Mother's help - is this expecting too much?

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I've posted this various places but I've only had responses from either childminders or live-in nannies who want a lot more money than we're prepared to pay (NMW) as we require no experience whatsoever bar common sense and a cheerful willingness to muck in.

I've got a 20 month old DS and we're expecting DS2 in the last week of September. I'm almost completely laid up with SPD - I can walk (very very slowly) but cannot stand up for long, drive, lift or carry anything, let alone our chunky DS1! DS2 is going to be born by c-section so there will be minimal lifting for a while afterwards as well. DH is a teacher and has been holding the fort and waiting on me hand and foot all summer, but he goes back to school in September.

I think we need a full or part time live-out mothers' help - basically someone who will be like if my mum or MIL or granny came to stay and help out. Someone who can come in when needed (not necessarily every day as I hope to have relatives helping occasionally), pick up and pass me the baby when necessary, read a book to DS, do general tidying up, carry the washing basket up the stairs, occasionally cook dinner, pick up a pint of milk or put a supermarket delivery away, do the breakfast dishes, generally help out while I'm incapacitated really.

No house cleaning or sole care of children required, more to support me while I'm unable to lift or carry anything or walk up and down stairs.

I thought this could suit someone local to us looking to earn some extra cash, someone hoping to build their childcare CV, a gap year student wanting to earn some money to go travelling, or even a responsible student looking for a Saturday job (as long as they like kids!)

We'll have an au pair coming in but she's really there to take care of DS, take him out to playgroups and the park, and not to help me while I am immobilised or help out around the house.

We would be looking for assistance Mon-Sat but even if they could only help Mon-Fri during school hours, or would just like to work Saturdays, we would still definitely consider them.

To be honest we would even consider someone bringing along their own young child as long as they were able to help out as well. I didn't put that in any of ads I've posted though.

Is this too much to ask? I have yet to post on gumtree but that will probably be the next port of call.

Oof that was long, sorry! Maybe my problem is that no one wants to read my long-winded description

I think you should post in your local college/s when I was training or just trained I would of done something like this.

I think you should post in your local college/s when I was training or just trained I would of done something like this.

I am a student hoping to become a teacher in a few years and I would JUMP and the chance of this sort of opportunity! I do not think that is too much and you sound fairly flexible. Definitely consider a student I honestly can't express how much I would love a job like this during my free time!

I have an au pair. I think you'll find having an au pair more helpful than you can imagine. I'm sure she will help you with putting shopping away, etc. as well as taking your DD to play groups, etc.

Op I've sent you a message

Contact your local college who do childcare courses, they may be able to use you as a placement. A friend of mine ended up in a home-based placement (she hated it, but the Mum was using her for free childcare which was not what was intended!) but they may be open to using you.

Thanks for all the brilliant ideas. I never thought of contacting our local college and from a quick google it appears there are two or three in close proximity that seem to offer all sorts of sophisticated sounding childcare courses.

Mummy initially I thought our au pair would be sufficient but when my SPD worsened to the point that I can't actually lift or carry anything DH and I thought that really something additional was needed. I guess I want her to be focused on keeping DS1 happy and entertained and not feel like she can't take him out and about for more than 30 mins because I might need help climbing the stairs or picking up the new baby.

I guess I need one au pair for the kids and one au pair for me!!

(The other wrinkle I haven't mentioned is I'm in the midst of getting a hedge fund off the ground from home so while I'll definitely be taking some time off, none of us can afford for me to take more than a couple of weeks of mat leave. Hence needing someone who can come in and tidy, do laundry, make an evening meal and leave it on the hob for me and DH as if DH and I are both working and I'm also BFing a newborn, nothing else can possibly get done.)

Poor you. Well, I hope you find the right combination of care ;)
Xx

If you're in Essex I know that the Colchester Institute runs a childcare degree through Essex Uni and their students do the placements (where my friend and I went!) so it might be worth checking for childcare degrees in your area too.

I was a law student (now a teacher) and I was constantly searching for a job like this! Don't limit yourself to child care type colleges, our university had a part-time job centre advertising this sort of work.