Almost there . . .
The postpartum confinement period, usually the first month after childbirth, is when new mothers seek assistance in various aspects of care for themselves and their newborns. From feeding and newborn care to emotional support and recovery, you need help with many things during this critical period as a new mother. As a result, you often need to choose between a Confinement Centre and a Confinement Nanny. But making this choice is not always easy as there are lots to consider. After completing this article, you will have enough information to make a decision that best meets the needs and preferences of you and your family. A Confinement Centre is an establishment dedicated to providing postnatal care and support to new mothers and their babies, offering a comprehensive approach to confinement. On the other hand, a Confinement Nanny is an individual who specializes in providing personalized care and support to new mothers and their babies, bringing their expertise directly into the home. A confinement centre offers various amenities and services, such as relaxing accommodations, professional medical care, nutritional meals, breastfeeding assistance, and guidance on postpartum recovery. Accommodation: Confinement centres provide private and comfortable rooms or suites for you and your baby. The idea is to create a calm and peaceful environment for recovery and bonding. Professional Medical Care: Many confinement centres have medical professionals such as doctors and nurses to provide you with medical check-ups, monitor your health, and address postnatal concerns. Nutritional Meals: Confinement centres often provide specially prepared meals that are nutritionally balanced and tailored to your postpartum needs. These meals may include traditional dishes, herbal soups, and ingredients believed to support recovery and replenishment. Breastfeeding Support: Most confinement centres offer breastfeeding support and guidance to help you establish and maintain successful breastfeeding. They may have lactation consultants or breastfeeding specialists on staff to assist. Postnatal Exercises and Wellness: Some confinement centres offer postnatal exercise programs and wellness activities to promote physical recovery and well-being. These may include gentle exercises, yoga classes, or massages to alleviate postpartum discomfort and enhance relaxation. Baby Care Facilities: Confinement centres have facilities and equipment to assist with baby care, such as nursery areas, cribs, baby baths, and changing stations. These facilities aim to provide a safe and convenient environment for your baby. Educational Programs: Some confinement centres offer educational programs and workshops on newborn care, parenting techniques, and postpartum self-care. These programs provide you with valuable knowledge and skills during your stay. Social and Supportive Environment: Confinement centres often create a supportive and community-like atmosphere where you can interact and share experiences with other new mothers. The companionship can be beneficial in reducing feelings of isolation and providing emotional support. NOTE The facilities and amenities offered may vary between confinement centres, so inquire about the available facilities and services to ensure they align with your needs and preferences. View the Confinement Centre Listing to find the facilities and amenities offered by different Confinement Centers around you. Confinement Center Listing Professional Care and Supervision: Confinement centers have trained staff specializing in postnatal care. They know various aspects of postpartum recovery, newborn care, and breastfeeding support. Well-Equipped Facilities: Confinement centres provide comprehensive support and often have medical facilities, breastfeeding consultation rooms, nursery rooms, and other amenities specifically for postpartum care. These facilities can offer a higher level of convenience and comfort compared to what may be available at home. Peer Support and Social Interaction: In some confinement centres, new mothers can interact with each other to share experiences, exchange advice, and alleviate feelings of isolation or postpartum blues. The sense of community can contribute to your overall well-being. Structured Schedule and Assistance: Confinement centres typically provide a structured routine, which includes meal plans and rest periods. This routine can be helpful if you feel overwhelmed or uncertain about managing your daily responsibilities while recovering from childbirth. The support allows you to focus on rest, recovery, and bonding with your newborn. Access to Additional Services: Many confinement centres offer additional services such as traditional herbal baths, massages, acupuncture, or yoga sessions. These services intend to promote postpartum healing, relaxation, and overall wellness. Such amenities may not be readily available or easily accessible when hiring a confinement nanny at home. Lack of Personalized Attention: In confinement centres, multiple staff members simultaneously attend to several mothers and babies. This shared care can lead to decreased personalized attention and less focus on individual needs and preferences. Mothers who want a more individualized approach to postnatal care may prefer to hire a confinement