The addition of a new member to a family can often be a very challenging and daunting experience. Receiving maternity help from an experienced maternity specialist in your own language can considerably help new mothers to adapt to motherhood. We believe that women need special physical and emotional care after giving birth and can hugely benefit from hiring the services of a maternity specialist to provide good post natal care as well as guidance and support with their new born babies.
Hiring a maternity specialist can also provide a new mother with the reassurance she needs to adjust to life with her new baby and accelerate her recovery by helping to deal with tasks such as breastfeeding, settling her new baby into a good routine and generally help her to enjoy her experience of becoming a new mum. New dads will also be able to benefit from this extra helping hand, especially if they need to go back to work shortly after the birth and require a good night’s sleep.
MATERNITY ROLES
At Pearl Childcare we can provide a variety of maternity placements, including English speaking and bilingual maternity specialists in the following roles:
Maternity Nurses (on duty 24 hours a day)
Night Maternity Nurses (night time cover only)
Day Maternity Nurses (day time cover only)
Maternity Nannies (day time cover only)
Doulas (day time cover only)
MATERNITY NURSES
Maternity nurses are on call 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. Although some may hold a formal qualification as a mid-wife, neo-natal nurse, paediatric nurse, health visitor or registered nurse, maternity nurses are usually experienced or trained nannies who specialise in caring for newborn babies. They provide new mothers with specialist support and guidance as well as a chance to physically recover in the early weeks of a newborn baby. They are usually employed for a period of approximately 4-8 weeks from the moment the mother leaves the maternity ward, although this may be extended depending on the family’s personal needs and individual circumstances.
A maternity nurse will help the mother establish their newborn(s) into a routine and focus on both the mother’s and baby’s well-being. Unlike maternity nannies or doulas, maternity nurses are not expected to look after older siblings or carry out general household cleaning and laundry. Should you wish your maternity nurse to undertake such additional duties, these should be discussed and agreed to during the interview prior to the commencement of the employment. Alternatively, you may want to employ a maternity nanny or a doulas (see separate sections on these roles).
Duties
A maternity nurse’s key duties are to:
Provide new mothers with both physical and emotional support
Teach new mothers to look after their babies
Provide mothers with advice on breast or bottle feeding as well as on establishing good sleeping routines.
Care for the new born baby (i.e. feed, bathe, change and settle the newborn baby) if the new mother is unable to do so or share this responsibility with her.
Advise the new mother on how to cope with a crying baby
Deal with the baby’s laundry and keep the nursery clean and tidy
Sterilise bottles and prepare milk feeds
Prepare meals for the mother if she is unable to do so
Standard working hours
Maternity nurses are on duty 24 hours a day and up to six days a week. Such long working hours can cause tiredness and therefore breaks and rest periods will be required. They should be allowed at least 2-3 hours break each day to catch up on some sleep and given at least one day off per week, during which they may either stay in or leave the family’s home.
Accommodation and food
Maternity nurses generally sleep in the same room as the baby or may be offered their own bedroom. They should be allowed access to and use of the family bathroom. However, some families offer a bedroom with a separate or en-suite bathroom to allow the maternity nurse some privacy.
Food is provided and paid for by the employer. maternity nurses are not expected to prepare meals for the family, however, should the new mother be recovering from a caesarean or difficult birth, the family will very greatly appreciate help from the maternity nurse in preparing light meals and drinks for the new mother. Any food likes and dislikes or special dietary requirements should be discussed between the maternity nurse and the employer.
Salary
Maternity nurses are self-employed and therefore, the employer is not responsible for paying their Income Tax or National Insurance contributions in the UK. They usually receive 50% of their gross weekly salary from the day they are booked until their work begins. From that moment, they will be on call at any time.
In the case where the birth of a baby was delayed, employers will usually agree in the maternity nurse’s contract of employment to pay a retainer of half the agreed salary from the above start date until commencement of the position.
For overseas bookings, the employer is responsible for the cost of a return flight as well as for travel and medical insurance. Typically, maternity nurses will charge the following weekly salaries in the UK:
£750 - £900 gross for a single baby / 6 days per week
£900 - £1,200 gross for twins / 6 days per week
£1,100 - £1,300 gross for triplets / 6 days per week
Please note that salaries can vary according to experience.
NIGHT MATERNITY NURSES
Night nurses can provide considerable help to exhausted parents whose baby does not sleep through the night.
Duties
Their duties are the same as those for maternity nurses (please refer to the maternity nurse section above for more details).
Standard working hours
Night nurses usually work 10-12 hours per night and up to 6 nights a week. They may live-in or out.
Accommodation and food
Please refer to the maternity nurse section above for more details.
Salary (hourly rates)
£13 - £18 gross for a single baby
£15 - £20 gross for twins or triplets
DAY MATERNITY NURSES
Day maternity nurses are a good option for families who do not have space for a live-in maternity nurse or who prefer to keep some privacy.
Duties
Their duties are the same as those for maternity nurses (please refer to the Maternity Nurse section above for more details).
Standard working hours
Day maternity nurses usually work 10-12 hours per night and up to 6 nights a week. They may live-in or out.
Accommodation and food
Please refer to the Maternity Nurse section above for more details.
Salary (hourly rates)
£13 - £18 gross for a single baby
£15 - £20 gross for twins or triplets
MATERNITY NANNIES
Duties
Although they may be less experienced and do not hold formal nursing qualifications, maternity nannies have similar duties to maternity nurses, night nurses or daily maternity nurses. However, unlike the above, maternity nannies are able to assist mothers to not only look after the new baby but also it’s older siblings.
Standard working hours
Please refer to the Maternity Nurse section above for more details.
Accommodation and food
Please refer to the Maternity Nurse section above for more details.
Salary
£600 - £750 gross / 6 days per week
DOULAS
Duties
Doulas are experienced women who usually provide mothers with emotional, physical and practical support before, during and immediately after childbirth so that the she can recover more quickly and enjoy the experience of becoming a mum. Following birth, they care for the newborn baby as a well as for siblings and help on light household duties (e.g. shopping, cooking, ironing and general assistance in childcare) as well as the general running of the family’s home. They also offer advice on breast or bottle feeding, settling the new baby in a good routine and general care for babies. Doulas can be of great help if a mother does not have any immediate family (e.g. her own mother, mother in-law, sister or sister in-law) living close by and who could assist.
Standard working hours
Doulas usually work 4-8 hours per day.
Accommodation and food
Doulas usually live out although lunch should be provided by the employer.
Salary (hourly rates)
£10 - £15 gross for a single baby
£15 - £18 gross for twins or triplets
