How it Works

They build your confidence as parents and help you enjoy early parenting fully! Maternity nurses and night nannies are trained specifically to care for newborn babies and mums, and can help families learn how to care for their new arrival and establish routines and feeding schedules that fit your family dynamic.

A maternity nurse or night nanny will teach your baby how to sleep through the night which is a challenge faced by most parents. But please be realistic, most babies won’t sleep through the night for several weeks or even months after they are born. With the help of a maternity nurse or night nanny, they will accomplish this important milestone much faster though.

Yes. Maternity nurses and night nannies aren’t meant to benefit just the parents, but also the babies. In fact, your baby can benefit tremendously, as they can aid their healthy development and teach them good sleeping habits for life:

• Your baby will be sleeping better and longer. As a result, your baby will be stronger and healthier. Sleep is the second most important factor for baby development, after food, but is often neglected.
• Your baby will be in a better routine. Like adults, babies benefit from a predictable schedule. (Note: The exact routine should match the family needs and preferences. Maternity nurses and night nannies can easily adjust the routine so that it works for the parents and the babies.)
• Due to better rest and better routine, your baby will be in a better mood during the days, more active and happier.
• Your baby will feed fewer times a night. Night nannies and maternity nurses have the experience to more easily read baby cues than parents. More often than not, babies wake up because they have a tummy pain or simply because they don’t know how to fall back asleep. When this is the case, a night nanny or maternity nurse can resettle baby back to sleep.
• Your baby will learn how to self-settle and fall asleep on their own, not needing much comforting or a sleep aid. Babies actually need to be taught how to sleep; night nannies and maternity nurses can teach them this important skill.

The main benefit of hiring a maternity nurse or night nanny is the ability for mum (and dad) to rest and recuperate after the birth, as well as to teach them how to take care of their newborn baby, especially if they are first time parents. Specifically:

• You will gain confidence as a parent!
• You will wake up feeling refreshed and energetic.
• More rested and relaxed, you will enjoy time with your baby much more.
• You will have more quality time for the rest of the family, work or social commitments.
• You will be assured that your baby is getting enough quality sleep which is so important for their development.
• Your immune system will be stronger, and hence your baby’s if you are breastfeeding.
• If you’re breastfeeding, your milk supply will improve. The more you rest, the more (quality) milk your body can produce.

Additionally, your maternity nurse or night nanny can also keep everything related to your baby clean, tidy, and washed, and also assist with preparing feeds and sterilising equipment, allowing mum to spend quality time with her baby or resting. She can typically also provide one-on-one support with breastfeeding.

A full-time maternity nurse works on a 24-hour basis and lives with you. If you don’t wish to have someone living in your home, but still want support with your newborn, a daily maternity nurse is the ideal solution. A daily maternity nurse typically works 12 hours a day (or as you agree).

The terms maternity nanny and maternity nurse are more or less interchangeable. However, sometimes a maternity nanny designation will be used to designate a less experienced or newly qualified maternity nurse.

A night nanny or a night nurse is a childcare professional who is specialised in helping parents with newborn and young babies during the nights. Nothing prepares parents for the incredible fatigue and drop in energy following lack of sleep. However, hiring a night nanny may be the answer – not just as a short-term fix, but also as a longer-term investment in family well-being.

A maternity nurse provides support on an almost 24-hour basis (with some time during the day to rest) and is there to help establish routines and enable mum to rest and recuperate.

A night nanny provides support from evening until morning and enables parents to rest while teaching baby good sleeping habits. If you’re breast-feeding, your night nanny can bring the baby to mum for a feed and then settle the baby back to sleep.

Often, first time-parents will hire a maternity nurse, and for any later babies, they will hire a night nanny.

Typically, maternity nurses work on a 24-hour basis, 4-6 days a week. They are considered full-time maternity nurses and are therefore a “live-in”. A daily maternity nurse will work during the day only, typically 12 hours a day, or as agreed with you.

Typically, night nannies work from 9pm to 7am. However, you can agree to a later start, and possibly an earlier or later finish. Eight hours is often the minimum they will do a night.

For the peace of mind, a lot of parents start the process during the pregnancy, typically after the first trimester. We have many clients who book toward the end of their pregnancy, as well as those who book after birth.

Absolutely. We do our best to match you with exactly the right person, whether you’re hiring months in advance, or for tonight! (It goes without saying though, that there will likely be fewer candidates to choose from if you’re looking for help on a short notice.)

It depends! Some parents know they will need help for longer, so they book them for several months, up to when their baby turns six months (at which point they hope the baby will sleep through the night), and some will book them for the full first year. At the same time, we have many clients who book just for a few weeks, which is absolutely fine. On average, parents book maternity nurses for 4-10 weeks, and night nannies for the first three months, or after they’ve already had a maternity nurse.

Maternity nurses typically work 4-6 days and nights a week. If they live nearby, they may be more flexible and may agree to fewer days / nights a week. It is rare for them to work 7 days a week, but that too can be arranged. If you need coverage around the clock, we suggest hiring two maternity nurses, one for weekdays and one for weekends.

As soon as possible, really. The earlier you start, the sooner you can teach your baby good habits, and the more you will benefit from help. That said, you can hire them at any point later too as we know parenting is hard, and sleep deprivation can accumulate!

Your baby can be with you as much as you want! We recommend, however, that your baby sleeps in their nursery, which is often where the maternity nurse / night nanny will sleep as well. When babies sleep in their parents’ bedrooms, the benefit of having a maternity nurse or night nanny is much smaller. That said, if you have any concerns, your nurse can talk you through various other options.

Breastfeeding mums can benefit tremendously from hiring a night nanny or maternity nurse. First, it's incredibly important to get a good rest especially for mothers who are nursing, so that their bodies can produce enough milk for their babies. Second, a well-rested mum (or at least, a less tired mum!) will have a better time looking after her baby and enjoying precious time with them. Finally, night nannies and maternity nurses can often help troubleshooting breastfeeding challenges.

Doulas support the whole family to have a positive experience of pregnancy, birth and the early weeks with a new baby. There are two types of doulas, birth doulas, and postnatal doulas. Some doulas work as both birth and postnatal doulas.