Maternity Nurses
Norland qualified maternity nurses have between 1 and 20 years nannying experience, depending on their age and when they qualified.
Responsibilities
Maternity nurses work 24 hours a day for 5 or 6 days a week. They help care for the newborn baby and support and guide the mother. Maternity nurses tend to sleep in the room with the baby at night so that they can deal with the night feeds ensuring minimal disturbance to the rest of the family.
If the mother is breast feeding, the maternity nurse may take the baby to the mother to be fed and resettle the baby afterwards. The maternity nurse is also responsible for promoting a good bed and feeding routine.
Additional qualifications
Some maternity nurses may have completed the OCN Maternity Practitioner Award which is a nationally recognised certificate covering areas such as breastfeeding, colic, reflux and sleep.
Points to note
It is normal practice for a maternity nurse to request a retainer (a holding fee), should your baby arrive after the agreed start date. The retainer is usually equal to 50% of their salary from the agreed start date. On commencement of employment (e.g. on baby’s arrival) this will increase to the agreed rate. In the event of a premature birth your booked maternity nurse may not be available, however the Agency will do all it can to replace her and find another maternity nurse to fill in until your booked maternity nurse can start.
Placements are usually from 4 weeks up to 12 weeks. Maternity nurses are self-employed and work on a freelance basis. Rates vary according to the maternity nurse's age and experience and whether she is responsible for a single baby, twins or triplets.
Norland Agency - telephone: 01225 90 40 30 email: agency@norland.co.uk