One of the first realities of life with a new baby: your sleep will never be the same. Trust me when I say that you are not the only new parent to suddenly realize why people hire a night nanny.

*** NEED SUPPORT RIGHT NOW? Contact us to discuss our availabilities and pricing***

Unfortunately, babies are not like teenagers and don’t just put themselves to sleep when they’re tired, or sleep in late when they’ve been up all night “partying”. On top of all the other challenges involved in raising a new baby: breastfeeding, pumping, healing from the birth, and fielding visits and advice from well meaning friends and family, you’re also sleep deprived and wishing for the sleep you used to get before the baby arrived. So, you start to google “night nanny in Montreal”…

But, what exactly does it mean to hire a night nanny? What’s the difference between a night nanny, a baby nurse and a postpartum doula? And why can’t we all just get some sleep?

A night nanny is usually someone who has experience with children who you can hire for long periods of time to come and take care of your baby at night only. They seem to book up quickly, if you can find one, and prefer to work 6 or 7 nights a week for the first few months. Most will sleep in the same room as the baby and do all the nighttime parenting- including feeding, changing, and rocking your baby to sleep.

A baby nurse is essentially the same thing. Often a baby nurse is not even a nurse, it’s an old-fashioned term that they continue to use. This person is not qualified to diagnose or treat a sick baby, and will do the same tasks as a night nanny would do. The care is almost entirely focused on tending to the baby only at night or might include around the clock care of the baby.

A postpartum doula is entirely different than a night nurse or nanny.

First of all, a postpartum doula is not only for people experiencing postpartum depression, although they can be extremely helpful for someone who is. A postpartum doula works with the entire family, not just the baby, in the following ways:

• Breastfeeding, bottle feeding and pumping support
• Caring for the baby so parents can shower, sleep, or eat
• Encouraging and offering guidance on parenting techniques and baby care
• Assistance with preparing snacks and meals for the family
• Light housekeeping like laundry or tidying up the chaos of the day before
• Being an experienced and knowledgeable resource for the postpartum period

At night, a postpartum doula offers so much support to the whole family and doesn’t simply care for the baby.But, she’ll do that too if you want! Some families have the postpartum doula take over at night, to bottle feed and care for your baby. But, they can also do so much more. Offering suggestions and support for a bedtime routine, ensuring safe and comfortable sleep arrangements for the whole family, bringing baby to a nursing mother and helping with breastfeeding issues, helping calm, soothe and change baby after feedings, and most importantly, supporting the new parents as they navigate this new terrain called “Parenthood”.

Postpartum doulas don’t JUST offer baby care. Our support doesn’t end the moment we walk out the door. We leave you with helpful advice, encouragement and advice for what’s coming next and our care extends past simply making sure the baby’s needs are met. Our priority is YOU and YOUR FAMILY.

Doesn’t that sound amazing? Want to find out more? Give us a call or shoot us an e-mail and see how we can help.