How A Night Nanny Can Save Your Sleep
INTERVIEW
Photo provided by Bo Balsing & Nannies At Night
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A good night’s sleep. We’d do anything to get it… or would we?
By now you’ve likely heard from family members, friends and colleagues… SLEEP AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE BEFORE YOUR BABY ARRIVES. They’d hit you over the head with this piece of advice if they could, because your current case of ignorance is bliss is extreme. Once you know the importance of sleep while having a newborn, you know… and there’s no going back.
Sure, your cup will runneth over with love and happiness and mushy gushy wonder… but definitely not sleep. In fact that cup will runneth empty… like bone dry empty. SO, are you destined to become one of those sleep deprived walking zombie parents? Of course not!
One of the best services I heard about as an expectant mother was Nannies At Night, a night nanny service available throughout The Netherlands. Not only are these nannies super reliable, but they are also expertly qualified. Want a midwife in training to watch over your precious cargo? No problem, your wish, is their command.
Joanne van Altena established Nannies At Night in 2016. She saw a necessary need among young parents: in order to recuperate enough energy to care for themselves and their families during the day, they needed a good night’s sleep. Her observation was spot on, as she’s turned it into a very successful business. Every month, her night nannies help 40-50 families by saving their sleep.
We sat down with the founder of Nannies At Night to find out what a night nanny does, when you should consider hiring one, and why they’re worth every bit of the price tag.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how Nannies At Night began?
My name is Joanne van Altena, I’m 33 years old, recently became a mom and live in Amsterdam with my boyfriend and our little girl. I love to work with babies and support families; first I became a night nanny myself which then led to the Nannies At Night agency. It is unique work and I love to see families happy each day with the help of our phenomenally sweet nannies. As the business owner I also give personal attention to both the parents and the nannies. The agency has also been expanding and growing so we recently added a new team member. Since May 2021 Chantal Gooijer has joined Nannies At Night.
For expectant parents that may not know, what is a night nanny and what are the benefits of hiring one?
A night nanny takes over all night-time care for your child. This way you can refuel by getting a well-deserved night's sleep. The night nanny is responsible at night for everything related to your baby; rocking, comforting, feeding and changing.
There are both short and long-term benefits in ensuring parents get enough sleep. Sleep not only helps the body recover, but also leads to more positive energy and lower stress levels, so that you function better during the day. These benefits can lead to a faster recovery after childbirth and enable young parents to provide for themselves and their families with energy and joy; both privately and professionally.
What does an overnight shift look like for a night nanny?
Our night service typically starts at 10 pm and ends the next morning around 7 am. Within this time frame we can take over the last feed of the evening and the first feed the following day. On the first visit the nanny will arrive half an hour early so there is time for her to settle in and for you to explain things. After, you can either go to bed or leave the house, and the nanny takes over the care of your child. This includes feeding, changing nappies, comforting, cradling, rocking, putting your child to bed and settling them if they wake up again. If you prefer, the nanny can start earlier or end later. Regardless of your preferred start and end time, the shift will always be a minimum of nine hours. The next morning the nanny will transfer the care of your baby or child back to you and update you on how the night went.
Photos provided by Bo Balsing & Nannies At Night
The logistical details of hiring a night nanny
So far a night nanny sounds like a dream, right? BUT, in order to trust someone with your newborn you need to know more… what qualifications does each nanny have, how much experience do they have, how much will it cost, and how does Joanne’s hiring process work? Naturally, new parents are hesitant to have a stranger take care of their newborn, so we asked ALL the questions about how her nannies are vetted.
What qualifications do your night nannies have?
We personally screen our nannies through an extensive interview process. This allows us to get to know the candidate, thoroughly assess their experience and motivation; and ensure that they meet our minimum requirements. These requirements are:
· They must be at least 21 years old, have liability insurance and hold a baby first aid certificate from Het EHBO Bureau
· Comply with the standards and values of Nannies at Night and hold a government-certified certificate of conduct (VOG)
· Have proven experience with babies, demonstrated by at least two references
· Be able to commit to a family for a minimum of three months
· Have a practical, can-do attitude and be affectionate, trustworthy and caring
· It’s important to note, our nannies are usually students of a childcare- or healthcare-related degree programme
You offer 3 tiers of nannies based on their experience level, can you briefly explain the differences between the tiers?
Our three options of nannies are: Nanny, Senior Nanny and Pro Nanny. All of our nannies meet the above criteria I mentioned, but the most important difference is that our senior and pro nannies have experience taking care of newborn babies and can start during the kraamweek [ Jacqueline here, kraamweek refers to the week after birth when your kraamzorg (maternity nurse) is at your home to help you]. Furthermore, senior and pro nannies have worked with me for a longer period of time and we have more references for them. The pro nannies are in their final year of study in obstetrics, medicines or nursing. You can find our pricing info for each option on our website.
Are your services available anywhere in The Netherlands or only in certain cities?
We have nannies available in and around Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Leiden, Maastricht and Utrecht. If a family lives just outside these cities we can still work with them, but we ask for a small travel reimbursement.
How many nannies do you oversee and how do you find the nannies that work for you?
We have around 80 active night nannies at the moment. Our nannies are mostly students in obstetrics or medicine with a great passion for baby care. Their most important qualification in our eyes is their experience with newborn babies. We always check at least 2 references from previous families they’ve worked with that have newborns.
Does Nannies At Night only offer overnight services?
No! In addition to our traditional overnight night nanny service we also offer the following services:
1) Stand-by nanny. At this time we only offer this service in Amsterdam.
