The arrival of a new baby is usually a happy and exciting time, but it can be daunting too. That tiny, fragile new being doesn’t come with a manual – but it does come with a lot of needs, demands and mysterious behaviours! The combination of the birth itself, the lack of sleep and some very natural anxiety can be quite exhausting, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. 

 

That’s why many people hire a short-term maternity nurse: a specially-trained person who comes to help look after you and your newborn baby. During those first weeks or months she can be a real godsend, making this huge transition in your lives as easy and comfortable as possible while helping you learn to care for your baby with confidence. 

Here are five ways a maternity nurse makes your life easier:

“It used to be common practice for a new mother to stay in bed for several days after giving birth,” says Annie Martin of Nannies Incorporated. “She’d rest, recover her strength and be looked after by relatives or servants. Although many cultures have kept this tradition, mothers in western countries are now much more likely to leave hospital within hours and just carry on as normal.” 

Yet having a baby is very tiring – physically, mentally and emotionally. In particular, if you’ve had a difficult birth or a C-section you’ll need to be careful with physical tasks like changing and bath time. So getting plenty of rest is important, but it’s much easier said than done. 

A maternity nurse is a huge help here. During the day, she can take the baby out for a walk while you have a nap. She can tackle the baby’s laundry (it’s amazing how those sleepsuits, vests and muslins pile up!) and make sure you have food and drink. At night, she can change and resettle the baby once you’ve fed him, or even give him a bottle of expressed milk or formula so you can get a full night’s sleep. Bliss!

 

Breastfeeding and nappy-changing, bottle-sterilising and bathing…you need to pick up a lot of new skills when you have a baby, and it’s a steep learning curve. Many a new mother has found that breastfeeding doesn’t come naturally, while many more have put a nappy on upside down and panicked over bathing a wriggling, slippery baby!  

Your maternity nurse can show you how to do all these things, using her years of experience to turn you into a pro so that by the time she leaves you feel completely confident.

 

If you’re like most parents, you’ll have a new question every five minutes to begin with. Will my baby be too hot in this outfit? Is it normal to bring up so much milk after a feed? Her poo’s completely different suddenly, is she ill? How do I know he’s getting enough to eat? 

With a maternity nurse on hand, there’s always someone you can ask straightaway – a true expert, so you know you can trust the answers. For the anxious new parent, it’s hugely reassuring.

Your well-ordered world has vanished and chaos seems to reign. While many babycare trends have come and gone, most childcare experts agree that getting some sort of routine in place makes life easier for both the baby and you. But where do you start, and how?

“A routine needn’t mean rigid timings and military precision,” explains Annie Martin. “A good maternity nurse will help you find a flexible yet structured routine that suits both you and your baby. It will help your baby to settle down for the night, while in the daytime you’ll know when she’ll want to feed, nap or play – so you regain some control and find it easier to plan your day.”

 

Juggling the demands of a new baby with the needs of your toddler or school-age children can be both tricky and tiring. What happens when your two-year-old needs breakfast while you’re breastfeeding the baby, or your four-year-old wants to play with you but the baby’s crying its head off, or you’re due at the school gates but the baby’s only halfway through her nap? 

An extra pair of hands is incredibly useful in such moments. Having a maternity nurse allows you one-to-one time with all your children; she can stay with the baby while you do the school run or take the older one to the swings while you enjoy a baby massage class. 

The best way to find a trusted and experienced maternity nurse is through a good agency – preferably one with plenty of candidates on their books, so you can find one to suit you. A maternity nurse should have at least 3 years of experience with newborns, first aid training and a current DBS certificate. The agency should listen carefully to what you’re looking for, then put forward a select few candidates; they can also help you plan the questions and topics you want to cover at interview. Annie Martin advises, “The best and the most highly-recommended maternity nurses will get snapped up early, so it’s a good idea to book them early on in your pregnancy.” 

A carefully-chosen maternity nurse will give you the support, skills, advice and care that you need at this momentous time. She’ll help you to adapt to your new life and become confident in your new role, so that when she leaves you’re ready not only to cope but also to enjoy your expanded family to the full.

 

Nannies Incorporated are a leading London agency who place maternity nurses and nannies with clients all over the world.

 

Phone +44(0) 207 0383 757, email london@nanniesinc.com.