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Original poster

Advice on hiring a maternity nurse

28 replies

PDR · 17/06/2010 16:36

I am thinking of hiring a maternity nurse when DC2 arrives in February.

I am using an agency and not sure if they are just being pushy, but according to them, now is the time to look as people get booked up really early.

Wondering if anyone has any pointers for the interview (someone coming next weekend) and anything I should be looking out for?

The lady I am interviewing seems quite flexible and has said she could stay on as a day nanny for a few weeks after I feel I no longer need help 24hrs a day.

She has also said she will help with my DS1 which I know some won't do.

Any advice gratefully received

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Missus84 · 17/06/2010 17:08

Make sure your views on feeding/routines etc are the same - some MNs have their own ways of doing things. Speak to her referees yourself, don't just rely on the agency to do it for you.

PaulaMummyKnowsBest · 17/06/2010 19:04

good maternity nurses get booked very early.

I work as a night nanny and doula and am booked for the rest of the year.

Several clients booked me as soon as they have found out they were pregnant!

Make sure that her ideas about sleeping, crying, routines etc are the same as yours. Check refs thouroughly and make sure any gaps in CVs are accounted for. Ideally they should have first aid, current CRB and public liability insurance.

frakkit · 17/06/2010 19:21

Absolutely agree that good MNs are booked up months in advance. If you think about it in terms of 3 month blocks she'll only have a couple of jobs before you and if someone due Jan wants to book now it would overlap with your booking.

Check, if you want to breastfeed, whether she has experience of supporting BFing and what the arrangements for the night-time would be.

Remember this is going to be someone in your home 24/7 (almost) at a very fragile time for you. If you have any doubts at all, even if it's just on a personal niggling don't-really-click level, don't book her.

Check what the arrangements for deposits etc are too. She should be able to explain how she does business at interview as each MN is different.

Good luck!

nannynz · 17/06/2010 20:13

Agree with the above comments, we do get booked fast. My next position starts next week and I signed the contract end of January!

I think it's very important to have a good "click" with the person. Also ask about experience with BFing (if you will be); what nursary duties she will do; what she will do with older child; aim for baby and how to acheive aim (eg routine). Experience is very important, so make sure you check ALL references and ask questions on how they relate to your family.

The agencies will tend to be pushy - that's how they work, they push us maternity nurses too! Good luck with the search!

Original poster
PDR · 18/06/2010 09:54

Thank you very much everybody!

I am looking forward to meeting our possible MN next weekend

One more question - my DS was 2 weeks late, so do you think I should book the MN to arrive 2 weeks after my due date this time? My DH will be taking a couple of weeks off work so I won't be alone!

In your experience when is the best time for the MN to arrive?

OP posts:
nannynz · 18/06/2010 11:54

If you're going to have help from your husband it may be best to book MN two weeks after due date.

In my contract I have it written that I get paid half my normal pay if baby is being born late. It also says I will only work from start date in contract - I've had a couple of babies born early, one I was able to start as wasn't already in work and the other they had to wait three weeks.

It's usually written in contract that I start on due date, except for one who employed me for a whole month before due date - baby arrived on due date! It was a long wait.....

AxisofEvil · 18/06/2010 17:39

I'm potentially looking to get one from January onwards. Where do people normally get their MN from - agencies (any recommendations?) or elsewhere. I'm in London.

Original poster
PDR · 18/06/2010 19:42

I'm using Tinies but can't recommend at this stage. From what people have said though you better get cracking if you want one in January

OP posts:
deedar · 18/06/2010 21:49

Book one asap. Most importantly make sure you really like her - we left our booking too late and ended up with our second choice (7 months before birth). She was nice enough, but after 6 weeks I was desperate for her to leave.

