Laura is a night nanny: ‘A well-rested parent gives me satisfaction’

We asked Laura about her work as a night nanny.

Not just for rich people

Bottle feeding your baby, changing diapers, drying tears: Laura, night nanny at Nannies at Night does it all. Not only during the day, but also in the middle of the night. “I take over the nightly care for the children so that parents can rest for a while. I mainly do this with families with a young baby or a child with sleeping problems,” she says. A nanny, isn’t that just something for people with a lot of money? “No, that’s a well-known prejudice. Of course I also visit families with a lot of money, but there are also care employees, for example. For example, I took care of a midwife’s baby, because she could be called up at night.”

Personal situation remains the same

Laura’s job is not the same every night. “Every family is different,” she says. For some parents it takes some getting used to having an ‘unknown’ in the house at night, but that quickly feels normal. In fact, you don’t even notice that anyone is there – except you’re suddenly sleeping like a baby. “As a nanny, we define that very clearly. We leave the private situation as it is, we respect that. During an introductory meeting we discuss with parents what an average night looks like and what they would like. We really don’t have to brush our teeth in the same bathroom. We agree in advance which rooms I will be staying in. This is often in the child’s bedroom, guest room or living room. It is important that we can get to the baby quickly, but also that parents can sleep through the night.”

Refuel

Many parents find it difficult to ask for help in raising their children. Nevertheless, Laura notices that more and more parents dare to take that step. “Parents recognize that if they are rested it pays off during the day. Recently a parent came up with a good example: ‘If I sleep well, I can be actively involved with my child during the day’. Sleep is more important than you think. It’s a lot harder to be your full-fledged self when your energy continues to dwindle. As soon as you feel in your body that it is too much, you are actually too late. Do you want to refuel and sleep through one day a week? I would sign up for that right away if I could ever become a mother.”

Read also
‘Some children have ‘extra’ stepparents; my daughter has a nanny’ >

Guest bed or sofa

According to Laura, who also works in a daycare during the day, working at night can sometimes be quite tiring. “But because I like it so much, it also gives me a lot of energy. And once I get home, I go to bed for another hour or two.” She can also lie down for a while at the families’ home, when it is quiet. “Sometimes there is a guest bed, sometimes a sofa. The focus is of course on the child, but in between there is always something to do. Just close my eyes, read a book or study.” In the morning Laura leaves again. “We tell the parents how the night went and sometimes we get the child out of bed or dress him. No, I’m not sitting down for breakfast. Although someone once asked how I prefer to eat my egg, haha.”

Intimate moments

As a night nanny you are part of a family for one night – or sometimes for a longer period of time. And that is precisely what is so special for Laura. “At a daycare center you have to deal with structure and rules, here you are much more personally involved with a family. You also build a bond with a child faster, because you have much closer contact at night.” But the most beautiful thing? “That you get a family back on track. A parent who can wake up peacefully and be grateful gives me so much satisfaction.” One moment Laura will never forget. She was allowed to help a single mother who had become unwell after giving birth. “She had no family in the Netherlands and did not receive any help from healthcare. I took care of her two day old baby at night so she could recover. She lived in a small studio, so I slept in the kitchen on a mattress. Those were such intimate and vulnerable moments, very special.”

Laura is a night nanny

More Kek Mama? Subscribe now and take advantage of great offers!