nanny. Limited Flexibility: Confinement centres typically operate on fixed schedules and routines that may not be easily adaptable to the specific needs of each mother and baby. This lack of flexibility can be challenging for mothers who prefer more personalized routines or have particular preferences regarding feeding, sleeping patterns, or other aspects of postpartum care. Separation from Home Environment: Being away from the comfort of one's own home and familiar surroundings can be emotionally challenging for some mothers. Adjusting to a new environment, sharing communal facilities, and being surrounded by unfamiliar faces may contribute to uneasiness or discomfort. Being away from home during confinement is especially difficult for mothers who feel more comfortable with the presence and support of their immediate family. Higher Costs: Confinement centres often involve higher costs when compared to hiring a confinement nanny. The fees for utilizing the centre's services, accommodation, and additional amenities can add up, making it a more expensive option for some families. This financial consideration may be a significant factor when deciding between a confinement centre and a confinement nanny. Limited Duration of Support: Confinement typically lasts for a month, and once it is over, the support provided by the confinement centre also ends. This limited duration of care may be insufficient for mothers who require extended assistance or those who would benefit from additional guidance after the initial confinement period. A confinement nanny stays with your family in your home and provides support for postnatal care, assisting with tasks such as breastfeeding, newborn care, postpartum recovery, household chores, meal preparation, and emotional support to ease the workload and ensure proper care for you and your baby. Baby Care: Confinement nannies assist with various aspects of newborn care, including feeding, bathing, diaper changing, and soothing techniques. They also guide you in establishing routines and healthy sleep habits. Breastfeeding Support: Confinement nannies with breastfeeding expertise can offer guidance and assistance with breastfeeding techniques, latching, and addressing common breastfeeding challenges. They may help you with breast pump usage and storage of breast milk. Some can also provide lactation support to help improve breast milk production. Postpartum Recovery Support: Confinement nannies provide support and assistance in your journey to recovery. They may assist with wound care, gentle massages, and advice on postnatal exercises and self-care practices. Meal Preparation: Confinement nannies often take charge of meal planning and preparation, ensuring you receive nutritious and balanced meals for postpartum recovery. They may prepare traditional postpartum dishes or cater to specific dietary preferences. Some confinement nannies also cook for the whole family. Household Chores: Some confinement nannies can help with light household chores, such as laundry, cleaning, and tidying up. Their assistance alleviates your workload and creates a conducive environment for you to rest and recover. Sibling Care: Some confinement nannies may also provide care and supervision for your older children at home, allowing you to focus on the newborn. Emotional Support: Confinement nannies offer emotional support and reassurance, which is particularly important during the postpartum period. They provide a listening ear, offer advice on parenting concerns, and help you navigate the emotional changes accompanying childbirth. Knowledge Sharing and Guidance: Confinement nannies share their expertise and knowledge and offer guidance on newborn care, postpartum health, and parenting techniques. They may educate you on infant development, safe sleep practices, and general baby care. NOTE The services provided by confinement nannies can vary based on their experience, qualifications, and your agreement with them. Discuss your needs and expectations with the nanny before hiring to ensure compatibility and clarity regarding the services provided. You can find the services provided by different confinement nannies on the Confinement Nanny Listing. Confinement Nanny Listing Personalized Care and Attention: You receive dedicated one-on-one care and support from a confinement nanny. The nanny solely focuses on you and your baby, tailoring their assistance to your specific requirements. This personalized attention can create a strong bond between the nanny and your family and foster a sense of trust and comfort. Familiarity with Cultural Practices and Traditions: Confinement nannies often have deep knowledge and experience with cultural practices and traditions specific to postpartum care. They understand the importance of certain dietary restrictions, herbal remedies, and rituals believed to aid recovery. This expertise can be valuable for families who wish to adhere to traditional postnatal customs. Assistance with Household Chores: Some confinement nannies also help with light household chores, such as cooking for your family, cleaning, laundry, and other tasks that can alleviate your burden. Having support in managing daily household responsibilities allows you to focus on rest, recovery, and bonding with your newborn. Flexibility and Adaptability: Hiring a confinement nanny allows you to establish and adapt to a schedule and routine within your home. This flexibility makes it much easier after the confinement nanny leaves at the end of the confinement, as you would have already settled into a rhythm. Continuity of Care at Home: By having a confinement nanny at home, there is no need to transition back and forth between the changes in a confinement centre and a home environment. The mother and the baby can remain in the comfort of their familiar surroundings throughout the confinement period and afterwards. Staying in the comfort of one's home eliminates challenges and difficulties that may arise from changing environments and a lack of familiarity. Reliance on Individual Expertise: While many confinement nannies have experience and knowledge in postnatal care, their expertise and capabilities may vary. Uncertainty regarding the nanny's skills, qualifications, and ability to provide optimal care can become an issue for families prioritizing professional and standardized care, as confinement centres typically have trained staff members. Limited Availability: The availability of experienced confinement nannies may be limited, especially during peak periods, making it challenging to secure their services. This limited availability can make it difficult to find a suitable nanny who meets your specific requirements and expectations. You may find yourself in a situation where you have to settle for a less preferred or less experienced nanny due to the scarcity of available options. Lack of Peer Support and Social Interaction: Unlike confinement centres, where new mothers can interact and bond with others going through a similar phase, confinement nannies often provide one-on-one care. The absence of a peer group can result in a reduced sense of community, which some mothers find valuable during the postpartum period. Potential Compatibility Issues: Finding the right match between your family and the confinement nanny is essential for a harmonious relationship. However, there is a possibility that compatibility issues will arise due to differences in expectations, communication barriers, or conflicting parenting styles. Resolving these issues can be challenging and may impact the overall experience of having a confinement nanny. Lack of Well-Equipped Facilities: Confinement nannies typically operate within the confines of your home. While they provide care and assistance, they may not have access to specialized facilities or resources available at confinement centres that enhance postnatal care. Confinement centres and confinement nannies offer valuable support for postpartum recovery and childcare. Confinement centres provide a dedicated facility where new mothers can receive comprehensive care, including medical supervision, nutritious meals, and specialized services tailored to their recovery needs. On the other hand, confinement nannies bring their expertise directly into the home, offering personalized care and assistance in familiar surroundings. They can provide one-on-one support, guidance on newborn care, breastfeeding assistance, and help with household chores, creating a more intimate and customized experience for the mother and baby. Whether choosing a confinement centre or a confinement nanny, both options provide essential recovery and childcare assistance, allowing new mothers to focus on their well-being and the needs of their newborns. Therefore, making a choice boils down to your available resources, personal preferences, and specific needs. Confinement centres may not customize care to individual cultural needs and may lack expertise and alignment with specific traditions. Standardized protocols may not accommodate all cultural practices, and staff knowledge may be limited. Families preserving cultural traditions (e.g., traditional meals, baths, and customs) may need to explore other options, like hiring a culturally knowledgeable confinement nanny. Do you require certain traditional confinement practices? Opt for a confinement centre if you prefer a supportive environment to connect with other new mothers going through a similar postpartum journey. The communal setting allows for sharing experiences, exchanging advice, and building a sense of camaraderie during the confinement period. Confinement centres may also provide group activities and programs to promote social interaction and bonding among new mothers, fostering a sense of community and emotional support. Would you like to connect with other Mummies in person during confinement? Confinement nannies are generally more cost-effective, even after factoring in expenses for groceries and herbs. As of June 2023, the average prices of hiring a Confinement Nanny in Malaysia, Singapore, and other countries are RM7,200, S$3,700, and $4,500. On average, Confinement Centre packages in Malaysia and Singapore start from RM11,300 and S$11,800. View the Pricing Page to learn more. Is minimizing cost one of your key concerns? If you are concerned about having someone in your house, you might prefer to stay in a confinement centre. By selecting a confinement centre, you can receive the necessary care and support in a professional and controlled environment without having an unfamiliar person in your personal space. Confinement centres offer