Ask about her expectations as to evenings - I'd have really appreciated a few quiet nights eating junk in front of the tv with DH, rather than a full sit down meal EVERY night with her! Also, ours didn't mention that she was vegetarian until the day she arrived after we'd spent a fortune on nice pre-cooked meaty meals! (And that was in spite of me asking a couple of times prior to her arriving, whether there was anything she liked/disliked eating )

I think we used Maternally Yours, and they were very good; I also registered with others and they were a bit useless.

nannynz · 19/06/2010 20:24

I really would recomend Maternally Solutions - they are supportive and helpful.

Maternally Yours is also good.

Also my email is nz us uk @hotmail.com I have space available for next year.

frakkit · 20/06/2010 09:08

I'd add recommendations for Eden and Nannies Inc to Maternally Yours.

AxisofEvil · 20/06/2010 15:45

Thanks all. We've got the 12 week scan later this week so I don't want to do anthing prior to that but may start looking into it after that.

We were thinking of getting them in from when Dh goes back to work which would probably be at about the 4 week mark - does that sound sensible or too late?

nannynz · 20/06/2010 16:29

Four weeks sounds fine. I've only done one position starting four weeks after birth (usually start just out of hospital)and it was one of my favourite positions. Baby was easily settled onto a routine that the parents were happy with and was great giving the mother confidence to have the baby by herself.

Original poster
PDR · 21/06/2010 11:42

nannynz how do I go about reimbursing the MN for her travel costs to/from interview?

OP posts:
swlondonnanny · 21/06/2010 19:01

childcare.co.uk is a good place to look as well.
I use it as a maternity nurse and got my last booking from there.
Also am registered with Maternally yours and Night nannies and find them both to be great.
AxisofEvil and PDR - please contact me at swlondonnanny at yahoo.com if interested to see my CV and references. Thank you.

nannynz · 21/06/2010 19:34

Ideally the MN should bill you for it.

I've never being paid for my travel costs except for my overseas ones. I do write it off as a business expence which I assume you can't do if the family pays travel expenses.

How did interview go?

Original poster
PDR · 24/06/2010 11:09

It's this Saturday so I'll let you know.

The agency said its up to us if we pay her travel costs and on this occasion I don't feel we need to. We have deliberately chosen a MN who lives within an hour from us so it's not like she's coming very far.

What a minefield!

OP posts:
MarvelousNonPerfection · 26/06/2010 17:37

My contract states that interview costs are payable in the final invoice, so interview and no job then no travel expenses payable.

I would recommend Greycoat Maternity - Jo Winn is fab.

And yes i am booked until xmas and have been since early May.

Original poster
PDR · 26/06/2010 21:43

Interview went really well - I really liked the lady and she has excellent references. Going to think about it for a few days though before I rush into anything.

I really don't think I want to "book" anything until I'm 12 weeks though as it just seems to be tempting fate....

OP posts:
MarvelousNonPerfection · 26/06/2010 21:57

Tho i am happy to interview with mum's in early pregnancy and i am happy to 'reserve' the proposed time in my diary and accept no bookings that would overlap/be too close i do't sign contracts till after the 16/20 wk abnormalities scan, reason being know a MN mate who had a family that had to cancel/deposit refund etc after life incompatible finding.

blondecat · 02/07/2010 16:13

I would say wait until you are twelve weeks. We did and still had plenty of choice!

Good luck!

Janey1966 · 03/08/2010 14:20

We used Deearnas. An incredible person and maternity nurse and marvellous service.

We used her after comparing her to many others and none compared.

if you check out her site at...

www.deearnas-maternity-agency.co.uk

you will see her incredible references.

Pippamaiden · 09/08/2010 10:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

shreddiey · 12/08/2010 09:59

Hi I personally used Deearna's and Deearna herself. She was my birth partner and maternity nurse. She is known as a human baby whisperer. Lovely lady to work with and very discreet, we didnt want her to leave us.

She has an agency running for her under her name aswell that supplies maternity nurses if she is not free to do it.

Deearna will recomend you wait until about 16wks to book, she will also talk through an concerns realting to birth you have.

I highly recomend her and the lady who runs her agency is really easy to talk to

Hope this helps

shreddiey · 12/08/2010 10:06

Sleepless night sorry about my spelling above

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