SAHM w/ hired help

MaygenDL0ve

Just curious how many of you stay at home MoMs decided to hire help?  What do they do for you, and how frequently?

I'm trying to figure out how much help I need, and what I want them to do (nanny vs. maid).  As a brand new mom of twins, I had no idea how little time I'd have for things like dishes, or even a shower.  We are a military family and do not have family around, and just moved here a month ago, so no real connections to the community yet.  So hiring someone may be the way to go for those long trips away hubby needs to take.

kaitley44

We have hired someone to clean our house a couple of times. It has been a life saver.

OrangeSmoke

I'm not a SAH - but I was on maternity for quite a while.

We've always had a cleaning lady every other week, so we kept her.  We got a full time nanny and I hated her, so she was gone after 4 days.  Honestly Dh and I was just fine by ourselves - but if he travels, I would totally have needed help.  I think a night nurse would be awesome in that case so you can get some rest.

 

LALASEPT05

Would you comfortable with a mother's helper type person? Usually its a teenager or a younger person who keeps an eye on the babies so you can do other things around the house like clean, fix dinner, or shower? I think the cost of someone like that is probably less than the cost of a nanny. I know how you feel - you can't do anything else at that age except take care of the babies.

MrsLnt

After reaching my breaking point of exhaustion last week, I have decided to have someone come help a few hours a day, a few days a week.  I have family nearby but most of them work FT so help is limited to the weekends for the most part. 

I am on my own during the day to feed the babies at 9:30a, 1p, and 4:30p.  I am going to have someone come in for the 1p and stay until after the 4:30, two or three times a week.  She's a friend of my cousin's girlfriend, and just graduated from nursing school and needs a short term job before moving in April.  She will be a second set of hands for me, so that the babies can be held while being fed, rather than the double boppy (which I find stressful if they are too hungry/insistent), and help me get them down/stay down for a nap.  After a few times, I hope she'll be able to stay on her own with the babies so that I can have uninterrupted time to do some cleaning or go work out.   My kids aren't consistent nappers, so I never know if I'm going to have 2 hours or 2 minutes to get something done.  Usually it's 2 minutes.

MamaCrystal

We interviewed for a "mother's helper" before our twins arrived.  I LOVED one of the girls, but her school schedule didn't work with our schedule.  We tried out our 2nd choice, but after she came to "help" me one morning, I decided I was better off on my own! ; )  She sat holding the sleeping twin while I took care of the other twin and ran around after our 16-month-old.  Yes, I could have told her that wasn't OK, but the fact that she didn't realize it herself was a big disappointment. 

Just make sure you see how the person acts around your kids.  Someone who shows motivation and just jumps in and helps where needed without overt direction will probably be the best kind of helper : )

If I had been able to find someone fantastic, I would have had them come a few hours a week.  Either T,Th or M,W,F for probably 2 hours at a time.

ougrad1

I have a housekeeper that comes weekly (on Fridays) to clean and she comes for three hours on Tuesdays and three hours on Thursdays to let me get out of the house and run errands.

 

techdg26

I have a housekeeper that comes every Friday to clean. I also have help that comes about twice a week for 3-4 hours. She either takes the big kids out so that I can rest, or keep the big kids so I can go run errands. My twins are just 3 weeks, so I haven't left them yet with her. It's not that I don't trust her with 3 week olds, it's just that 4 is a lot!