OP may have hired the night nurse to only sit in the nursery. If you are nervous about your baby not waking, you would not want a night nurse who is in the kitchen baking or cleaning. Instead, you want a set of eyes in the baby at all times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You do not need to hire a night nurse. Instead you need a psychiatrist to deal with your anxiety. Not being able to sleep because you are worried about your baby is not normal. I imagine the effects of sleep deprivation are exacting a heavy toll on you. This may be related to post partum depression. Please check in with your OB for recommendations for someone dealing with PPD or if you know a good psychiatrist that deals with anxiety, please make an appt tomorrow.

Mothers mot being able to sleep when the baby sleeps is part of a natural maternal instinct to protect a small vulnerable baby. It is like with animals. My German Shepherd walks around the house and her ears perk up at any slight noise from outside. She seems to always be ready for an "outside threat". I think new moms have an instinct to always be ready to protect a baby. And yes this can make sleeping difficult. This is part of new mom anxiety because you do have more stress hormones pumping through your body.

So those of us who are able to sleep are bad mothers now? Nonsense. OP needs therapy. This kind of anxiety can spiral into depression/PPD.

Anonymous wrote:You do not need to hire a night nurse. Instead you need a psychiatrist to deal with your anxiety. Not being able to sleep because you are worried about your baby is not normal. I imagine the effects of sleep deprivation are exacting a heavy toll on you. This may be related to post partum depression. Please check in with your OB for recommendations for someone dealing with PPD or if you know a good psychiatrist that deals with anxiety, please make an appt tomorrow.

Mothers mot being able to sleep when the baby sleeps is part of a natural maternal instinct to protect a small vulnerable baby. It is like with animals. My German Shepherd walks around the house and her ears perk up at any slight noise from outside. She seems to always be ready for an "outside threat". I think new moms have an instinct to always be ready to protect a baby. And yes this can make sleeping difficult. This is part of new mom anxiety because you do have more stress hormones pumping through your body.

Anonymous wrote:What kind of market is there for night nurses? Are these RN's?

I am an RN, former NICU nurse, who currently works for an insurance company.

This sounds like a nice way to earn some extra money. (and I would plan to be awake the whole time!)

You sound like an absolute dream. "Night nurses" have no nursing background, they often have nothing beyond a high school diploma and a some childcare experience. You will have no problem finding well paying gigs

You are not crazy, nor do you need medication or a baby monitor. Get rid of the night nurse. You will adjust with time as you and your baby get used to each other. With First baby I couldn't sleep even when baby was sleeping the first week home. I wasn't worried just excited. This started to fade in the second week. With second was able to wake from deep sleep to change and nurse put her to bed and then fall back to sleep immediately. With third I would always fall asleep while nursing, so she co-slept for a good part of her first year. Now I love to sleep with my baby and toddler grandkids. Even though they kick and gyrate in their sleep, I am as happy as a clam. Wish I would have co-slept with my kids.

AAP was also opposed to angel monitor- it is not a good idea. If your baby is at high risk of stopping breathing, you will be prescribed an apnea monitor. If your baby doesn't need one, be thankful!!!

My night nurse made bottles for the next day, straightened up, and folded laundry. If all that got done and there was still time when twins were sleeping, she could snooze.

Angelcares movement monitor was recently recalled btw. So much for peace of mind.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/22/health/baby-monitor-recall/

Anonymous wrote:I knew a woman who worked as a night nurse, she would take on a job for 4-6 weeks and then move onto the next family. She slept during the day while her kids (high schoolers) were at school and was awake while on duty. When the baby slept she did the family laundry, baked muffins, cleaned out the fridge, different things to help mom. She would then bring the baby to mom for nursing or bottle feed herself.

The woman you hired sounds lazy. They charge an awful lot to be sleeping on the job.

+ 1

The baby should be eating when they start to stir, not when s/he gets into a frenzied state of hunger where the cries would wake someone. Of course the caregiver shouldn't sleep, they should prepare the milk or formula or wake mom before a baby gets upset.

OP- I am curious. If you are really anxious about the baby, how can YOU sleep?

I think it really depends on the nurse. My friend hired one who used the time baby was sleeping to do laundry, wash bottles and pump parts, etc. She never slept on the job. Charges $30/hr.

Anonymous wrote:What kind of market is there for night nurses? Are these RN's?

I am an RN, former NICU nurse, who currently works for an insurance company.

This sounds like a nice way to earn some extra money. (and I would plan to be awake the whole time!)

Huge market. Let mommy sleep just franchised.

no! I hired 2 cheap ones and had this issue-fired both. Bit the bullet and a hired a real one through let mommy sleep.