About 30 years ago I saw a documentary which showed a Maternity Nurse who was drafted in to help a young struggling single mother living at home with her parents, she guided them through the hurdles and best practises for feeding and sleeping and daily routine she effortlessly impacted the whole dynamic of the house in a very positive way.
I immediately knew that this is what I wanted to do, however, I was living on a small Scottish Island called Shetland and had no idea how to get into maternity nursing but being the 2nd eldest of a family of 9 children and having 6 of my own, I was no stranger to newborns. Over the years, I child minded, was a nanny, looked after children and babies, moved to Northern Ireland, ran a crèche and childcare business, studied childcare, maternity nursing and sleep training for what seemed FOREVER..... 6 years and counting......and now I am enjoying doing the job that seems the most natural thing in the world and not at all like work!
I thought I would give you an insight to what a Maternity Nurse actually does, how much she gets paid and how you can book one!
Maternity Nurses are very popular in places such as London, Switzerland, France, Saudi Arabia and Monaco to name but a few. Very often they are booked for up to 6 months at a time and will work 6 days a week for 24 hours a day (and around 3-4 hours break) They will generally hand over to a Nanny at the end of their contract.
A Maternity Nurse is an experienced trained postnatal care specialist who will come and help you after the birth of your newborn. Many Maternity Nurses come from a medical background such as Paediatric Nursing or Midwifery and other Maternity Nurses will have built up vast newborn experience through Nannying and have a Foundation Degree or similar in Childcare either way they will also have a Maternity Nursing training. Many Maternity Nurses also specialise in Sleep or Lactation Consulting as the experience and knowledge compliment each other so well.
When you buy a new gadget, it comes with a set of instructions and this helps you understand how to use it effectively. Some people read the instructions but most find it easier to figure out if someone can show you. With a newborn there are so many books, websites, forums etc and all seem to have conflicting information. By employing an experienced Maternity Nurse, you can stop "wading through mud" and get off to a great start by learning from someone who really knows what to do!
Maternity Nurses provide around the clock support and will teach you how to care for your newborn with regards to feeding, sleeping and good routines, they assist you in nappy changing, bathing, winding and settling baby. They help with the baby's laundry, sterilising equipment and keeping the nursery in good order. They normally sleep in the same room as the baby at night and will be there to support the mum in feeding. Maternity Nurses keep up to date with current medical practises, inoculations and such like. They are experienced in areas such as tongue ties, reflux and colic. Essentially Maternity Nurses allow mothers to rest more and allow parents to feel more confident in looking after their baby.
So is it only the rich and famous that can afford a Maternity Nurse?
All good Maternity Nurses are self employed and charge from £399 per 24 hours, you can book one for as little as a week or as much as 6 months. To book a Maternity Nurse, always go through an Agency, such as Eden Maternity as they are quite rigorous with their staff in regards to checking their ability, their references and making sure all their documents (paediatric first aid, police checks, etc) are up to date.
If you are reading this and wishing you had booked one...... it's never too late!