all day with a dummy in the babies mouth every time mummy isn't looking!

I see my role to help new parents get to grips with being new parents, to find a routine that works for baby and family.

To provide support, instruction, reassurance.

To enable the parents not 'do it all for them' so they grow with their baby and don't feel bewildered or overwhelmed when 'flying solo'.

I'm a maternity nurse and really dislike to hear stories of MN's who do not act professionally.

I also disagree that we get a high wage, yes the amount of money paid weekly is a lot but it isn't really comparable to the amount of hours we are on duty. Take the average rate for a MN £180/24 hours so over six days that is £1,080. Of that a third is paid to the HRMC. That leaves me with £720 per week however I only get a 24 hour rest period so we really deserve to be paid for the unsociable hours.

A good maternity nurse will help and support the parents and leave them with the skills to cope on their own. They will help set up a routine that works with the families. I realise we aren't a necessity however all of my clients have benefitted from having someone knowledgable on feeding, sleeping and settling baby. Some of my earlier babies are know in their teens and I still get updates from the clients, it is a pleasure to do my job and I do wish before people made negative comments about my career that they understood exactly what a MN is.

Exactly MrsW, it equates to between £6.65 - £7.5 per hour gross! For 1 baby and £8.30 - £9.15 for twins.