Night Nanny experiences please?

[FraggleRock77]

Hello. We are expecting a second child in Aug and thinking about using a night nanny for six weeks.
Has anyone tried/had one? And how did it work out? Did it feel weird? x

Christ I'd love that. But no experience sorry!

What is a night nanny?

I am a night nanny happy to answer any questions :)

We had a night nanny three nights a week from when our twins were 6 weeks until 12 weeks. It meant I'd get a full nights sleep every other day (even if I only got 2 hours on the inbetween nights!). I don't think I'd have liked anyone to be in the house full time for 6 weeks, that's more like a maternity nurse and I felt that would be too intrusive for me.
She used to arrive around 9pm and DH and I would go to bed. She stayed downstairs until later then slept in a single bed in the nursery. I had got into a routine of expressing a couple of times a day so to make enough for the night feeds, which she would give to them, resettle and change nappies, then bring the babies to me in the morning before disappearing off. She also gave us advice on routines etc and by 12 weeks they were sleeping through the night.

Eastmidswarwicknightnanny
Sorry I don't know how to tag on mm!
Would I be right in thinking you are based in Warwick?!!! Desperate for a night nanny!!

Milk yes I cover Warwickshire but am in Leicester :)

Basically what ceeveebee said. We had a similar set up for our twins between 8-12wks. I did all the night feeds on my own at weekdays and I was hallucinating due to the lack of sleep by the time they were two months old. They suffered reflux as well so very unsettled babies. Night nanny took the edge off, I got a decent amount of sleep and they advised/helped us establish a daily routine for the babies. They are now 2.5yrs and heir evening routine still stands!

Thank you for all the feedback. I agree, having the nanny 3/4 nights a week would be enough.
Did you find any loss of bond or role? I really like the idea, after having a prem baby who woke every two hours for months. Just struggling with the idea of just sleeping, while someone else does all the work x

Hi

We had a night nanny for the first eight weeks 6 nights a week. Really helped me recover from a c section. But best thing is DS slept from 11-7 from 7 weeks and has been an excellent sleeper ever since! We consider it the best money we've ever spent

Fraggle I worried about it the first night and felt a bit funny that I could hear them crying but someone else was seeing to their needs and not me. By the second night I was just handing them over! Maybe it's a twin thing but they were not easy babies and the with colic in one and generally reflux in the other took its toll on us until they started on prescription formula. I was on my own with them 8am-8pm so a night nanny was a amazing.

It's not forever, you have your baby the rest of the time so plenty of time to bond.

Great info. Thank you.

It helped me bond if anything as I was able to enjoy the day times with them instead of being so exhausted that I could barely move like in the first few weeks!

My advice would be to meet the nanny beforehand and make sure you're really happy with them/her. We used a night nanny through an agency when DH worked away and DS was small, the intention had been to use her once a week but the first night was so dreadful that I never had her back! She was very disapproving of the fact that 12 week old DS was still rocked to sleep and let me know it. I didn't have good feeling about her so found it very hard to sleep in the spare room and the next morning came in to find a muslin wrapped around his neck! I wish I'd been more confident and gone with my instincts rather than letting her railroad me into letting her take my baby, when I complained to the agency they took her off their books but the damage was done from my point of view.

Sorry - sure many night nannies are a blessing but I would definitely check you're happy with her before you commit (if going through an agency) and make sure they are happy to support your parenting ethos and methods.

Thanks CalltheMW. I'm guessing there are good and bad experiences with any paid help.

I would def recommend it. Obviously, do your research on who you hire. Either through friends who have used the night nanny, or check references and meet them first. The right night nanny can make such a difference. I think she helped our baby get in a good sleep routine. It really saved us....esp with the first one when we were clueless on what to do!

Thanks Mama. Can i ask how many nights and how long you used them? x

We had a night nurse twice and they were madly different experiences purely because of the nature of the individuals involved. The first time, I felt like I had the help, support, humour and teaching that a parent might give under other circumstances (my mum barely visited, & I hadn't done any classes beforehand because I was working right up to the end). She'd come straight from the house of Hollywood "royalty" and yet mucked in with our small flat and one shared bathroom without any wierdness at all. She was a wonderful woman and I value what she taught us and she has an impact on our lives to this day (9 years later). I firmly believe that our eldest can fall asleep on a washing line because of the fantastic training she put in, without me ever even realising there was any kind of "routine" being put in place.

The second one... not so much... I was longing for her to leave... She brought her own dramas into our house which was absolutely not wanted at the time - it was an additional headache and not a help (& with a c section / living very remotely, it was largely for the driving help - the first time she drove me, she answered her mobile phone from her pocket and there wasn't a second time therefore)

Fraggle I have done 1-3 nights regularly for a family so e start with 3 down to 2 then down to 1 over a 12-16week period sometimes towards the end have me start at 7.30/8 so they could have an eve out and stay til 8/9am so they could have a lie in a normal night is generally 9/10pm til 6/7am some night nannies will say min 10hr night I don't really.

What some familes do is work out their budget and how many nights overall this will get them and agree a schedule with me some prefer lots nightra in short space other would prefer it over a long period for e,ample can afford 20 nights so family one choose 3 nights a week for 4weeks then 2nights a week for 4weeks whereas family two choose 2 nights a week for 8weeks then 1 night a week for 4weeks.

Hope that helps I am pretty flexible in terms of bookings as I don't take back to back bookings as its not my main job so can often extend/amend times with a family. I have worked for a number of familes and many have made other sacrifices on their finances to afford a night nanny others have been foertunate to just afford one and I am just there to support the family and care for the baby/ies not look at possessions and how big the house is (as long as a kettle and tea ;) )

Thank you for the great info EastNightNanny. Really helpful. Still early days for us with the pregnancy but i think we are sold on getting overnight help this time round.

Good luck with everything and hope you find an amazing night nanny if you are in the east Midlands my details are www.east Midlands night nanny.moonfruit.com

If you are Kent or Sussex way I can recommend Claire aka blondeshavemorefun over on childcare board :)