Night Nannies

Help - we aren't sleeping and it is making everything that much more difficult. I mean everything, the babies, our marriage, etc.. Any advice on how to find a night nanny or how that may work would be appreciated. I am thinking just a couple nights a week for a couple of weeks so that we can return to the land of the living.

Thanks,
Amy

 

QUOTE(ahmerl @ Jun 17 2007, 05:34 AM) [snapback]295450[/snapback]
Help - we aren't sleeping and it is making everything that much more difficult. I mean everything, the babies, our marriage, etc.. Any advice on how to find a night nanny or how that may work would be appreciated. I am thinking just a couple nights a week for a couple of weeks so that we can return to the land of the living.

Thanks,
Amy


We did research night nannies in our area (Northern California) but decided not to use one as they are very expensive here. An individual night nanny in our area charges $20-25 an hour for twins. A night nanny or baby nurse through an agency was $30-40 an hour. The cost will probably vary greatly by area. In hindsight, I wish I had spent the money as we had no help, I ended up getting very sick and being admitted to the hospital for 10 days with pneumonia.

I found a list of available night nanny's through my mother's of twins club. ALso, my hospital where I delivered had a list of agencies for assistance.

 

We looked into it but it was crazt expensive and I got nervous about someone being with the babies while I was sleeping. I would call your local twins group or ask your ped. A suggestion is to have a nanny come during the day. That way when she got there in the morning, you could sleep. I do know someone who had a night nurse and loved it. I think it was 20-25 an hour. If you could do it, I bet it would be great. THen you would have the energy to take them on in the morning.

 

in the Boston area it's about $300 a night for a night nanny -- way too expensive fo rmy taste.

I also breastfed, so it didn't seem worth it.

my hubby and I have shared nights since the beginning-- and when the nights get hard, we switch off early night and late night (9 to 1:30) and 1:30 - 6 shifts..

may help a little

Teri D

 

In Chicago it's about $20-25 an hour. We had one for several weeks (6 or so), 3 nights a week for 8 hours (10 to 6). Yes, it was expensive, but we can afford it, and therefore it was definitely worth it. I've never felt sleep deprived from the day the twins were born. I was actually more tired at the end of my pregnancy than after the twins came. They're pretty good sleepers as well, so that helped.

 

Where do you live? I can give you info for Toronto. A basic nurse here is $18 an hour, a "real" night doula is more like $35-$45. Depends what you want. If you just want some sleep, a basic night nurse will do. If you need breast feeding support, etc. I'd get a doula.

 

We had one in Ottawa. $20/hour. She was AMAZING. I was breastfeeding too, but she would wake me when the kids were changed and ready, help me feed, and send me back to bed. She also did a 2am bottle feed from my pumped milk (or formula), so that I could sleep through one feed. At the beginning I'd have to still get up to pump, but it was a huge help.

If you can afford it... it's worth it.