If you didn't hire a night nanny but wish you had...

If you didn't hire a night nanny during the first couple months, but looking back you wish you had, how many nights a week would you have done, taking finances into consideration? What would the nanny have done for you that would've made a difference?

 

We didn't hire any help, but I think if I could have afforded it I would have had someone come in at night a few nights a week so I could get some sleep. At least I like to think I would have, sleep deprivation is the worst, but I'm not sure how well I would have slept anyway if I could hear them when they woke up. I'm the type who really likes to do everything myself!

 

Well I'll answer even through we did hire one. We had her 3 nights a week 10pm-6am. All she did was feed the babies and try to lengthen their nighttime sleep by offering a paci, or a burp before giving the bottle. It helped get my boys to sleep much longer stretches. She always offered to fold laundry and stuff also, but we never had her do any of that. It was well worth the money.

 

We did not have any help. However, DH was home for 8 weeks and this helped so much. We did everything together, yes, it was tiring but I really do not feel that I was SO sleep deprived because he could lay down during the day and take a nap. I did the same.

By the time DH went back to work, the boys were only up once a night and now they sleep 12 hours!

I think that if you are by yourself because DH went back to work, then hire some help. I could not have dome this by myself!

Jenn

 

Same here! I was really trying to get more breastmilk to come in and BFed them at night as well as the day. I would have been awake pumping even if I had a night nanny. Personally, I would have hired someone for 7pm-midnight. That would have been just one feeding (they ate at 6,9,12) and I could have slept that entire time without getting engorged.

 

I did not hire one, but man would it have been nice!! The sleep deprivation was honestly the worst part about it.

If you can do it, i say go for it!!

 

Sleep deprivation is the worst. I was past the point of tears many times, but I am one of those people who HAS TO get my sleep. We didn't have a night nanny, but we did have a lot of close friends and family who volunteered night shifts for us. I did not breast feed, so it was formula from the start, which made it easier to do. DH was home, but had an emergency appendix removal, so that was a factor as well.

My advice would be to hire someone for as long as it is affordable.