Should You Hire a Night Nurse?

Some women may think that a night nurse is an additional and unnecessary expense. But after spending a few sleepless nights trying to comfort a baby who won’t sleep for longer than an hour, you may end up changing your mind. Parents obviously love their baby, but sleep deprivation is not going to make things easy. It can have a very negative impact on your mental and physical health. A little bit of help never hurt anyone. In fact, you can finally get that much-needed rest so that you can better look after the needs of your child.

What is a Night Nurse?

Night nurses are usually specialists when it comes to new-born babies. A night nurse for a newborn can be hired for any night that you require help with your little one. The general reason many new parents get night nurses is to help them to settle into life as a parent. The first few weeks are the toughest to get through, but they make it easier for parents by providing their expertise. Despite being called a nurse, a night nurse (or night nanny) is not a medical professional. They are simply experts at caring for new-born babies.

Duties of a Night Nurse

Night nurses can help with many things that are related to the care of your baby. Here are a few things that a night nurse does:

• A baby nurses all night after short intervals. While you can get your beauty sleep, the night nurse will be able to bottle feed your baby. If you would like to continue breastfeeding at night, your night nurse will bring your baby to you.
• Burps your baby.
• Gives your baby a bath.
• Changes the diapers.
• Soothes your baby to sleep and begins sleep training the little one.
• Does your child’s laundry and making sure it is all organized.
• Helps out with any health problems. These could be problems such as reflux, diaper rash etc.
• Keeps a log of baby’s needs so that you can make a schedule for changing, sleeping and feeding.

Pros of Hiring a Baby Night Nurse

There are a few important benefits that you will get from hiring a night nurse. Here are some to think about:

1. They Help You Ease Into Parenthood

As night nurses have a lot of experience looking after new-born babies, new parents can benefit greatly from their knowledge. You will be able to learn how to set proper schedules for your baby so that your baby has a consistent routine.

2. Improved Relationship

If you are not getting enough sleep, you tend to become slightly irritable. This can put a strain on the relationship you have with your partner. When you have a night nurse to help you out by taking over the care of your baby at night, both of you will get better sleep. This means less snapping and less bickering.

3. You Will Have More Energy

Since your night nanny only works at night, you will most likely be the one looking after your baby during the day. When you have had a good night’s rest, you will be able to have more energy to do your best. Since you won’t be so sleep deprived, you will even be able to be quick to pick up on all your baby’s first times doing things.

4. You Will Become a Better Parent

Since you will not be so sleepy and have more energy, you will be able to be a better parent to your little one. Being a parent is difficult and requires so much energy. Your bond will improve since you will be more aware of what your baby is doing and needs. Whether emotionally or physically, you will be there for your little one.

Cons of a Night Time Nurse

While it may sound like a dream, hiring a night nurse has some downsides. Here are a few to consider:

• Night nurses are very expensive. If you have multiple babies, the cost goes up even more.
• If you hire the night nurse from a company, you may be required to have them at home for a specified number of nights each week.
• You will need to be alright with someone you just met being present at home during the night.

How Much Will a Night Nurse Cost?

The cost of a night nurse will vary depending on how many babies you have as well as the experience of the night nurse. The more experienced and professional a night nurse is, the higher the cost is likely to be. The general cost is between $100 to $200 if you want to hire a new-born care specialist.

How to Find a Good Overnight Nurse for Your Baby?

Finding a good, trustworthy and experienced night nurse may not be as hard as you have imagined. The first thing you should do is ask the people you know. It may surprise you that some of them have hired a night nurse to help them out during the first few weeks of parenthood.

If you have made the decision to join a parenting group, which is recommended, you can ask them for some advice. In a parenting group, there will be other families who have similar needs as yours. You will be able to find a sense of community with other people who are going through the same thing that you are. Many people in your parenting group will have good recommendations to share with you.

Another option you can look at is a nanny or babysitter agency. Such agencies will usually have a few experienced night nurses for hire who come with good experiences. Since you will be taking the bold step of allowing someone else to come into your home and handle your baby, you should always be responsible and do a thorough background check of the person. You will also need to go through the referrals given and make the time to go through each of the families and talk with them. Looking at a long list of happy families on paper is different from getting to speak to them and get their personal opinion on the night nurse.

Since you need to put in quite a bit of effort to find a good infant night nurse, it is best that you start looking early on. You can take your time in interviewing, doing background checks and even interviewing the previous families each applicant has worked for. This is so very important for the safety of your child.

You should make up your mind about whether or not you want the help of a night nurse right from your third trimester if you can. This will give you plenty of time to find someone who is just right for you. Some parents may feel bad that they are hiring someone else to look after their child. After all, shouldn’t parents be the ones to see to their child’s needs? Truthfully, if you have help in the family who can stay with you at night to ensure you get enough rest, you should do so.

Some new parents may live in a different city, state or country from the rest of their family. For others, the family members may all be working. In such cases, there is nothing to feel bad about. You will be able to be a much better parent to your child if you are not sleep-deprived. For those who have to work, remember that you are doing this to better provide for your family in the first place. All families have to do the best that they can in their situation. Hiring a night nurse is a decision that helps parents get much needed rest and relaxation.

Also Read:

Qualities to Look for In a Caretaker/Nanny
How to Hire an AU Pair
How to Hire a Live-In-Nanny