Holiday with baby - taking help?

[Primaryteach87]

Hi all,
Looking for some advice. We're first time parents to be and looking (rather in advance due to dh's work) at holidays in September 2015 with a 6m old baby.

We haven't had an overseas holiday in years but hoping to go somewhere in the med. In an ideal world we'd be able to hire a baby sitter for a couple of nights and enjoy the time as a family. I'm REALLY nervous though about leaving lo with a foreign hotel hired person of dubious training. We really can't afford a proper full time holiday nanny (costs about £500 plus travel, hotel room etc). Is it possible to hire an aupair, mother's help to work approx 10 hours, lots of free time and own room for a bit of spending money. Or is this a terrible idea!?

Thanks for any advice.

When I was a poor student I'd have jumped at the chance of a holiday like this - do you know anyone with older children you could ask?

Do you mean someone who you would have met beforehand and whose credentials you can check, who you'd pay for flights and hotel room for?

Yes, someone I'd met (possibly knew) and checked to do 2 nights babysitting (6-10pmish) and help on the flight, in return for flights, hotel and a bit of spending money. Good or bad idea?!

To be honest I expect you could get a bit more help (if you wanted it) I went on holiday with my job and babysat every other night and did a few early mornings too (Parents called my room when baby woke and I took them out for a few hours whilst parents had a lie in/read papers on balcony in peace) This worked well.

Thanks Marylou, don't want to take the Micky and realise you can't get what you don't pay for! Could I be cheeky and ask what you got paid?

Primary - what date are you going? I'll book a week off from my regular nanny job and come with you

Same as nbee84

I'd take a week off work for an all expenses paid holiday with a few hours of childcare!!

Are you going back to work when the baby arrives? Going by your user name, do you have a nursery connected to the school you work at? If you could aim for half term or the end of summer holidays, maybe you could ask one of the nursery workers?

Or maybe get in touch with the colleges that offer childcare courses and see if any of the recent graduates might be interested for the experience and a reference.

As their nanny I got my normal hourly rate for the hours I worked...was a long time now but I think I did about 4-5 hours a night babysitting x3 and then 2-3 hours in the mornings x 3. I think it was about £200 for 20 hours. I got all afternoons free and every other night. I would start asking around now as could suit a working Nanny during their own holidays. Or a childcare student? But unless you want to entertain them, try to find a mature Nanny...one who will be happy to take themselves off....and do their own thing...When in September?...I might have some holiday time!!!

I actually don't think you need to do that. A lot of the bigger resorts have british run creches, with qualified staff and if you book in advance they should be able to get one of their qualified nursery nurses to babysit for you on the nights you want. Its seems like a lot of trouble to go to getting someone just for a couple of nights out.

The creche at Sani resorts is excellent as is the Dios (sp?)cove one in Crete. We've also stayed at the Martinhaal resort in Algarve, but we didn't have a child young enough for the creche.
There's a website called baby-friendly bolt holes that has lots of suggestions and you can check out their creches online.

Beware ... I thought that was such a great idea to take somebody with us on holiday. Found this female student with excellent references, crb (it was some years ago), experience and all. Met her few times and had her babysit for us once before we went. Paid flight, hotel room, all food and was going to give £300 for the week on completion for 2-3 hour evening babysitting each evening. She met a guy the first day ... love at first sight and wanted to spend evenings with him. I felt such a mug as I spent over £800 just for her flight, room and food and got no childcare whatsoever. Next time I'd use a hotel babysitting service.

If you go on a Neilsons holiday they have British qualified nannies to babysit and I baby creche. Other companies do too. It would cost you more to take an extra person on holiday.

Hmm, mixed opinions. I can see how it could go wrong if I chose the wrong person. I'm not going back to my job as I'm taking a career break for a few years, but was actually thinking possibly someone I know who works in nursery. On the other hand maybe I am being overly precious if some places have decent babysitters. I really want to avoid massive kids holiday type hotels though if possible. Maybe I should just stop being lazy and look after lo myself, and wait until lo is older for an evening with dh!

Everybody deserves a night out, especially if the baby is asleep!

My bosses are in Greece with baby friendly bolt holes as mentioned by another poster. They have gone with my charges grandparents so don't need babysitters but they will take turns getting up with my charge so they can all have a lie in. They are staying in a villa away from town (but close enough to walk) and the company can supply an English nanny from their resorts nursery/crèche/children's clubs. Maybe look at reviews from them.

Honestly, I would (and do) go on holiday with a family on an all inclusive holiday (I go away with ex-charges at least twice a year, talk about busman's holiday!!) and I'd charge £10 per hour for the hours I was required to work, after all I am already getting paid for that week by my current family, anything else is a bonus!

I did just what you are looking for but for a family on hols for 10 weeks, I had the baby for a few hours in the morning from when she woke (she slept in their room which connected to mine and they brought her through to me) while they slept in, then I would have the day off or go with them for the day and then would babysit in the evenings (settle baby to bed and listen out for her from my room while I had room service for dinner, would leave connecting door open a little to hear her and they would shut it when back) would do this 6 nights a week. Got paid a normal 6 day a week nanny wage plus room, food and flights.

So yes there are nannies/nursery workers who would be happy to do what you are looking for and a professional child care worker even if they did meet someone would/should stick to the agreement/contact made.

Yes babyboltholes and tots too are good for baby friendly accommodations with babysitting and they foot have to be massive kiddy places. We have had English babysitters in France, Greece, Spain, Turkey without the expenses of an extra person, the extra room massively adds to the cost. Go somewhere lovely where they.have nannies.

I personally wouldn't do it - its a massive cost - and might impact on the fun of the holiday, and as others said there are loads of places that have good provision for child care - and also there are loads of unknowns -such as if you will be happy to leave the baby with anyone, also at that age and especially in the med you could take the baby anywhere

Thanks all for your input. I've decided for this one we'll just take baby and leave babysitting for another time when I have a better idea how anxious a mummy I am and how easy a baby I have!

I took my DD on holiday when she was about I year old....I bathed her and got her in jamas earlier...then into buggy...had a lovely walk on the beach then when she was asleep we had dinner....we stayed up till we were tired...(usually about 10!!)....transferred her to her cot then we sat on balcony...a magical holiday...

Oh please go to Martinhal. Will work out cheaper in the end. The childcare there is fantastic. Your baby can go into the creche during the day for a few sessions to give you some time off. And then the creche staff are available for babysitting in the evenings. They're all lovely, thoroughly checked out, and the resort is secure. They have a bay concierge service so they provide things like cots, nappies, baby baths etc in advance so you don't have to lug them with you. Shop on site selling essentials and a shuttle bus to a local supermarket. Everyone else there is families, so also none of that self consciousness if your baby starts wailing during dinner (and there's a baby food menu in each of the restaurants and about 10m highchairs).

Know we're not meant to push blogs, sorry, but here's my review of our time there this spring:

likepeasinapod.com/2014/06/29/twos-never-enough/

PS if you do go for Martinhal, they sometimes do a hundred euro room credit if you mention Mumsnet plus if you negotiate you can get some cash off - we got 10%.

Make sure you book childcare beforehand (you can always cancel 24 hours before and not pay) as it can get all booked up.

Op you can have a babysitter! Just choose your resort carefully! Most people do not take a babysitter on holiday, they use the nannies in resort. Not sure why you think you can only have a babysitter if you bring one, this isn't what people with kids do. There are loads of recommendations on this thread have a look