When to start looking for a nanny?
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Anonymous
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I am 20 weeks pregnant. I will have 5 months mat leave, husband will have 4 and we plan to stagger some leave, so we will likely not need childcare until baby is approx. 7 months old, around late July 2025. I’ve been told we should start interviewing nannies “early” but does that mean December (when baby arrives), before December, or in the spring of next year?
We are in Capitol Hill and are considering both nannies and nanny shares in our home. We are expecting to spend at least a few weeks vetting candidates and to pay market rate + benefits for our neighborhood. We don’t have any “special” requirements, but have preferences that seem fairly common for our area— ideally we would find someone who speaks a language other than English and is willing to teach our baby, has childcare experience, and who would stay with us for at least 2+ years. In short, how long does it take to find a good nanny fit? Does more search time equate to a good fit? We’d prefer not to spend money on a service and instead find someone through the neighborhood list serv/word of mouth + background checks and references. Thanks for any experience you can provide. |
Anonymous
| I own a nanny agency (not in the DMV). For a July start date, I’d suggest starting your search in March to give yourself plenty of time. You’ll want to have time to interview multiple candidates, do trial days, etc. |
Anonymous
That seems ridiculously early. Many nannies who are not currently employed are interviewing for immediate positions.. nobody is taking a position that starts months away without a retainer. Unfortunately many families aren't giving 3 months notice. The best time to look seems to be after the holidays - when a lot of Nannies don't end up with holiday pay and realize they need a new position or around school ending. Lots of moves happen in the summer especially the summer before parents realize they don't need full-time help anymore. Another option for OP could be having a nanny start part time while you're sitting leave and transition to full time. Definitely try to find a parent to parent recommend on a local FB group. Sometimes the parents can work with you so there is less gap between employment if they are currently letting go of a nanny. The good news is most nannies want to start with a newborn and have just one baby so it's a very good position to be offering. Good luck OP! You'll know when you find the right fit even if you don't overlap during mat leave have some time together before your first day back . |
Anonymous
| I think March is fine to start since some families may know that they’re sending their kid to pre-K for the summer already and won’t be needing their nanny anymore. Good luck! |
Anonymous
Is that an attractive option for the nanny? Will it be easy for the nanny to find a second family that only needs her part time, and will be willing to give her up completely when OP needs her full time in July (so not even at the start/end of a school year?) |
Anonymous
Only the nanny could answer that. Better than trying to lock someone down in March and telling them the start date is July. The thing is if they are currently with a family that has flexibility this will be easier. If they are between jobs already nobody will want to wait for a start date |
Anonymous
| Three months before you want them to start. |
Anonymous
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Our situation 3 years ago was nearly identical to yours. I had enough leave that I could return to work when my baby was 10 months old, but my goal was to return at 9 months so I’d have some time available for vacations, illness, or in case the nanny didn’t work out and I needed to find a replacement.
I started the nanny search at 7 months, thinking it may take a while. Everyone I interviewed was hoping to start within 3 weeks. My favorite candidate was not currently working, so I hired her with an immediate start date. I was afraid if I delayed, she’d go to a family offering an earlier date. One thing to be aware of is the timing of when separation anxiety sets in. The first morning was a little rough because my baby was beginning to have separation anxiety, but after a nap, she was very happy. I had another baby 2 years later, and am glad that our nanny has known him since birth. I was glad I ended up saving all that leave because I was able to use it for my second baby. |
eck009
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| I started looking for a nanny 3 to 4 months in advance, but found that there were far more nannies looking for positions about 8-3 weeks away from a start date. We ended up signing a contract with a nanny in early September and she started in early October two weeks before I went back to work full time. |
Anonymous
| 3-4 months in advance |
Anonymous
| I’d start looking closely on the neighborhood listserv (and if you’re not on Moms on the Hill, you should be!) about 2/3 months out. Sometimes people post well in advance that they will be saying goodbye to their nanny because they’re transitioning to daycare or preschool; we posted a recommendation for our nanny about 3 months in advance of her leaving us. However many only start seriously looking for a family at a month out. |
Anonymous
| Right now and treat them well. Childcare is hard |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't look too far in advance - 1-2 months should be sufficient. A note about your timing - many experienced nannies are looking for new families at the end of summer, as their current kiddos are moving on to school or preschool. |