Should I consider a maternity nurse? PND and not coping well

[lulu05]

I have just been diagnosed with PND and am struggling to look after my newborn DD and 3 yr DS. My DH is fantastic but will be traveling with work in the New Year and I am worried about how I will manage and the impact it will have on the DCS.
Does anybody have any experience of using a maternity nurse? Any agencies they would recommend? I'm just trying to find practical solution for the next month or so until the fog clears a bit.
Thank you.

I think you should defintley consider some sort of help. I had PND after the birth of my third child and looking back I should of sought help - it would have been better all round. I have no experience of a maternity nurse - sorry. Have you though about a mother's help or a childminder? Good luck.

yes or a postnatal doula..whereabouts are you?

A maternity nurse is a great idea, they really take the pressure off and the good one's will do a night feed with expressed BM and let you get a good nights sleep as well. Everything seems a bit better when you have enough sleep
There are a lot of agencies in London ( most of nanny agencies have Maternity nurses as well) I had one for 2 weeks..best money I ever spent

A maternity nurse won't deal with your 3yo, though.

If you don't already have a cleaner get one now.

A experienced maternity nurse does sound like a good idea.

We're in the Channel Islands hollyivypoppy

I think tinies is nationwide so might be able to help with finding one.

is it daytime or nighttime help that you need?

A post natal doula will help with light housework and other siblings within the family

A mother's help would be a good idea imho. I had one when my dc were tiny (no family, new city, no support and mega busy dh). I can honestly say that she saved my sanity and my life was so much more bearable. I had pnd and she used to hug me while I sobbed. I think she made a real difference to my dc's start in life. We are really good friends now.

PM - your MH sounds like a gem!

Thank you so much for your replies. It helps so much.
I think I most need support with the baby and nighttime is certainly harder and I find I am functioning better during the day. The 3 yr old is great atm and is at preschool a few mornings a week, has swimming, ballet etc. so we have a good routine which I find I can cope with. I think if i had help with the baby and her 'routine' the pressure would be off a bit. I think a few weeks and things will be much easier.
I'm trying to ignore the housework!
As we are in the Channel Islands I would need to recruit from the UK I think. Its hard to get childcare here.

mn are great, but they gen only look after the baby, though some do also help with older children

have you any family near who can help?

you would prob be better off with a temp nanny/mh,and maybe a night nanny to help with nights

congrats on nb dd xx

If you are in Jersey, then the Jersey Child Care Trust has a list of nannies looking for work. While none of them say they are looking for night work, you could get in touch with those who you feel have sufficient experience of caring for babies, and ask them if they would consider doing nights. May also be worth contacting the JCCT to see if they can offer any advice with regard to finding someone who is already on the island - 01534 629901 [email protected]
I don't know if they can provide assistance if you are not in Jersey, though could be worth asking anyway!

sounds like a night nanny would be your ideal help and a night nanny usually does from 9pm-7am but you can negotiate different hours to suit you.

when doing nights for a breast feeding mum i usually encourage to express enough milk for 2 feeds if possible so they can go to bed when i get there and i can do 10/11pm feed and then the 2/3am feed and when baby wakes for 6/7 feed i can wake mum with the baby. I do also see to older siblings who wake in the night and also when they get up in morning if its before i finish.

I think a mothers help would be more suitable, and possibly cheaper.

You could get maybe a student or something to come and just give you a hand if you are worried about money?