As a new parent, you’re probably exhausted. Adapting to all of your new responsibilities can be overwhelming. Most of the time, you feel like you just don’t have enough hours in the day to care for yourself and your baby. Even if your partner is highly involved when it comes to childcare, the two of you might feel overwhelmed by these lifestyle changes.
What if you had another set of hands on deck? This is where a night nurse comes in. A night nurse can come to your home to help you with childcare and other domestic responsibilities overnight. Here’s why a night nurse can be so beneficial to new parents.
Get the Rest You Need
There’s no avoiding it—when you have a newborn, you’re lucky if you can catch even a couple hours of sleep uninterrupted. Sleeping through the night is basically impossible.
While you’ll still have to wake up to feed your baby, even if you’ve hired a night nurse, it’s easier to get some shut-eye. Your night nurse can help calm your baby if they’re fussy. They can also tackle minor chores around the house, which allows you to spend more time resting.
Support Your Baby’s Nursing Schedule
If you’re formula feeding, your night nurse can handle nightly feedings. This can make a dramatic difference in your sleep schedule and your quality of sleep. However, even if you’re breastfeeding, your night nurse can make it easier to ensure that your baby is fed and you’re well-rested.
They can bring your baby to you when your baby cries so that you can stay in bed. They can also put your baby back down in their crib again when you’re done nursing. With support from a night nurse, you can stick to a healthy nursing schedule with your baby.
Keep Your House Clean
When you’re not caring for your baby or getting some much-needed sleep, you end up spending the bulk of your limited free time cleaning your home. Some night nurses can also pitch in with domestic chores, like doing laundry, washing dishes, and sanitizing bottles.
If you’re interested in these services, make sure to clarify which tasks your night nurse can and cannot help with before you hire them.
Settle Into a Routine
When you have a newborn, your entire routine is suddenly upended overnight. This is especially true if you and your partner lack local support. Without family or close friends to turn to for help, you can feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water.
It’s tough to establish a routine that works for your household when you’re always scrambling. But parents weren’t meant to navigate these challenging early months alone. With a night nurse, you can finally get your schedule under control. You can regain a sense of agency over your life.
Spend More Quality Time with Your Family
Finally, a night nurse frees up more of your time so that you can spend it with the people who matter most: your family. When you’re rushing around to get everything done, or simply feeling too run down to enjoy your rare moments of free time, you can feel as though these precious moments with your family are slipping by.
The early years only happen once. A night nurse can help you enjoy them to the fullest. When you have someone else helping out around your household, you’ll be able to embrace your time with your newborn.
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Are you struggling to adjust after having a baby? Working with a therapist can help. Reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.