As Jamie Oliver admits to hiring one... just what IS a night nurse?
It was the celebrity-parent statement that we could actually REALLY identify with: Jamie Oliver admitted recently that he and his wife Jules were “battered” following the August birth of their son, River Rocket.
“It’s really, really hard – whether it’s your first or your fifth. It hit us hard this year, really hard,” the chef said in an interview with BBC Radio, adding that sleep deprivation is “the most incredible form of torture”.
Father-of-five Jamie went on to tell that he and his wife Jools had for the first time hired a night-nurse to help them out.
The revelation prompted much discussion – and understandably in the aftermath an increased number of exhausted parents are wondering about the benefits of night-time help.
But just what exactly is a night nurse? How do they work with parents? And what’s the difference between a night nurse and a child sleep consultant?
Here, WellVine’s leading expert Sam Saunders responds with her invaluable insight…
1) What are night nurses and how do they work with new parents?
A newborn baby will wake up frequently at night – for feeding, for comfort, and for any number of varied reasons – which is completely normal.
A night nurse supports families with newborn babies by helping establish a good sleep routine for the baby in the first few months and also allowing the families to get rest for a few nights.
Night nurses can undertake duties such as feeding (or taking the baby to the mother to breastfeed if the mother wishes to do so), changing, and helping settle back to sleep.
For many parents, a night nurse is a trusted confidante who they can entrust with their baby’s needs. Meanwhile, night nurses typically starts work around 9pm and staying with the family until 6am or 7am next morning.
2) When does a family typically call in a night nurse?
Anytime from when a baby is new born up until the age of around six months.
The length of time a family needs a night nurse varies as well, from as little as one night, to several weeks or months.
Keep in mind that this does not mean that the night nurse is with the family every night; the nurse may simply come in for a few nights a week over several months.
3) How does night nurse work with breastfeeding?
It is completely dependent on the mum. Some mums express breast milk so that the night nurse can feed that to the baby; some mums choose to wake up to breastfeed during the night for all or some of the feeds.
The decision is left up to the mother on how they wish to proceed.
4) What is the difference between a night nurse and a child sleep consultant?
Night nurses are almost exclusively focussed on the newborn stage and typically spend the night at the family’s home.
A night nurse will help parents develop a plan that they can implement themselves, however, she will also start executing the plan herself by spending a night or several nights with the baby and the family.
Sleep consultants often come in when poor sleep habits have already developed. Sleep consultants may or may not spend the night with the family.
A good sleep consultant will provide the parents with a comprehensive sleep plan that they can implement themselves to build better sleep habits with their children.
5) What is your top tip for establishing a good sleep routine for a baby?
Keep things consistent. While you might be tempted to try every trick in the book to get your baby to sleep, this lack of consistency will actually cause more sleep problems.
Decide on a routine, stick to it and review after a few weeks. If you are unsure on what routine to try, a night nurse or sleep consultant will be able to advise you.
6) What is the way to find a good night nanny or a child sleep consultant?
Reliable agencies and word of mouth recommendations are the best way to source an experienced night nanny. They will have completed the necessary background checks and reference checks.
Sleep consultants often work independently and it is difficult to verify their experience and quality. WellVine offers highly-experienced sleep consultants that have been pre-vetted and come recommended from other parents.
Sam Saunders is a highly experienced night nurse and a WellVine children’s sleep consultant. WellVine operates via video call and its sleep consultants can be booked online.