a sense of privacy and peace of mind, allowing you to focus on your recovery and bonding with your newborn without the potential discomfort of having someone unfamiliar in your house. Are you bothered by someone else staying in your house during your confinement? While confinement centres may offer convenience and services, returning home would mean starting from scratch and adapting to the changes in a different environment (e.g., establishing a schedule and routine for handling the baby's feeding, bathing, and sleeping). You might want to consider how you will adapt to your living environment after confinement, especially if you are a first-time Mummy. Would you need help to settle into your home environment after confinement? Confinement nannies usually require their own space, so consider allocating a decent room for the nanny to stay in during your confinement period. If you do not have a separate room, discuss alternative arrangements (e.g., staying in the living room) to ensure mutual understanding and agreement before finalizing the hiring process. Can you make space for one more person in your house? Deciding between a confinement centre and a confinement nanny may seem like a simple choice between an out-of-home experience or staying within the comfort of your home. While some mothers may favour the comprehensive services and facilities provided by confinement centres, others may prioritize the familiarity of their home environment and the personalized attention offered by confinement nannies. However, it is crucial to consider other significant factors, including available resources, support systems, cultural preferences, lifestyle, and specific needs, before making this decision.
Be careful if you decide to pay a deposit into a stranger's bank account. A bank transaction record is not proof that the Confinement Nanny has agreed to provide you with her services. Authorities might not be able to process scam reports without an official contract for the job. We understand that some Mummies may feel more comfortable making down payments directly into their Nanny's bank account. If that is the case, please hear us out. At the moment, not every Mummy is lucky enough to have a worry-free confinement experience. Mummies put a lot of time, effort, and money into hiring a Confinement Nanny. Yet they still have to entertain the strong possibility of a regrettable experience with their Confinement Nanny. In the unfortunate event that they do, most Mummies have no other option than putting up with the Nanny while counting down the days until the confinement ends. According to some Mummies, they dare not confront the Nanny during the confinement period for fear that she will mishandle their babies afterward. Mummies disagree on how to prevent these issues. One group advises engaging an agency, while the other has confidence in reputable freelance Confinement Nannies. Both groups give reasonable arguments, but Mummy's complaints and experiences continue showing that neither is the solution. The only thing most can agree on is that finding a suitable Confinement Nanny entirely depends on chance. For the past decade and up to the time of writing, Mummies have reported similar problems in their complaints. Our research has categorized these issues as scams, misconduct, under-qualification, and unprofessionalism. The fact that Mummies continue to experience these issues suggests that a new approach is required to prevent them from happening again. Mummies are required to make a down payment to reserve their slot with Confinement Nannies. This process entirely relies on blind trust since there is no guarantee that the person claiming to be a Confinement Nanny is authentic. MummyNanny provides a secure payment system for Mummies to make down payments to Confinement Nannies. The system releases the money to the Nanny after the Mummy has confirmed her arrival. This strategy prevents fraudulent individuals from taking advantage of the process to scam Mummies of their money. Furthermore, Nannies refrain from misconduct (like making outrageous demands after the down payment) because Mummies can request a refund. When Mummies make a down payment through the system, they unlock a job portfolio where they can submit a public evaluation of their Confinement Nanny's service after the confinement. The evaluation system addresses under-qualification by encouraging Mummies to conduct honest assessments so Nannies can identify areas of their service that require improvement. Nannies also strive to provide a more professional service because Mummy evaluations will affect their profile, ranking, and ability to get future jobs. An evaluation is not the same as a recommendation. When you evaluate a Nanny, you also highlight areas of her service that need improvement. Mummies not only protect themselves by making their Nanny's down payment through the system, but they also contribute to making future mothers' confinement experiences safer and more professional. Everything on MummyNanny is free for Mummies, and there is no surcharge for making your Nanny's down payment through the system. Moreover, every Nanny registered on the platform has agreed to receive their down payments through the system. Because of this, we advise you demand to make your deposit using the payment system. Be cautious of Confinement Nannies who insist you pay their deposit directly into their bank account after you request to use MummyNanny's payment system. Report any case of such a person to us so that we will take appropriate action. Mummies can only protect themselves by standing together. Your safety and well-being are your priorities.
