Night nanny/maternity nurse -- how far in advance do you need to arrange?

[SarahAnderson]

I'm due in four months or so with my first baby. No family nearby and pretty clueless generally.

I've read loads about night nannies and they sound amazing. I would definitely want to get one. But I'm not sure how many nights per week or from and until what age - and I'm not sure that I ever will know, until I have the baby in my arms and my husband and I have given it a bit of a go alone.

Are night nannies something you need to book in well in advance, so I should be sorting something out now, or can it be much more last minute, so I can make sure it's what we want?

We are in London in case that makes any difference. And not super fussy, get on with most people, not too concerned with budget either. Mostly just want sleep.

They do get booked up but you can also get one at short notice, I would personally wait till baby is here as my son sleep in 3 hour stints at night from the first night stirred rather than cried when the 3 hrs were up for his milk and then burped and went straight back to sleep for another 3 hrs and continued to do that increasing to 4 hr gaps after a couple of weeks and then went 11-6 from 6 weeks so not all babies are up all night! I know we were very lucky and if you are bottle feeding/expressing your husband can always do one or more of the night feeds so you get 6 hrs solid sleep at one point during the night.

Good luck and don't worry to much about it until you know what kind of baby you get (a chilled out one or one who needs more attention)

Thank you - really helpful! Can I add another question to my original post... Any tips on the best way to source a 'last minute' night nanny?

I would use an agency that specialised in night nannies.

Depending on where you are in London, I may be able to help. I am a qualified nanny, an ofsted registered childminder, a recognised doula and a very experienced night nanny.

Good maternity agencies are Eden maternity and maternity solutions. Both will be able to help you.

I'm a night nanny/maternity nurse and currently booked until end of July, I didn't have any bookings on the first of January but five positions have fallen into place.

I recommend Maternity Solutions as well or Maternally Yours.

One thing that I'm doing more of now is going in for the first two weeks and then coming back and doing nights or days after six weeks. This works well in that the parents get rest directly after the birth and also get support on breastfeeding and general baby care. Then I'm available for advice via phone or email and then when I return at 6 weeks I can help set up a routine although normally by then the baby is already quite settled.

If you book in advance you'll feel more in control. However you need to tell them a start date and pay them from that date. This is obviously not great if you are two weeks late. Or if you are early - then unlikely she"ll be free. I waited until my twins were born. Tried to handle it on my own but the caves in after two weeks of no sleep. I called night nannies, the agency and they had a few night nannies that were available. Turns out I wasn't too happy with the one they sent. Ended finding someone else through a friend.

varies, i have had mums book me at 6mths preg so 3ish mths in advance, i have also had emergency ones and started the following night for a couple of nights to help out

Much like all the other maternity nurses/night Nannies on here I can be booked up for months in advance or have a few spaces for last minute/emergency bookings. As you are based in London I would say you could take the chance of seeing how well you go it alone and then book someone at the last minute if you feel you need some extra help. Maternity solutions and Silentnight nannies are who I use most....... Good luck with your new arrival.

If you want a last minute night nanny then gong through an agency is best - it'll cost but its worth it for the quality and peace if mind.

We used nightnannies.com for our twins, they cover london and south east.
Think we arranged it about 3 months in advance. We booked her from my due date as had been told by consultant we would have to deliver at least 2 weeks before then, and we ended up having them at 37 weeks, so worked out well. We stayed in hospital for the first week and then DH was on paternity leave for the next two weeks so we didn't really need her then anyway.

We had her 3 nights a week (every other night) from 3 weeks until 12 weeks, by which time they were sleeping from 11pm- 6am. She fed them expressed milk in the night so we got a full 8 hours sleep (whereas we sometimes got 1-2 hours on her nights' off at first...). Worth every penny!

I am a night nanny based in Leicester but cover all of east Midlands and Warwickshire. I take bookings up to 6months in advance however in reality those that book in advance generally book 3mths in advance. Many of my bookings are made by parents of new norms needing some sleep and routine support usually around 4~7wks old. Many book 1-3 nights over a 4-12wk period rather than more nights over a shorter period. Some start with 3 reducing down to 2 then 1. Some families like a Fri night being a longer night so they can have eve out and a mini lie in.. I am flexible with my bookings as its not my main job and I don't do back to back bookings there are not many night nannies in my area and I get enough work for me and do have to refer people on to others- I even chased poor blondes the other week trying to find a night nanny to sleep train a 7mth old as I was booked never did find anyone have given mum advice and she is waiting for me to be available.

Good luck with the search for a night nanny

Ceeveebee your experience is pretty much how I work and yes every parent says worth every penny hope your twins continue to sleep well