Night nanny logistics (sleeping locations, furniture, etc)

[Anonymous]

This is our third child, but first time using a night nanny. I'm struggling a bit with the logistics, especially given that our master bedroom is on a different floor from the nursery (which is on the same floor as the living room and kitchen).

With our other children, when they were newborns we had a bassinet in our bedroom and we brought the glider into our room, just for the newborn stage. Baby stayed in with us until sleeping through the night and ready to move to the nursery (where we, of course, had a monitor).

This time, we've saved up for a night nanny 4x per week (yay!) I'm struggling to envision how this is going to work, especially given that the glider is HEAVY and can't exactly be moved up and down the stairs regularly (though the bassinet does move pretty easily, it actually folds up). The nanny is going to give the baby one bottle of formula each night, but then will be bring him to me to nurse for all subsequent night feedings. We also want a place for her to rest/sleep when the baby is sleeping.

So - we could put the baby (in the bassinet or crib) in his nursery whenever the night nanny is there. She could sleep on the living room pullout couch (which is on the same level as the nursery). But then, when I need to nurse, she'll need to carry him up and down the stairs to get him to me, and I worry a bit about her navigating the stairs with a newborn in the middle of the night. Plus, then the glider will be on the main floor - how will we rock the baby to sleep on the other three nights when we're taking care of the baby (and presumably sleeping in our own bed)?

Alternatively, the baby could stay in our room and she could just come to use when he cries - but that means waking us up during that bottle feeding which defeats the whole point.

Or, I could get a cheap mattress and sleep on the floor of the nursery (there's no other bedroom on that level) and the bassinet and the glider could go in the living room with the night nanny on the pull out couch. Then I guess I'm also sleeping upstairs whether the night nanny is on duty or not? Which sounds less than ideal. Plus, if he's sensitive to light there's no blackout curtains in the living room and it'd be a PITA to block light (my first was sooooo sensitive to light).

The night nanny (who seems great) says she's happy with whatever. I think she's very accommodating, but thus was no help in this matter, though she did request use of the glider. I guess we could also buy a second one maybe used from a list serve or something? Just for the newborn stage?

I feel like I'm making this too complicated, but I just don't see the best way to do this. Suggestions (especially from those who have been there with a night nanny and/or a similarly arranged house) appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Just buy another glider ? They aren’t expensive.

[Anonymous]

PP- I think it makes sense to have a glider and sleep surface on each floor throughout infancy. This helps with unexpected illnesses. Or just a nap you might want to have contact during. Just make the extra purchases to make your life easier.

[Anonymous]

The nanny won't be sleeping. They don't need a pull out couch. They can doze in a glider or on the couch, but they won't be getting deep sleep. Get a second glider on Facebook Marketplace.

[Anonymous]

Crib in nursery, bassinet in your bedroom. Buy another glider. Nanny sleeps downstairs with baby and you let go of the worry about the nanny on the stairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crib in nursery, bassinet in your bedroom. Buy another glider. Nanny sleeps downstairs with baby and you let go of the worry about the nanny on the stairs.

OP here. Okay, this makes some sense to me.

People would really be okay with someone going up and down the stairs with their newborn in the middle of the night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crib in nursery, bassinet in your bedroom. Buy another glider. Nanny sleeps downstairs with baby and you let go of the worry about the nanny on the stairs.

OP here. Okay, this makes some sense to me.

People would really be okay with someone going up and down the stairs with their newborn in the middle of the night?

Yes. If you trust her to hold/rock baby without falling asleep, the stairs are no more dangerous.

[Anonymous]

NCS here. Get a cheap glider (or the ikea poang chair is under $150 usually and is very comfortable and gives a nice amount of recline for nursing) and put a glider in each location. You sleep upstairs. She can rest in the chair and she will be fine on the stairs. I think you are envisioning a half-asleep person navigating the stairs but she shouldn’t be fully sleeping. I never got any real sleep I just required a comfortable place to recline bc it’s very hard to be still and quiet while the baby sleeps without a comfortable place to sit or lie down.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here.

The point of hiring this night nanny is for you to sleep and her job is to work. So why all of this headache ?

First she doesn't have to sleep at all, I wouldn't pay a nanny and allow her to sleep. She can sit on your couch with a good book, her cellphone, fb, instagram etc ...

And you could let her give your baby the bottles at any time your baby needs them so you can have a full night of rest.

[Anonymous]

Buy a second glider. We got a comfy one from Target delivered for under $200. You can sell it on FB when you are done for half the price. Also, ask your night nanny clean bottles, toys, laundry too while the baby sleeps.

[Anonymous]

Night nanny here and I've carried many of twins up to mom in the night, wouldn't think twice about a singleton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crib in nursery, bassinet in your bedroom. Buy another glider. Nanny sleeps downstairs with baby and you let go of the worry about the nanny on the stairs.

OP here. Okay, this makes some sense to me.

People would really be okay with someone going up and down the stairs with their newborn in the middle of the night?

This is your third child-- yes, it's OK.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks everyone! I think I'm just sooo groggy in the middle of the night, I personally wouldn't want to be carrying the baby up and down the stairs - I'm a heavy, deep sleeper and don't do well with sleep deprivation (hence the night nanny).

But I told my husband about the responses here and he said "Good, maybe you'll stop being so weird about the stairs."

So I guess I have my answer. We'll get a cheap second glider. Thanks again all.

[Anonymous]

Why can’t you just go to the nursery to feed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is our third child, but first time using a night nanny. I'm struggling a bit with the logistics, especially given that our master bedroom is on a different floor from the nursery (which is on the same floor as the living room and kitchen).

With our other children, when they were newborns we had a bassinet in our bedroom and we brought the glider into our room, just for the newborn stage. Baby stayed in with us until sleeping through the night and ready to move to the nursery (where we, of course, had a monitor).

This time, we've saved up for a night nanny 4x per week (yay!) I'm struggling to envision how this is going to work, especially given that the glider is HEAVY and can't exactly be moved up and down the stairs regularly (though the bassinet does move pretty easily, it actually folds up). The nanny is going to give the baby one bottle of formula each night, but then will be bring him to me to nurse for all subsequent night feedings. We also want a place for her to rest/sleep when the baby is sleeping.

So - we could put the baby (in the bassinet or crib) in his nursery whenever the night nanny is there. She could sleep on the living room pullout couch (which is on the same level as the nursery). But then, when I need to nurse, she'll need to carry him up and down the stairs to get him to me, and I worry a bit about her navigating the stairs with a newborn in the middle of the night. Plus, then the glider will be on the main floor - how will we rock the baby to sleep on the other three nights when we're taking care of the baby (and presumably sleeping in our own bed)?

Alternatively, the baby could stay in our room and she could just come to use when he cries - but that means waking us up during that bottle feeding which defeats the whole point.

Or, I could get a cheap mattress and sleep on the floor of the nursery (there's no other bedroom on that level) and the bassinet and the glider could go in the living room with the night nanny on the pull out couch. Then I guess I'm also sleeping upstairs whether the night nanny is on duty or not? Which sounds less than ideal. Plus, if he's sensitive to light there's no blackout curtains in the living room and it'd be a PITA to block light (my first was sooooo sensitive to light).

The night nanny (who seems great) says she's happy with whatever. I think she's very accommodating, but thus was no help in this matter, though she did request use of the glider. I guess we could also buy a second one maybe used from a list serve or something? Just for the newborn stage?

I feel like I'm making this too complicated, but I just don't see the best way to do this. Suggestions (especially from those who have been there with a night nanny and/or a similarly arranged house) appreciated.

Night nannies are not supposed to sleep while on duty.