Having a new baby in the house is excellent, but it’s nowhere close to natural.
Most moms are really happy about their new babies, but they soon learn what exhaustion means.
Giving birth takes every atom of energy out of women, so it’s only natural that they need some help during those first couple of months. If the mother runs into complications during birth, things get even harder.
The first thing most moms and parents, in general, have a problem with is insomnia. Not sleeping enough because you have to tend to the baby makes it hard to work, do chores, and function normally.
If you recognized yourself having these problems, maybe it’s time for you to get some extra help. A night nanny will care for the baby while you get some badly needed sleep. The concept of night nurses wasn’t so popular before, but parents quickly saw the benefits of hiring a professional to tend to your newborn during the night, so it became popular. Here are some of the advantages you get by hiring a baby nurse.
1. The Main Job
Night nurses will spend nights with a baby so the mothers can rest so they can function normally the next day. Nurses handle everything including feeding, putting the baby to sleep, and taking care of all its needs until the morning. They don’t sleep during the night, and they keep watch over the baby.
Since babies don’t know when it’s day or night, they have an irregular sleeping pattern, and the overnight nanny is there to tend to it when it wakes up during the night.
2. When Should You Hire One?
Hiring a night nurse depends on the needs of the parents. Some moms need help from day one, while others enlist help after a couple of months. Mothers who return to work sometimes hire help a couple of weeks before going back to be able to get enough sleep.
Some stay-at-home moms who have older children hire a night nany when the kids have to go to school. The mom can focus on her older kids while a nurse takes care of the newborn baby. So, the need for a nurse depends only on the responsibilities of the parents.
3. What Qualifications Does She Have to Have?
Anyone can feed a baby in the middle of the night, but that doesn’t mean that you should leave your little one to just anyone.
You first have to do the interview with the candidates and choose someone you like. Doing background checks is also a must, just to make sure that the person is who they claim to be.
Look for nurses with previous experience too.
Keep in mind that not all night nurses are really nurses with a medical background. However, they are registered and have first-aid certificates. It all depends on what you are comfortable with as a parent and what your needs are.
4. Hiring a Nurse
You can hire night nannie either through an agency or online.
Agencies usually employ only qualified nurses with experience, and they typically provide a list of special services.
On the other hand, hiring online is also fine, but it’s not as safe. Sure, some websites offer professional services, but some of them are a little shady. However, you can do interviews with potential candidates before you hire one.
5. The Responsibilities of a Night Nurse
A night nurse will take care of your newborn baby while you sleep. That includes feeding, changing diapers, forming sleeping habits, and so on.
Since nurses have more experience with babies than new moms, they can teach you how to feed the baby and how often to do so. They can help you a lot not only with the baby but with situations that moms go through as well.
Changing diapers is another task done by the nurse. Newborn babies need their diapers changed all the time, and the nurse will do it in the middle of the night. The baby can go back to sleep clean and safe, and you can relax knowing that she’s in safe hands.
6. Saving Relationships
New parents are put under a lot of pressure, which can lead to relationship problems between them. Well, one of the advantages of a night nurse has to do something with relationships.
Both parents will be able to get the rest they need to function normally the next day, which is essential because most problems arise when people are exhausted and not thinking straight. The mom won’t be so cranky and angry if she gets to rest during the night so that the dad won’t be so irritated the next day. The parents can use the free time as couple time while getting sleep. It’s a win-win situation.
7. Special Needs for Special Babies
Some parents face a more significant challenge than others. For example, if you have twins, things get more complicated.
They have to sleep in shifts, and someone has to stay up all night to keep watch. A night nanny could be the extra pair of hands you need to get some rest
Moreover, if your baby has special needs because they were born too early or have a medical condition, hiring a night nurse for newborn with a medical background will be a life-saver.
8. Moms With Needs
Some moms go through a tough time after giving birth. Postpartum depression is a real problem for some moms, and it makes it almost impossible to tend to the baby the right way
If a mother catches the flu or some virus, she can’t be around newborns a lot. If the dad has to work long hours, a night nanny will be a great way of making sure that everyone in the house gets what they need.
Mothers recovering from a C-section need some time to rest and heal, and a professional nurse will not only take care of the baby, but she will also help the mom with her needs too.
9. The Worry
Even though you’ve hired a help with a medical background, being worried about your little one while you sleep is quite reasonable.
Of course, you have to trust the nurse and her expertise, but even so, letting someone else tend to your baby’s needs is a little hard at first. Whatever you do, please don’t interfere with the nurse’s plans and let her do her job.
If you’re already spending money on extra help, you should get the most out of it. Rest, heal, give yourself some time off so you can continue caring for your baby tomorrow, and the day after that. It needs some getting used to, but once you do – you will feel much better.
10. The Final Decision
There are many things you need to consider before hiring a night nurse, so the decision isn’t an easy one.
You have to consider the money, skills, and many other things before hiring help.
Conclusion
The final decision is all on you. Talk to your partner and figure things out together. Talk about the advantages and the disadvantages of hiring a night nurse, and if you feel that you can afford one and if you feel comfortable with leaving your baby to a professional caretaker, you should go for it!
