A Helping Hand

Text Liat Joshi & Photography Richard Davies. To read the full article see Junior Pregnancy & Baby Magazine Winter 2006.

Liz from London BBC Radio Producer, mother of Archie. Liz says “I cannot recommend the sleep nannies highly enough. Melissa came to stay with me for just two days and nights and in that time helped me establish a workable feeding and sleeping pattern for my son.

Until then we had been totally chaotic and I was feeling very confused, exhausted and hopeless. She was lovely, calm, knowledgeable and inspiring. She taught me both by explanation and example. She was clear and firm, but not rigid or dogmatic. She helped me develop a system that was flexible enough to fit in with my day to day life, by allowing for variation in my timetable and in his moods.

Mel helped me understand that small diversions from the system do not spell disaster and how to not take small grizzles from him too seriously and rush to pick him up, but to just distract him with a change of scenery or activity.

Besides helping me with the specific problems of feeding and sleeping, she patiently answered my million little questions about crying, weaning, cots, toys, first aid, going back to work, childcare, first aid, etc. While she was with me, she did the night feed both nights, so I also got two blissful nights of sleep for the first time since his birth.

I feel so much more confident with looking after him now she helped me see that I can get sleep and have a life as well as have a lovely baby.”