This article guides Mummies and Confinement Nannies on obtaining a Work Permit and arriving in Singapore. The guide also covers Medical Insurance and payment of the Foreign Worker Levy. 1. Apply for your Nanny's Work Permit 4 weeks before your EDD, and you will receive an In-principle Approval Letter (IPA) within a week. Apply on the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website here. 2. Send the Employee's Copy of the IPA to your Nanny once you receive it from MOM. Here is a sample of the Employee's Copy of the IPA for your reference: 3. Ensure the IPA you received from the Mummy is valid. You can check the validity here. 4. It is advisable to buy Medical Insurance of at least S$15,000 to cover your Nanny during her employment with you. You can contact Ms. Xin or any other health insurance agent. Ms. Xin's Medical Insurance package costs around S$100 (GST included): Schedule of Benefits (per worker) Coverage/ Limits Limit per Disability $15,000.00 Hospital Room & Board (max 60 days)(Singapore Government/ Restructured Hospital) 4-bedded Intensive Care Unit Room & Board (max 10 days) As Charged Hospital Miscellaneous Services As Charged Surgery As Charged Specialist Consultation, Examination and Laboratory Test (Pre-Hospitalization charges) maximum 90 days prior to admission As Charged Post-Hospitalization Treatment maximum 90 days after discharge from Hospital As Charged Free Additional Coverage* 1. Repatriation of body remains benefits (non-work-related death) $3,000.00 2. Accidental Permanent Total Disability benefit (non-work related) $10,000.00 *Only 1 of the free additional benefit is payable. WhatsApp Ms. Xin 5. Inform your Nanny once you give birth. 6. Apply for your SG Arrival Card through the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) before arriving in Singapore. You can apply through ICA's website or the Android and iOS apps. Apply online: Website Android app: Download iOS App: Download 7. Provide the Mummy with the DE Number on your SG Arrival Card. 8. Ask the Mummy to request for your Work Permit to be issued after you arrive. 9. Request for your Nanny's Work Permit from MOM. You may need to apply for more than 28 days to be safe. You also have the option to extend or cancel the Work Permit after application. 10. You are required to pay a Foreign Worker Levy every month until termination of employment. You can find the payment information here. Visit this page on the MOM website for more information about applying for your Confinement Nanny's Work Permit and paying the Foreign Worker Levy. You can contribute to this article by identifying areas that need to be updated. You can do this by leaving a comment below.
New mothers often experience fatigue and weakness during the first few weeks after giving birth, making it difficult for them to care for their newborns, prepare meals, and keep the house in order. This is where Confinement Nannies come in, providing postpartum care, nutrition, and support to help new mothers recover. However, hiring a Confinement Nanny can be a strain on a tight budget. This article will explore why new mothers need Confinement Nannies, where to find them, and how much they cost, as well as tips on how to reduce confinement care expenses. It also covers the process of hiring a Confinement Nanny, including the average prices, work permit, and other miscellaneous fees, and offers tools and resources to help new mothers navigate the process. Contents Why do I need a Confinement Nanny? Where can I find a Confinement Nanny? How much do I need to hire a Confinement Nanny? How can I reduce Confinement Care Expenses? Most new mothers (Mummies) find themselves to be extremely weak and tired during the first few weeks after delivery. “It was as if 80% of my life force was drained”, says Janice, a Mummy who talked to MummyNanny about this topic. “All I wanted to do was sleep”. As a Mummy, more uninterrupted sleep and good nutrition equal faster recovery and milk production. However, that will hardly be the case if you have to wake up every 1–2 hours to attend to a crying baby, prepare 3 sets of nutritional meals to stay alive and do house chores to keep the living space from falling apart. That is why every Mummy deserves Postpartum Confinement — the 28-day period where they can lay back and let someone else handle any interruption to their recovery. Unfortunately, the financial costs involved in hiring such a person (a Confinement Nanny) can strain those on a tight budget. “Never stay alone in the house with the baby”, Janice warns. “If possible, get help with even taking your bath. Mummies can easily lose their balance in the bath and that is not something you want to experience”. The need for an experienced pair of hands goes way beyond taking care of the baby and cooking. There is postpartum massage, information about the dos and don’ts, guidance on caring for the baby in preparation for life after Confinement, as well as mental and physical support — the kind that can be offered only by a previous Mummy. According to Janice, “Staying indoors for a month without regular company can easily lead to depression”. You can get a Confinement Nanny by recommendation from family members, friends, colleagues or online forums. Another way to get a Confinement Nanny is through social media groups or Agencies. Last but not least is the Confinement Nanny Listing, a platform for Confinement Nannies to showcase their job portfolios and contact information so that Mummies can easily find them in one place. There are three sets of expenses when it comes to hiring a Confinement Nanny: (i) salary; (ii) application fees for a work permit, levy and medical insurance (this only applies when the Confinement Nanny is a foreigner and requires a work permit); and (iii) miscellaneous fees. Besides work permit, levy and medical insurance fees, every other fee varies depending on the Confinement Nanny in question. As of September 2022, the average prices of hiring a Confinement Nanny in Malaysia, Singapore and Other Countries for 28 days are RM7000, S$3700 and $4800, respectively. Bear in mind that Confinement Nannies often ask for higher salaries if the job falls within a festive season (e.g., Chinese New Year) or if they have to take care of twins or triplets. Current salary distributions can be found on the Pricing Page. Mummies residing in Singapore are required to apply for a visa and health insurance for Confinement Nannies from Malaysia. The following figures were recorded at the time of writing: Work Permit: S$35 per application Levy: S$60 per month (Singaporean babies) or S$300 per month (non-Singaporean babies) Medical Insurance: around $100 to S$250 These applications are pretty straightforward. Refer to The Step-by-step Guide on how to apply for a Work Permit for your Confinement Nanny in Singapore. Just like salary, the miscellaneous fees you will be charged entirely depend on the Confinement Nanny in question. Some include: Ang Pao (usually presented at the beginning and end of the job) Transportation Stairs Cooking for family members Postnatal Massage Family Laundry House chores Ensure that you keep written documentation of the agreed salary and miscellaneous fees to avoid misunderstandings in the future. The Confinement Nanny Job Scope Generator is a free tool designed for this specific purpose. Contact several Confinement Nannies and choose from the least expensive. Contrary to popular belief, a high salary is not an indication of high experience or good job performance. Moreover, some Confinement Nannies are willing to charge less than their normal salaries to cover certain slots for the year. However, finding a lot of Confinement Nannies, contacting each of them, sorting them according to their salaries and interviewing the selected ones can be overwhelming. A hack to this is to simply auction your job on the Confinement Nanny Job Auction platform. The platform is free for Mummies to use and it alerts Confinement Nannies to place their bids once an auction starts. Depending on your preference, the auction can last from a few hours to a couple of days. Once the auction ends, you can contact the Confinement Nannies with the least bids. You can also view their profiles on the platform to get more insight into their work experience and skills. “I set my budget as RM6000 for 28 days and 8 Nannies placed bids less than RM5000”, said Mrs Sally, a Mummy who recently auctioned her job on the platform. Another Mummy said “I believe many mums will benefit from this. I’ll give it a try since there’s nothing to lose.” Some Confinement Nannies offer flexible part-time packages which allow them to work during hours specified by the Mummy. Some Mummies ask for assistance with the baby at night so that they can get enough sleep while others prefer the Nanny to work during the day. You can use the search options in the Confinement Nanny Listing to find a Confinement Nannies who offer part-time packages that suit your preference. You can consider this option if you have relatives like grandparents, parents or in-laws, who are knowledgeable in preparing confinement meals. However, not everyone will find it convenient to dedicate their time to prepare a minimum of 3 meals per day for 28 days, so keep that in mind when you explore this option. You can opt for delivery service if you are unable to get someone to prepare confinement meals at home. There are now lots of confinement meal catering services that provide a complete menu for 28 days. Besides helping you to minimize costs, having your meals delivered to your doorstep can also be a convenient option for those who do not want to go through the hassle of buying special ingredients, obtaining the necessary kitchen equipment and having the required cooking environment. You’ve got this covered if you have a maid at home. Otherwise, your husband can take charge during this period. If your husband is not able to dedicate enough time to this, you can also get a part-time helper who can come in for a couple of hours a day to put things in order.
