Twins, a C-Section and a Toddler

As second (and third!) time parents, we did not have the same concerns as first time parents. For instance, we did not need to learn the basics (such as diapering, feeding, bathing, etc.). However, our needs were in some ways even more demanding given that we not only have two newborns in the house, but a 23 month old toddler as well. In addition, I was recovering from a C-section and was breastfeeding (as well as bottle feeding) both babies.

 

Grace has been wondering in handling both babies simultaneously, and both have thrived in her care. She assisted me in breastfeeding both at the same time (not always an easy feat!). She was also able to hold both babies at the same time in order to bottle feed the (something I was not able to do) and managed to bathe and change them quickly so that they would stay on the same schedule. As the babies grew, she recognized that they needed to move somewhat onto their own schedules at night since one of the twins started sleeping through the night at 7-8 weeks (our other baby still wakes most nights for a feeding around 4-5am). However, Grace has been able to maintain them pretty much on the same schedule during the day so we are not constantly feeding and changing babies at different times.

 

In addition, it was especially important to us that we be able to spend a lot of time with our 2 year old during this time to help him adjust to life with two new babies at home. Having Grace with us was crucial to that end. Moreover, during the first half of Grace’s tenure with us, it was necessary for me to rest in order to recover from my surgery, which took longer than expected given certain complications. Knowing that the twins were in excellent care helped tremendously, and allowed me to recuperate as quickly as possible.

 

Grace is a caring and compassionate person. She has handled all of her duties with love and kindness, and I know it will be difficult for her to leave the babies. I have appreciated the time Grace has spent with us and will miss her after she is gone.

 

- J.M.

 

A Life Long Friend

We knew from the moment we met her that she was an exemplary baby nurse, and overall wonderful, caring person.

Ms. Harris has been a life saver over the past two weeks. She has made a tremendous effort to educate and train us in all of the essential tasks associated with newborn/child care including how to effectively diaper, feed, swaddle, bathe, and dress our child. Equally important, she was very patient and encouraging of our efforts to learn and practice all of these duties and responsibilities.

 

Ms. Harris performs well above and beyond her requisite duties. In addition to imparting her expertise in baby care, she helped us to organize our living space to accommodate our baby’s needs and to provide a clutter free living environment. When we first arrived home from the hospital, she immediately helped us to organize our household and made sure that all of the necessary supplies were at her disposal or on the immediate shopping list. She was also incredibly helpful in making sure that our baby’s bris (circumcision) went smoothly, finding a friend on short notice to help out with the event and in assisting us with rearranging the apartment to accommodate our guests. In addition, Ms. Harris insisted that we go out on several occasions to ensure that we did not lose sight of one another and tend to our own personal needs. These special efforts had an uplifting psychological impact on us and greatly helped to reduce unnecessary stress levels that we could have had.

 

Ms. Harris has excellent people skills and great instincts. She was incredibly supportive of the efforts to breastfeed and helped both of us deal with our struggles and issues in this area. Ms. Harris always provided sage advice and made us feel confident in our abilities to be successful parents. Moreover, she handled all of her duties with kindness and love toward our baby that we were always comfortable leaving him in her capable hands. Over the past few weeks, we not only feel that we have learned volumes from Grace, but have made a life-long friend.

 

It is without reservation that we would recommend Ms. Harris to serve as a baby nurse or nanny for some other lucky couple.

 

- R.R.T. and A.T.

 

Sleeping in Her Crib Day 1

Olive (Grace) came to us as our daughter's baby nurse when she was 3 weeks old. As new parents, we were completely overwhelmed with taking care of our newborn, especially when it came to evenings. After the first week home, our baby no longer wanted to sleep in her own bed, but would only sleep if my husband or I were holding her. We knew at that point we definitely needed help. We immediately felt at ease with Olive and after seeing how wonderful she was with our baby we knew we made the right choice. The very first night she has our baby sleeping in her crib! Within a couple of days, our baby was on a schedule, eating and sleeping when she should be. Olive was also a huge help in organizing the baby’s room and helping us with every aspect of her care. When I was having much trouble breastfeeding, she was very supportive of the decisions I made regarding it and helped me to feel good about my decisions. Olive is so caring and nurturing with our baby, she has our complete trust. She was also very respectful of giving us “family time”. Knowing our baby was in such good hands and being well cared for, my husband and I were even able to go out to dinner a couple of times without any worries.

 

Having Olive in our home with us was a pleasure and we will definitely be calling upon her again when we have our next child.

 

- M.R. and L.R.