If you are pregnant and have a child already you may be looking for childcare for the time period you are in labor and giving birth. Our stand-by nanny service creates a safety net as you approach your due date (called an achterwacht in Dutch). We use our pool of nannies to ensure that we have 1 nanny on stand-by for every evening/night/12 hours until you go into labor. This service begins 1 week before and continues 1 week after your due date, though it is possible to extend this. If you deliver in a hospital we have a nanny on stand-by who will come immediately to your house (within 1 hour) to take care of your child until necessary.
2) Maternity nanny. If the parents prefer to start the night after birth, or as soon as they come home from the hospital, we have maternity nannies who can come help right away. It is also possible to have a maternity nanny help you during the day.
3) Evening nanny. In addition to overnights, it is possible for our nannies to care for your child during the evening, so you can go out and about again. Enjoy an evening in a restaurant, cinema, concert, theater or a night with friends and/or family.
4) Weekend nanny. Aching for a weekend away without kids? Our nannies can take over the care of your child for an entire weekend.
5) Business or Travel nanny. We also offer the possibility to have a nanny travel with you abroad during a holiday or business trip.
How far in advance do I need to schedule a nanny?
That depends on if you have used our service before.
For new families: After the initial intake, we are able to start the next day if there is real urgency. This actually happens quite often! However, we prefer to take our time to find the best match possible between your family and one of our nannies. We also prefer you have the opportunity to meet the nanny before they begin. This process usually takes in total around 4-7 days.
For our known families: Once you are matched with a nanny it’s really a case of the earlier the better, because the sooner the nanny knows, the more likely she’s available. If you are looking for consistent care (would like to book a fixed amount of nights per week) we offer monthly schedules with your nanny to ensure you time slot.
How a night nanny works for your family and your specific needs
Now that you have all the basics of how a night nanny works and their qualifications, you may be trying to piece together how they would work in your exact home situation. These next questions should help give you a clearer picture of how the Nannies At Night service is tailored to your specific needs.
How do you match up nannies and families?
I have a personal intake with the family where we talk about their wishes, needs and planning. Afterwards I create a match with the nanny or nannies that fit the families wishes, needs and availability best. Then, I set up a meeting between the family and the nanny and we continue from there.
Do families meet the nanny prior to the first scheduled sitting? Will they always get the same nanny?
Yes, of course! Usually the family meets the nanny in advance. The most important thing is that you feel at ease with your nanny and confident about putting trust in her. We can arrange an initial, short, no obligation meeting to help you see whether you have a good rapport with her and if you feel she’s a good fit for you and your family.
We always try to get the family the same nanny or nannies. How many nannies you have really depends on the amount of nights you book per week. For 1-2 nights per week there is usually 1 nanny that the family works with. For 3-4 nights per week it’s usually 2 nannies that work with the family (this is our most common situation) and for 5-7 nights per week there are usually 3 or 4 nannies who work with the family. We always try to keep the same nannies in rotation so the family is familiar with who is coming to care for their child.
Do your nannies have experience with newborns? Premature babies? Babies with special health conditions?
While our nannies are experienced in taking care of babies of all ages, they really specialize in looking after the youngest of babies. This includes babies born prematurely, who no longer need medical care, but may still need extra attention. Our nannies are typically students of medicine, obstetrics, midwifery and other relevant subjects, and have completed childcare-related work placements.
Our Pro Nannies are experienced with premature babies and babies with special health conditions.
Do your nannies have experience with multiples like twins or triplets?
Yes, they have experience with multiples like twins or triplets.
Photos provided by Bo Balsing & Nannies At Night
All the final details you need before booking a night nanny
Okay, so a night nanny is sounding like a fabulous service, and I’m sure it doesn’t take all that much more convincing for you to be ready to book an intake. However, there’s still a few things you need to know. What do you need to do to prepare and what should you expect?
How should a family prepare for the nanny to arrive? What supplies are needed?
During the intake, we explore your home for the best place your baby and nanny can stay for the night. If the baby still needs multiple feeds per night, it is most practical to have everything ready in advance and close to the baby’s room. The nanny needs a place to sleep, preferably as close to the baby/child as possible so she can be there quickly and maintain the least possible noise interruptions for the parents during the night. Options include the baby’s room, a spare bedroom or the living room.
What if I’m still breastfeeding, is this a problem? How will this work?
It is certainly okay if you are still breastfeeding. We are frequently hired by breastfeeding mothers. The nanny will bring the baby to the mother to be fed, after which the mother can continue to get her night’s rest. The mother will also typically express milk into a bottle at the beginning of the evening for the baby’s first feeding.
Do your nannies take care of older children?
Yes they do! Mostly during the evening or weekends.
Do you have nannies that speak additional languages besides Dutch and English?
Yes, we also have nannies that speak Arabic and Spanish.
If a family is looking for a permanent nanny, do you offer full time nanny placement?
We offer night nannies for a longer period, but not as full time or permanent nannies. For example, we have families who book a night nanny consistently for 2 nights a week for 3 months, 6 months or a full year.
The case for saving your sleep by hiring a night nanny
Now you have all the details about the benefits of a night nanny, how they can help you get that much needed sleep during the newborn period, the logistics of how an overnight visit works and more. We see lots of good sleep in your future.
If you are interested in learning more or would like to book an intake you can contact Joanne, the founder of Nannies at Night here. You can view the Nannies at Night website in English here.
All photos provided by photographer Bo Balsing & Nannies At Night
Photo by Bo Balsing