When you’ve found out that you’re pregnant, one of the first things you would likely be told to do is to book your confinement nanny. It is a good piece of advice, because the good ones often do get snapped up really quickly!
But do you really need to hire a confinement nanny? For some mamas, the answer is a solid YES. Confinement nannies can be a huge source of help with their wealth of experience and confidence in caring for newborns, and will also be the additional hands and legs for you as a mama in the early postpartum days. Yet, having a nanny can also come with its own set of challenges.
If you are wavering on the decision about whether a confinement nanny is necessary, here are some things to consider:
Your personality/preferences
Do you tend to have a strong preference for how things should be done?
Would you feel comfortable with a stranger living in your home and giving you advice?
Is your kitchen your territory?
Do you have a sensitive personality?
Confinement nannies come with their years of experience, but it also means that they might have practices that are very different from what you are used to. It does require some give-and-take on both parties to find a balance.
It can feel like you are just tolerating this phase and this person living in your home. If that is something that you are can manage, and recognize that it is a part of having that extra help, that’s a huge first step!
But for some mummies, this can be a huge source of stress. Postpartum is a sensitive period, and the littlest things can be a trigger. If you feel like you might feel worse off with someone with differing practices living in your home, telling you to do things in a certain way, getting into your kitchen territory, then perhaps having a confinement nanny might not be the most helpful for your mental health.
Baby care
Do you have a firm idea of how you want to care for your baby?
Are you planning to read up, go for classes and have preferences on how you’d like to get your baby to sleep and feed?
What are your breastfeeding preferences?
Confinement nannies have their own ways of caring for a newborn. You might too, if you have been reading up and developing your preferences about how to care for your baby. Often, our preferences as mamas will go out of the window when faced with a crying baby and a confinement nanny who seems to have a better idea about what to do. It’s not that one method is superior than the other, but again, it is important to consider if you are alright with going with the flow (ie following the nanny’s lead) during this period of support, or if you have a strong preference about how you would like to care for your baby.
Especially when it comes to breastfeeding, there are many situations where confinement nannies (despite being said to be “breastfeeding-friendly”) can get in the way.
If you plan to get a confinement nanny, communication is key. In my Postpartum Preparation consultations, I will walk you through the areas of consideration to think about before your nanny arrives, so that you can communicate this effectively.
Mama care
Who will be supporting you in early postpartum?
How will you be managing your meals?
This is something that is so often neglected when we think about the period after baby arrives! While you are focusing on how to prepare for your baby’s arrival, don’t forget that you will have gone through A LOT in labour. Whether you are delivering vaginally or via c-sect, the recovery process can be a painful one – not to scare you, but it is important to be mentally prepared for it and set up the support systems prior to birth.
If you are having a nanny, one of her key roles is to care for you and support your recovery. If you are considering going without one, it is essential that you think about what are the areas that you might need support with during postpartum.
Regardless whether you are planning to hire a confinement nanny or not, your postpartum recovery is of utmost importance. In fact, even for mummies who decide not to hire a confinement nanny, having a postpartum plan is also very relevant because your nanny will leave eventually, and you do need your support system after that too.
My Postpartum Preparation programme will guide you through understanding what postpartum looks like, and how to prepare for a well-rested, well-supported transition to motherhood.
Comments