One of the most precious and loving times that parents will have in their lives is when they are looking after their baby, but it is not a secret that the first months are challenging, and after some weeks, you can feel naturally exhausted. Some of the problems they will encounter are struggling to stay up late at night and, of course, lack of proper sleep, or giving enough attention to their other children. These are reasons why some parents will consider hiring a nanny to get some help at home.
What most experienced parents will recommend to new parents or any parents who haven’t hired a nanny is to find someone who has childcare as their profession, because newborn babies need special and experience care. A nanny with experience with newborns will not only help the baby with all the new routines, but will also help the parents to adapt to all the new changes that will come.
One of the things that we need to keep in mind is that mistakes may happen, so it is vital to know what the 5 most common mistakes are that nannies can make with newborn babies, so this will help the nanny to prevent them.
More and more, devices are becoming present in our lives. Parents need to ask the nanny not to use her mobile phone or devices while they are working; the nanny knowing that children are going to be under her childcare should not use them, adding that if there are babies or toddlers at home, they need to have all their attention on the children. Devices usually take all our attention and it’s here when accidents may happen.
Bed routines and naps will be one of the things more difficult for parents and childcarers. From the start, the nanny needs to be clear about the baby’s sleep routine, not letting the baby fall sleep in their arms; by doing this, they will prevent the baby having problems falling asleep in their crib. The perfect moment to put the baby down is when it seems drowsy in yours arms.
Parents and Nannies need to trust each other. While it is true that nannies need to respect the parents’ desires, it is also true that nannies will have years of experience with babies and children, so they are more that qualified to advise parents on what to do in various situations.
This is one of the most common mistakes nannies and parent can make. Always keep this as a note: after the milk is bottled, it’s consumable only for 24 hours if it’s kept in the refrigerator immediately. If the baby is being fed with formula, once prepared, you cannot wait more than 2 hours to give it to the baby. Always instruct your nanny to follow your instructions or the package instructions.
Some families will choose having a maternity nanny, a full-time nanny, part-time nanny or night nanny, but it doesn’t matter the parents’ preference, the childcare professional always need to give reports to the parents about the development of their children, and more importantly, if their baby is facing any issue not normal for their age.
Don’t forget that we are all humans and as humans, mistakes can happen; it’s always about how hard we work to prevent them.
When it comes to the options parents can have about childcare for their lovely newborn, parents will start feeling overwhelmed when they start doing their research. Below you will find a small resume of all the options parents can have. You will need to take into consideration which of all these options are the best for your family and which one will fit best with your family routine.
Maternity NurseFamilies who have newborn babies, or are expecting one soon, need someone who has expertise in taking care of babies; maternity nurses are perfect for this. They normally work for 5 to 7 days a week to help the mother in getting the baby to sleep and helping with nursing if needed. The market rates for maternity nurses range from £18 to £22 net per hour, depending on their experience and qualification.
Live-in and Live-out NannyA nanny who works full-time between 10 to 12 hours per day for 5 days a week is highly recommended. Their duties and responsibilities include the following: keeping the newborn bedroom tidy, cleaning clothes, assisting with the bath and bed routine, cooking healthy meals and updating the parents on the child’s progress.
Some families need assistance for a 24 hour shift and they are willing to offer accommodation, which might be a bedroom and separate bathroom for the live-in nannies. The typical wage of a live-in nanny is around £300 to £500 net per week, depending on their experience; if they are asked to work for longer hours for occasional babysitting, then the family would be happy to give additional fees.
Live-out nannies also work full-time without needing to live with the family. Candidates who are living in the local area or within walking distance from the client’s home are advantageous for this position. The normal market rate of live-out nannies is from £11 to £14 net per hour, depending on their experience.
Part-time NannyA part-time nanny normally works for 2 to 4 days a week or less than 40 hours per week. They are responsible for helping the parents for a few days or hours per day, doing housekeeping chores related to the child, or maybe helping them learn an additional language. They usually earn around £11 to £15 net per hour, depending on their experience and qualifications.
Nanny-HousekeeperA nanny-housekeeper is in charge of looking after the newborn whilst maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness of the property. This role is open on a full-time or part-time basis; for a full-time position, it would be 5 to 6 days a week for 10 to 12 hour per day, whilst for part-time, it is less than 40 hours per week. They will also work either live-in or live-out, depending on what the family needs. The normal charge for a full-time live-in nanny-housekeeper is £300 to £500 net per week, whilst for live-out, part-time or full-time, it is around £10 to £12 net per hour.
There are different ways to find a nanny with newborn experience, such as asking friends for recommendations, looking by yourself on the internet or using an agency.
Little Ones Agency has been working with United Kingdom families over 15 years to place nannies. Our nannies are highly experienced and the best at keeping your newborn safe and healthy, as well as helping parents with all the new routines. At Little Ones, we will only provide you with nannies with extensive experience and exceptional recommendations.
Our vetting procedure for nannies includes:
What do we look for in the nanny we put forward to your family?
Little Ones understands how important it is for your nanny to live locally to you. We will only consider a candidate that is able to walk or cycle to your home, or within a 45 minute to an hour travel to you, to ensure your nanny arrives on time every day. We also take care to consider the candidates’ welfare and want to ensure they don’t get run down by the daily commute.
Our bespoke consultancy service enables our consultants to get to know you and your requirements thoroughly. Through our thorough interviewing process, we get to know our candidates’ values, interests and methods. This helps us to ensure that you and your nanny are a perfect match, leading to a long-lasting placement.
Take a look at our currently available nannies. For a no obligation discussion with our team of expert consultants about your nanny options, please contact Little Ones or request a call back at a time which is convenient for you.
If you wish to try out Little Ones Nannies and other services, you can check out our website at https://www.littleoneslondon.co.uk or call us on 02071830309 for more information. You can also send us your enquiry at enquiries@littleoneslondon.co.uk. For updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.
