How soon to look for a nanny?

nikilouhoo

Just got back from vacation and am digging into work and things on the home/baby front.

I'll be going back to work after a 12 week maternity leave. I'm lucky that I work from home so will be able to takes breaks and see my littles ones throughout the day, so we definitely want to go the in-home nanny route.

How soon should you start looking for a nanny? I'm 10 weeks now, so am thinking it's still a bit early, but we definitely want someone lined up to start after a month or so of when the twins arrive.

I really don't have any idea on where/how to start looking. Any tips?

bcnoelle

I've gotten advice to look for daycares right away, but individual nannies most likely want jobs that are immediate.  I would look into au pair or nanny agencies now to let them know what your needs will be.  With twins it will probably be hard to guess your exact due date/maternity leave schedule too far in advance as well.  Good luck with everything

nde99

I was a nanny when I lived in Chicago (just noticed you're in Phx, that's where we are now, too), but I went through an agency.  If you can afford it, I would recommend going that route.  They tend to be a bit more expensive, but they do thorough interviews, background checks, etc.  You will meet with an agency rep, then the rep will go out and look for a nanny specifically fit for your family.  You will then have the chance to interview a few nannies they think will fit.  It worked out wonderfully for me and the family I was with. 

Lots of people look for nannies on their own (craigslist, etc.), but that scares me a bit.  Although you will more than likely find a good nanny, it just makes me nervous.  I had a friend use sittercity.com and had a great expereince, but that is up to you and how comfortable you are with that.

The only other route I would recommend would be to go through a personal recommendation.  If you start asking around you may very well find somebody you already know. 

As far as timing goes, you are a bit early, but it never hurts to start thinking now.  I'd say somewhere end of 2nd tri or beginning of 3rd would be ideal (I see you're having twins, so you will probably not go full-term).  If you are too early, the nanny will probably not be able to wait months before starting to work. 

Good luck!  If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask! 

AZ123

I waited until 2 months before I was going back to work. I sent an email asking for referrals and if anyone knew of a nanny looking for work. I wound up finding our nanny on craigslist and we loved her! But I went through a lot of email interviews, then phone interviews and then in-person interviews. But a lot of nannies aren't looking for work that far in advance.

bride2be.austin

i would say to start looking your 8th or 9th month of pregnancy

Lkat17

I was a nanny years ago and also went through an agency. Like PP said, if you can afford it, I think it's the way to go. They do a lot of the hard work of checking references and doing background checks for you and help you find a good match based on your needs. It's too early to start interviewing nannies, but if you were going the agency route, it might be a good idea to contact a few and see which one might be a good fit for you. Good luck!