How to Choose a Nanny for Your Baby
The good news is you're having a baby! The bad news is you have to go back to work six weeks after the baby is born. You've already decided you don't want to leave your new infant in a commercial daycare facility. What are you going to do?
Your first step is a financial reality check! Do this homework yourself rather than asking co-workers, friends, or family members. Start by contacting commercial daycares in your geographic area until you've found at least three that accept infants beginning at six weeks of age. You will probably end up making quite a few calls because - SURPRISE - only a handful of licensed daycare facilities take newborn infants! When you find one that does, ask these two questions first: Is there a waiting list (if so, how long is it); and what is the weekly cost of care? Keep notes on each facility that gets this far in your search. You may need a fallback! Next important question: What is the infant to caregiver ratio? How many infants does the facility currently have enrolled, and how many employees are fully dedicated to only caring for these infants. This information becomes your financial baseline. Expect to pay more than this amount for your personalized childcare, whether it turns out to be in your home or in your Nanny's home.
Next, put out the word to everyone you know that you are seeking a Nanny for your soon-to-be-born infant. Leave no contact unmade - coworkers, friends, family members, and every person you have even a passing acquaintance with should know you are looking for a Nanny. You never know where you are going to find that wonderful, sent from Heaven person who is going to become your child-raising partner in this new adventure!
While you're evaluating suggestions from everyone, think about this: Do you want your baby's Nanny coming to your home, or do you want to drop your baby off at the Nanny's home? Visualize your home and how you typically leave it during the week when you rush off to work. Has it been vacuumed? Is the sink clean and free of dirty dishes? Is your bed made, and your bathrooms spotless? Do you really want someone in your home all day while you're away? Dropping off your baby at the Nanny's home does keep some distance between you and the Nanny. It also allows you to work from home uninterrupted, if that's part of your work routine.
Now that you have gotten some leads, it's time to interview. Ideally you've found someone you like and who actually likes children. They aren't trying to completely support themselves by caring for your infant - they cannot possibly make enough money caring for one or even two infants to be completely self supporting, and you don't want your baby being cared for by someone who is responsible for more than two infants at a time. This person needs to be doing this for the right reason - because they want to, not because they need to. This is really important.
You already have a sound knowledge of what you would be paying for infant care in a commercial daycare setting. You are purchasing a professional service, not a car. This isn't the kind of financial agreement you want to negotiate on. Simply ask the individual what they expect to be paid. Only you can decide how much more it is worth to you to know that your infant is receiving one-on-one, individualized care in the comfort of a home environment. Once the financial consideration is agreeable to both of you, a thorough home visit is a first priority. Some of the things you should look for: Does the household have pets? Are they acceptable to you? Do they own or rent their home? Is the home clean throughout (living area, baby's sleeping area, bathroom, kitchen, etc.)? Is there a dedicated sleeping place exclusively for your baby? What are the laundry practices? Very important - how easy is it to communicate with the individual? Can they comprehend detailed instructions, and do they indicate they are willing to follow your feeding, sleeping, and diapering requests in a friendly, accepting manner?
If you're lucky, you've found a family member or friend of a friend. Someone you know or are acquainted with in some fashion. A complete stranger is a last resort. Avoid Craigslist or the newspaper. If you must seek outside assistance, use a nanny placement service that handles all the criminal background checks, drug tests, and prescreens candidates. And then, be vigilant in your search and trust your instincts!
