Anonymous wrote:We paid $39 an hour. Not through an agency. I breastfed and it was absolutely worth it. Not having to burp and change the baby meant I could nurse and be back to sleep within 20 min or less. Or I would just pump and give milk to the night nanny — that takes all of 10-12 min. The best was that the nanny knew not to wake me up—she would use pumped milk or formula whenever baby woke up. I would only wake up if I got too full and had to pump. Best money we ever spent.

When did you start using the night nanny and how many nights per week?

We paid $39 an hour. Not through an agency. I breastfed and it was absolutely worth it. Not having to burp and change the baby meant I could nurse and be back to sleep within 20 min or less. Or I would just pump and give milk to the night nanny — that takes all of 10-12 min. The best was that the nanny knew not to wake me up—she would use pumped milk or formula whenever baby woke up. I would only wake up if I got too full and had to pump. Best money we ever spent.

We used Linda's Overnight Newborn Care and highly recommend! Rates are $45/hr for 8 hr sessions. I agree with some other posters that it really becomes useful 4-6 weeks in, when your adrenaline wears off and the exhaustion sets in (and one of you probably has to go back to work).
I pumped overnight and the night nurse fed the baby with a bottle. It was very, very worth it to us.

The rates are generally around $45-50/hr with an 8 hour minimum. The two agencies that I often hear recommended are Hush Hush Little Baby and Let Mommy Sleep.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So is this the general consensus? If BF than night nurse is a waste? I was thinking I would get one since DH doesn't have leave.

As a breastfeeding mom I had nurses with all three of my kids and saw the value. I just breastfed the baby and the nurse did everything else overnight so I could get some rest.

I’ve had 3 kids and I don’t understand the “and everything else.” Put on a night diaper, feed them a couple times and put them back in the crib. How can a night nurse possibly be worth being handed a baby you’re up to feed anyway?

I’m the PP who also has three kids that wrote the long message above. I’d like to be (apparently the first?) to congratulate you on never having a tough overnight baby. My first would literally sometimes scream for hours in the middle of the night. Getting him back to sleep after feedings in the night was a disaster like half the time, and even when it wasn’t, he had reflux and needed to be held upright for 20 mins before being put down. My second had periods of being up in the middle of the night ready to party for a couple hours. My third is like all yours and it’s waaaaaay better in that regard, but he does tend to have giant poopy diapers in the middle of the night. I have many friends who have had a baby who would. not. sleep. in a bassinet. There are lots of babies who are a lot more trouble in the night than what you’re describing!!