What are my options for part-time (baby) help?

[supergolden88]

I very very stupidly accepted a book project which is due to come to me 10 days before my EDD. I know it is insane to say yes to it but the money was good and it is a new contact and clearly I am not sane at the moment.

I was wondering if any of you used any help when your babies were very young... Are there any options out there? A doula? (not that I know what a doula does exactly) Part time nanny? I am thinking I may need someone to come to the house and help out part time.

[sparkle]

A friend of mine used a doula post-birth. I don't know the exact detail, but they are meant to be like a mother to the new mum, along the lines of doing what you need them to do (except cleaning I think), so looking after baby, or taking out older kids etc. Hers seemed very flexible, there for a few hours a day when she was needed. Sounds like that could be ideal for you.

[Moos]

Alternatively, there's a job called being a 'mother's help' - I think you can get these from nanny agencies.

Usually these are girls training to be nannies/nursery workers (I got this from interviewing nannies a while ago) so they have a little childcare experience, but can also do some housework. Not usually qualified for sole charge, but could play with / feed / bath your toddler while you look after the baby, or hold the baby while you have a shower or something.

[Fuschia]

I think I would look for a reliable and well recommended cleaner, from someone on the EDF, specifically one who would be up for helping you with tidying up, washing, playing with toddler, holding baby while you shower etc. A lot of what needs to be done IS housework and someone who has been working reliably for another EDF mum would probably be more reluable than someone from an agency etc...

[Fuschia]

Newborn babies do sleep most of the time anyway!

[supergolden88]

I am worried I will have deadlines to meet in the middle of giving birth or the first few weeks (I know I have brought all on myself!). But looks like I will have to invite my mum over for a few weeks even though she drives me crazy and then perhaps look into mother's help...

A lot will depend on timing - if the baby decides to come bang on due date or be late whether there are any (knock on wood) complications and so on. Fingers crossed...

[prdarling]

Curious to know if this is your first baby or not?

I do translation work from time to time and had a project on just after my second baby was due. I was very nervous about it, knowing that when I had my first child, I was unable to achieve basic tasks like putting a wash on, or making a bit of pasta for dinner, simply because staring at the baby, feeding him, cuddling him, ambling round the park with him, checking he was breathing every five minutes just took up every minute of every day!

Imagine my surprise whn my second child was born and, as all newborns do, slept for about 20h out of 24! I couldn't believe how much time I had every day when I was used to the demands of an 18 month old!

I was planning on getting extra help but I just didn't need it - my toddler was out of the house 3 days a week and I did the work when the baby was asleep.

I would never have been able to do it without help had it been my first baby

[supergolden88]

It is my second baby so I have a fairly good idea what to expect - like you I would not have dared first time around!

[prdarling]

I think you'll be astonished at how easy it is and what a piece of cake a newborn is compared to a small child. As long as you have help for your older child you will be fine I'm sure

When is the baby due? Best of luck with everything!

[nicolemodesti]

A friend has a Mothers Help, in the morning, and jokingly admits (or not) that she misses her on weekends!