Has anyone tried a night nany?

[Amberc]

Am sorely tempted to get one twice a week - is expensive but they also get the baby into a good sleep pattern which you just follow up on the nights they are not there. MY LO is only 2 weeks old but we are struggling!

Never a consideration for us as we just couldn't have afforded it but to be honest it wasn't a time that I would have wanted a stranger in the house anyway.

We weren't coping at all at 2 weeks - weren't really coping at 3 or 4 weeks. 6 weeks plus was almost manageable. 10 weeks plus was okish. He's now nearly 6 months and we are still exhausted - I think it is a perpetual state of parenthood!

Sorry - not a lot useful to say but didn't want to read and run are you able to get family to help out in the afternoon so you can catch up? my OH and I used to do shifts, even once he was back at work as it was the only way either of us could sleep.

"they also get the baby into a good sleep pattern which you just follow up on the nights they are not there" might be wishful thinking I'm afraid! At 2 weeks your baby will be awake in the night for a good while to come and while I can understand that you are knackered and overwhelmed, there is not much that a night nanny or anyone can do at this stage except give you a good night's sleep.

I'm sure that most people have felt like this around the two week mark, when you just start to realise that being awake most of the night is awful and that there is no going back. It doesn't last that long though in the scheme of things although it does feel like it!

Seriously though, would you really be happy handing over the care of your 2 week old to a complete stranger, knowing that this routine they were going to get him/her into would probably be achieved by crying and taking a hard line? Or is it just that you are so shattered you will consider anything at this stage?

I sympathise. My LO was a nightmare for three months until I read the baby whisperer and put him on a routine, which involved a lot of crying (mine and his.) DH was much better at it than me. Took three days and he slept through the night. Daytime naps were harder and took a few more days. Decent daytime naps took a bit longer.

If I hadn't done it, I think I would have descended into depression. It was really getting me down.

There is so much pressure to have your baby attached to you at all times. Each to there own but definitely too hard on this mummy.

Once he was on a routine, I was a MUCH better mummy because I could actually function. Much better wife too.

New babies are REALLY REALLY REALLY hard. Happy mummies are better mummies in my opinion, regardless of what methods you go for.

hi

I am a night nanny (and am currently available too!)

Night nannies are expensive but are well worth the money.

Sleepless nights are very hard to deal with....I remember them so well from when my own children were babies!

Feel free to contact me - even if it is just for help and advice!

[email protected]

I had a night nanny and she was absolutely brilliant. My son was 2 weeks old and my husband and I were absolutely desperate and practically hallucinating from lack of sleep. The agency were fabulous and sent me the most wonderful girl (whose references I checked before she arrived) she stayed an extra hour later in the morning and talked me through a routine for my son. For an absolutely desperate and clueless first time mum she was brilliant (but not cheap!) I'm based in london and I used Night Nannies (think they are based in Fulham) expensive but brilliant - it made all the difference to me and I turned a bit of a corner after she left. Good Luck!

We had a night nanny for quite a while for my twins. Absolutely fantastic - expensive but worth it for a good nights sleep.

She also gave good advice in getting them in a routine.

Dont expect them to sleep through for a while so you need to think about how long you are prepared to pay for - they can be quite addictive!

Do it. you won't regret it.

Hi, I used a night nanny with both my DDs. With DD1 I was going spare from lack of sleep by about 10 days (DD1 never settled after feeding at around 1am and would cry relentlessly through to 3 or 4am). I called NightNannies and they arranged interviews almost instantaneously and I had someone in a couple of days later. I put ear plugs in and slept it was BLISS. You don't say whether you are bf. I was, so making sure I had expressed enough was a bit of a pain (but worth it) and I'd express at 10pm before going to bed and be exploding by morning (but again, I can't stress enough, it was worth it). First time round I had a night nanny come 5 times, once a week until DD1 was 7 / 8 weeks. It was just enough to save my sanity. The night time screaming settled down on its own after a couple of weeks and her sleeping improved dramatically so I didn't need a night nanny any more after the 5 sessions.

I don't think the night nanny actually helped establish any kind of better sleeping routine though, it just happened on its own. I simply asked her to feed DD1 when she woke and settle her back to sleep, which she did. Initially she also found DD1 would be up fussing and crying between 1am and 3am (to be honest I was relieved to discover it wasn't just me who couldn't settle her and I wasn't doing anything wrong), but that sorted itself out naturally after a couple of weeks and she'd drop straight off after feeds which made life so much easier.

With DD2 I made sure I had made arrangements for a night nanny before the birth. I had her come in for the first time when DD2 was 10 days old, then once or twice a week until she was about 7 weeks, which was enough for me as DD2 quickly settled to being a good sleeper.

It is expensive but after my experience with DD1, having a night nanny to help me out a bit with DD2 was my number one priority and I made sure I saved some money especially for it.

Did you find someone suitable Amberc ?