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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Night Nanny

43 replies

Twiglets11 · 30/08/2021 05:38

Where is the best place to find a night nanny please ?

I am looking for one for a few nights week for my twins for a) some rest (an exhausted ) and b) one of my twins is not sleeping well as she used to and is up during the night again, I’d love some help for her to sleep through as I will be going back to work soon

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
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Bigfatmama69 · 30/08/2021 20:28

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Blondeshavemorefun · 30/08/2021 22:34

Hi. I’m a maternity practitioner / night nanny.

What area are you in

You can place an adult on childcare site or nanny job or on local Facebook group

or use an agency, costs vary but usually £20/25 per night on top of mn hourly rate

Congrats on twins. Love twins 👶🏻👶🏻

Twiglets11 · 31/08/2021 08:23

@Blondeshavemorefun thanks, i did place on childcare but got some responses where I didn’t feel they were qualified (maybe wrong word, or didn’t have right experience) to look after twins (they are 5months) through the night. Would agency provide someone with relevant experience and checks, that’s what I’m a bit worried about by placing my own ad. Or maybe I should persevere on there as it is a bit less expensive.

I am in west London

Many thanks !

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Blondeshavemorefun · 31/08/2021 08:48

Hi @Twiglets11 yes an agency will provide all checks etc

I think you are prob too far for me. I cover some of London as I’m kent so lewisham Peckham Wandsworth etc ,tho think that’s south ?

Did do summerstown the other month

I’m in Surrey at the moment

Do feel free to message me if want any more info or help x

I’m rubbish with London geography

Twiglets11 · 31/08/2021 09:41

@Blondeshavemorefun thanks ! I might take you up on that for some advice.

Yep, I think that is south east ish. I work near there (tube commute). I’m near Ealing. Shame you are too far.

Would a night nanny help with a night time routine etc ? Admittedly I’d love some sleep , but also someone who can take a look at our routine and advice.

I’m not sure about rates , we got a nanny for 2 nights when they were just a couple months old as I was really unwell. She was via an agency and was lovely. She charged £16/ hr but we were sent profiles ranging from that up to £25 - £30. I don’t mind paying a bit more via agency if they can provide someone who has the experience to help us with these things, as in the long run I need it when I go back to work. At the same time I can’t afford some of those rates given the range ! Im conscious if I look for someone myself, not sure I’d ask the right things and really not keen on getting someone, not liking and then getting someone else etc. Wouldn’t be good for the twins.

I’m waffling a bit but hopefully it makes some sense. Are there any agencies you recommend ? Or what I should search for in childcare ! I do know some friends who have found brilliant childcare on there and at the same time some which have been a miss. Not sure I have time to speak to lots and lots

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Blondeshavemorefun · 31/08/2021 15:41

Yes they will help sort out a routine. To have good nights you need good day routine so enough milk and sleep etc

£16 for twins is cheap. I charge £22/25 depending if travel to London or local

I’m with a few London agencies. You can try

millsie at maternity nurse company or

Tonya at signature staff

Both good agencies in London

HanarCantWearSweaters · 31/08/2021 16:06

Eden and Silent Night also have a fair few MN jobs, Eden in particular likes to keep their recommended rates low (from the perspective of my end!)

OP you could also place an ad on nanny job.co.U.K. as it can be a little easier to get a feel for people/more information.

I’ve done night routine training but as PP said the day routine has an effect on the night and sometimes trying new things is easier in the day naps Smile

NavigatingAdolescence · 31/08/2021 16:10

@Twiglets11

Where is the best place to find a night nanny please ?

I am looking for one for a few nights week for my twins for a) some rest (an exhausted ) and b) one of my twins is not sleeping well as she used to and is up during the night again, I’d love some help for her to sleep through as I will be going back to work soon

Thanks in advance

Just to say infant sleep isn’t linear. There are growth spurts and mental leaps and teething and colds and other bugs and adapting to solid food and rolling and crawling and standing and walking all within the first year.

Most sleeping “issues” can be solved by an adjustment of parental expectations. Wink

Twiglets11 · 31/08/2021 18:14

@Blondeshavemorefun @HanarCantWearSweaters thank you for the agency recommendations, I'll have a look and give a couple a go

@Blondeshavemorefun, yes, looks like I got a good rate. Saying that, the agency did have a fair few ladies in the £16 - £18 range for me to consider. The nanny that we used for the couple nights, and then used again for a total of 5 nights ad hoc did lower her rate from original, but she also said she did really like it with us and felt comfortable... so maybe that helped! Id like to think we were welcoming and made her feel at home the few times she did come. She still keeps in touch, and is from one of the agencies mentioned here.

@NavigatingAdolescence, oh, i really don't think that infant sleep is 'linear' to age, or is even static. I expect it to change and get worse, but for me a nanny is a worthwhile investment as I can at least get some advice in general about routine, settling etc. Even in the few days we had our nanny which was just on the odd night, I learnt a lot , esp where we were going wrong and those small changes made a difference. I'd also admittedly like a few nights rest.. maybe this will allow me to focus more on the daytime

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Redlorryyellowlorryblue · 31/08/2021 18:42

I went through Tinies and got sent about 5 CVs to look at.

KaleJuicer · 31/08/2021 18:46

Go for it @Twiglets11. All the twin parents I know had night nannies for varying lengths of time (one for 5 nights/week for 9 months!).
I would agree with the agency suggestions here.

Redlorryyellowlorryblue · 31/08/2021 18:47

We paid £18 a hour for 10 hours (the minimum) for a singleton but we also paid an agency fee on top, which I cannot recall. The lady we had also had experience with twins and triplets.

