My family's nanny took care of both the newborn and the toddler so I could sleep in without interruption after being up throughout the night. She also helped with meal prep quite a bit, which was not something she did before and not something that we considered part of her job. Most critically, having her here to maintain my toddler's daily routine seemed to help the toddler feel like the baby was an interesting addition to the household rather than a disruptive little thing that took all the focus off the toddler.

In short, nanny was amazing. I suppose we could have managed with fewer hours from her, but it would have been far, far more stressful for everyone involved.

Please ignore the trolls, OP.

You can find a wonderful nanny who will help you before and right after the baby is born both with the baby and your older children - and make you feel more comfortable when you return to work. I started my job with an MB who was working from home for a month after her leave ended and this was her first baby. She was nervous being a FTM but I felt confident that I could help her and be a good nanny to a six week old. We had some bumps (they live in a small apartment) but we made it work. I've been there for over a year and a half now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I started my current position while MB was still on maternity leave - it gave us a good month of transition time so both mother and nanny could feel comfortable when MB did go back to work full time.

How old was the older child?
How did you structure your work?

The older children were 3 and 5. The five-year-old was in all day kindergarten and the three-year old was in a short three hour nursery school in the mornings. The MB and I worked together to get things done - I'd take the older kids, do pick up and drop off, play with them while the mother nursed or napped. Then sometimes I would watch the baby while the mother hung out with her older kids. Toward the end of her maternity leave, I took over everything (with the mother's help occasionally) until I had the routine down. By the time the last few days of her maternity leave came around, she used the time to go clothes shopping for herself, get organized and get her hair cut and nails done - basically just relax.

It was nice working as a team for that month. All involved were very comfortable when she went back to work - kid's included.

OP, given that whomever you would hire will have several months on the job before you're home on maternity leave, and your leave is relatively short, I would say just hire the best person who you think will fit the long-term position.

Be clear when interviewing about the plan for your maternity leave and the job fluctuations that will happen in the first 6-9 months on the job. Pick someone who feels like an ally and shows a comfort level with the variations in those first months. Pick someone you think will handle the kids in the way you want (you have an advantage over first time moms in this arena - you already know your approach to sleep training, scheduling, discipline, etc...).

Pick someone whose company you enjoy. Pick someone who seems to have a flexible attitude (not someone who thrives in a very scheduled environment). Try to find someone who has worked with families in similarly evolving circumstances.

Etc...

Good luck!

- MB

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:10:56 here.
I think you'll need super nanny to do a good job.

That would NOT be you.

Not available. Sorry.

Anonymous wrote:10:56 here.
I think you'll need super nanny to do a good job.

That would NOT be you.