New mom as "nanny"

[Anonymous]

I am due at the end of June with my first baby. I have a lot of experience with children over 4 months old as I used to nanny on Cape Cod during my summers in college and babysat for years . I have a doctorate degree and am very responsible and professional. The idea of going back to work after my babies birth is daunting. I do not currently like my job and would like to stay home full time.
I was wondering if anyone had any experience taking in someone else's toddler or young child 2-3 days a week instead of going back to work part time. What could I charge hourly? I plan on wanting to be out and about ASAP and am creative and love to be outside.
Any thoughts on this?

[Anonymous]

It might prove to be difficult, but not impossible. Taking care of a baby and new born will be a labor intensive job. It will wear you out until you learn to pace yourself.

[Anonymous]

Doable, but difficult. In my own case, I think more difficult than doable. With my second child, my 2-year-old was already in a good daycare, so we kept her there for shorter days while I was home with the newborn. It would have been really hard to have them both at home--even though these were my own children and I had already been through the newborn stage with my first! Toddlers and young children need a ton of supervision, activities, interaction, reading. It's tough to meet their needs with a newborn around, though some people succeed at this wonderfully.

[Anonymous]

I think it sounds doable...plenty of moms take care of two or more children at once. Personally, I think it's more doable than separating from your young baby when you don't want to (which I had to do and still can barely manage leaving her behind everyday one year later). If you really want to be with your baby, you can make it work.

[Anonymous]

Not exactly what you're looking for, since I've never nannied. However, like the PP, I do have a baby and pre-schooler.

I don't know your skills or energy set, but I know many women who were blown away with the drain of a newborn. It is tiring and also a very special bonding time that you may not want to share with someone else's child. It may be very difficult to work with someone else's job schedule while trying to handle your own newborn.

I would not make any plans until after you've had your baby and had time to recuperate and get on some sort of schedule. Once your baby is a few months old, this seems very doable.

[Anonymous]

From the standpoint of a nanny employer: I probably wouldn't choose a nanny who's also caring for her own infant. I encourage you to think about how you'd feel if you needed to choose between responding to your own child, or the child of a semi-stranger. When it comes to me and my baby, I resent anything that takes me away from her. This becomes a bigger deal as she grows and changes and gets social and fun. I just have this sense that my child would be second banana to the caregiver's own. Even if the care was adequate, the nanny would just *like* her own child better. I'll probably get flamed to cinders. But so much of the childcare selection process is pure intuition, and that's mine.

[Anonymous]

You may be more successful taking on another infant of similar age to your own - as opposed to a toddler. Using this approach, they are on the same schedules for napping / feeding and will be at similar developmental points.

Best of luck

[Anonymous]

I think it is doable, but I think your bigger issue will be getting parents to hire you. Many parent will take the view that you will be unable/unwilling to give equal attention to their child while also watching yours.

Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

The money you will make would not be beneficial either. Parents are not going to pay nanny or nanny share prices. They are going to want to pay about 150.00 weekly. I don't know where you live, but in MD it is against the law to care for a child in your home without being licensed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not exactly what you're looking for, since I've never nannied. However, like the PP, I do have a baby and pre-schooler.

I don't know your skills or energy set, but I know many women who were blown away with the drain of a newborn. It is tiring and also a very special bonding time that you may not want to share with someone else's child. It may be very difficult to work with someone else's job schedule while trying to handle your own newborn.

I would not make any plans until after you've had your baby and had time to recuperate and get on some sort of schedule. Once your baby is a few months old, this seems very doable.

perfect answer. just give it a little time and see how you feel with the new baby.

[Anonymous]

I second giving it time - spend time with your newborn (congrats by the way) and allow each other to adapt.

Once you sorta have your "routine" going (nursing/feeding, sleep schedules, etc.) and you have followed up with the doc at 6 weeks then perhaps you can realistically consider the demands of your own newborn and how much attention you can direct to others' newborns (being a nanny for a toddler might be a bit much if you're caring for a newborn).

In addition to being realistic, you may want to check out your county's day-care/nanny laws. I think I was reading in Fairfax County that you must pass inspection/get certified/ have paperwork if you are watching 5 or more un-related children in YOUR home.

[Anonymous]

My mom actually did this after her first baby was born (my brother). She had been a teacher -- and a terrific one -- so she had professional experience dealing with other people's kids. Still, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help putting my brother's needs before the other baby's. And she felt awful about it. It didn't last long.

This is not to say this *couldn't* work, only to give you something to consider.