Blondeshavemorefun · 31/08/2021 18:47

Yes forgot daisy at silent night. Whoops. And got current family via her

HanarCantWearSweaters · 31/08/2021 19:12

Good luck OP! Definitely don’t discount going privately rather than the agencies, just make sure you’re checking references thoroughly and getting a good feel for the candidates. I’m in the lower rate bracket as still classed as a new starter after switching from nannying for 9 years, hanging out when I can increase my rate Grin

Mistieb · 03/09/2021 21:35

Lizzie at willow nannies and Tanja at mortimer nannies both place very experienced maternity nurses in and around London. They do all the necessary checks to ensure that you only get highly experienced nannies

I’d expect the hourly rate to be £20-£30 for twins.

Twiglets11 · 05/09/2021 00:01

Thank you for all the helpful replies all. Apologies haven’t posted in response, my twins have an cold which they caught from each other and now my OH has too !

Thanks for all the suggestions , I’ve reached out to some of the agencies and have an ad up on childcare which has had a lot of responses already

@KaleJuicer thank you for that. I do feel like I get a bit judged when I mention I’m thinking of getting a nanny by certain groups / people.

@HanarCantWearSweaters I hope you can soon ! Though I’m getting wide range of rates even from the agencies, so will see !

@Blondeshavemorefun shame you are not closer to my side (and less expensive Wink)

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Twiglets11 · 05/09/2021 00:03

Lots of typos there !

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Twiglets11 · 08/09/2021 22:29

To provide some update (if anyone is still reading this) I tried a nanny from agency and one from website - both were very very different !

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Namechangesagain · 08/09/2021 22:34

Im a qualified sleep consultant and nanny close to your area if you want to get in touch.

Twiglets11 · 08/09/2021 23:49

@Namechangesagain, thanks, what is a sleep consultant ? Is that the same as a night nanny ?

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Blondeshavemorefun · 09/09/2021 07:30

Different how

Twiglets11 · 09/09/2021 12:58

I thought the nanny provided by the agency was great (Nanny A). She came in, asked the right questions, twins took to her. They slept well in the night (I was up as it was just one night and I am looking for someone regular) and I found she settled them really well. I felt like she knew what was wrong, whether they just needed settling, wind or feeding (didn't need feeding). In the morning she brought the twins downstairs, and they were fed, settled and happy. Bottles were all done etc... I felt so well rested and ready for the day.

The nanny that came directly from the website (Nanny B), she did come in and ask lots of questions, almost too many, but that is fine. I probably just didn't agree with her methods of settling. She wanted to fill up syringes with gripe water to give if they woke, before they really became unsettled she said. Personal preference, I just don't like giving a lot of these medicines especially if not really needed.

Main thing was in the morning, the twins were really unsettled. My normal morning routine is to bring them down after they wake, and they sit in bouncer for a small while, whilst I talk or read to them and drink my coffee (for my sanity !!) , it always works and I can get a few bits done. Nanny A from agency did just that, and did the bottles whilst talking to them (I have a kitchen lounge type area so you can get a few bits done in kitchen and talk across to them on the bouncer, it keeps them happy for a reasonable amount of time to get things like bottles washed). Everything was clean, babies were changed etc.

With Nanny B, the twins were on the sofa with her. She said they did not want to sit in bouncer (they sit every morning and throughout day many times). But my son now rolls instantly, so sofa really isn't great. It meant she had to sit there trying to hold them.
She hadn't fed my daughter (this was the only feed she had to do) as I fed them in the evening when she came.
Then my son was really crying when she did attempt bouncer, to which she kept playing these musical toys. She asked if she should deal with the crying or bottles. In the end I told her politely I will deal with twins if she can help finish bottles (there were only the 2 from the morning) and a 'spare' she had said she wanted to prepare for the night. But she didn't know how to sterilise and I didn't really have time to help, so told her to leave them, and then she went. I did show her the prior evening. It did mess up my day somewhat as I had to feed my daughter so she was out of synch. Then all the bottles etc (I have bottle OCD and like to wash them asap!!). My son had a big burp that was bothering him hence didn''t want to sit in bouncer and crying... wind really hurts them

Long story, but that's the reason. Both were same rate, but of course agency fee on top. Though id be willing to pay that for the confidence I had in nanny A

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Blondeshavemorefun · 09/09/2021 14:02

Wow b sounds awful

If a baby needs gripe water then you syringe it as and when. Not have in syringes

What happens if doesn’t use - a waste as i Certainly wouldnt squirt back into the bottle

She should follow what you usually do. Bouncers are fine

Def not just leaving on sofa

And why didn’t she feed your daughter ?

And the prepared bottle - please tell me She didn’t leave milk in it all night , on the off chance she needed it

Did you check ref from either

Namechangesagain · 09/09/2021 14:32

@Twiglets11 i have completed a course so that I can help parents get children sleeping better using a variety of techniques- not cry it out!!

Before doing this i have been a nanny/ night nanny for years so im blending the 2 really

Twiglets11 · 09/09/2021 22:15

@Blondeshavemorefun thanks, yes, not keen on assumption that babies need gripe water to settle! I found it strange. So I asked her to check with me before giving.

She said my daughter didn’t want the milk. But she always always drinks her milk in the morning as they don’t feed during the night now. She sometimes moves her head around a bit, but then does take the bottle. So I fed her in front of her. My son was fed but he had a burp when I was trying to calm him down. This is probably why he didn’t want to sit in bouncer , the wind really hurts them. Having a nanny who can recognise and wind our babies properly is a really big thing for us. They were premature and it’s always been an issue. So in general it really did spoil my day so I was a bit miffed ! Maybe I’m being unfair there !

I did check references and DBS, as in written references, I didn’t call anyone. I’ve only used one of the agencies mentioned here, so wanted to see others hence the post. But this one, the nannies seem to be consistently good. I wonder if there is vetting.

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