The Complaint Radar allows you to find Mummy complaints that already exist on the Internet. Being able to access these complaints in one place helps with understanding how to provide better services to Mummies. Based on lessons learned from the Complaint Radar, here are the top 5 complaints Mummies make about their confinement Nannies and how you can avoid them in your next job. It is important to keep in mind that some people take their privacy very seriously and try to erase their digital footprints to make it as hard as possible for their actions and movements to be tracked. So their efforts are shattered when someone shares their personal information with the general public. Share only photos that have been approved by the people involved. As for baby photos, share only those that have been approved by the Mummy. In some cases, the Mummy might prefer you mask the baby’s face, so present it as an option. Do not share photos of the Mummy’s home without her approval. Do not invite your friends over or reveal the house address without the Mummy’s approval. Informing Mummies about your terms and conditions after they commit to hiring you makes them feel cornered. According to the complaints, most of the Mummies who proceeded with the Nanny after this experience only did so because they were unable to get a refund. Do not assume that the Mummy knows how things are done in the confinement industry. Clearly state your job scope and present it to the Mummy before she makes any commitment. You can easily create your job scope here. Let the Mummy know about any additional expenses she needs to make on your behalf. For example, applying for a visa, insurance, and transportation. Some Mummies who complained about this were upset by a significant increase in their utility bills after the Nanny’s arrival, while others were concerned about inconsiderate spending. Try as much as possible to conserve electricity, water and gas. Always keep electrical appliances switched off after use. Only use the air-conditioning when necessary or use the fan instead. Try to minimise expenses. You have to act as a member of the family while on the job, so always consider their budget before spending. Do not take advantage of your position to exploit the Mummy and her family. Avoid making selfish demands. Don’t forget that you are a professional and your well-being is your responsibility, so use your money if you need something that does not concern the job. Most of the Mummies mentioned poor hygiene in their complaints. After all, hygiene is one of the key aspects of the job so it is not surprising to find that most of the Mummies were concerned about it. The complaints about poor hygiene can be classified into 4 categories: 1. Environmental Hygiene Always keep the kitchen clean after using it. Ensure that the baby’s surrounding is clean at all times. For example, do not leave diapers or tissues lying around after cleaning the baby. Keep the environment clean at all times. For example, try to sweep the floor regularly if your hairs usually fall. 2. Hygiene with Utensils Ensure that the baby’s feeding bottles are always clean. Wash whatever utensil you use. For example, knives, plates, and spoons. 3. Personal Hygiene Ensure that you are clean and decent while taking care of the baby. Take care of your hair and dress properly — have a set of uniforms if possible. Dress appropriately while cooking — you could use an apron. Take a bath after activities that make you sweat. Always keep your nails short, clean and polish-free. Avoid drinking or smoking while on the job. 4. Hygiene with the Baby Never kiss the baby. Do not allow the baby to put their mouth on your face. Always be mindful of your attitude and how you present yourself while on the job because unprofessionalism happens to be the most common issue Mummies complain about. Remember that you are there to work and not to have fun, so avoid activities that make the Mummy’s house seem like a holiday escape. For example, always watching TV or sleeping longer than you should. Minimise your time on the phone as much as possible. Always being on your phone could make the Mummy feel like you do not have much regard for the job or have more important things to do. Remember that the Mummy is your employer during the confinement, so treat her as you would any other employer irrespective of your age difference. For example, talk to her as your employer, refrain from enforcing your beliefs on her, and always seek her agreement before you proceed with any plan, idea or procedure. Do not insist that things should be done your way. Say what you think and let the Mummy decide whether or not she wants it that way. If the Mummy prefers something to be done her way, then you have to provide it as requested. Always bear in mind that you are an employee who is being paid for a service. In this case, there is no one particular way to provide the service. The service you provide cannot be the same for every Mummy. Different Mummies will want things to be done differently, so you need to be flexible. Therefore, do not say something like “this is how I do things”, because then you will only be satisfying yourself and not the Mummy. It is not professional to go to someone’s house and dictate how things should be done. Congratulations for making it this far. You just learned the most common complaints Mummies make about their confinement Nannies. Keeping these points in mind should be a step towards a more successful career as a confinement Nanny. You can also improve your career by creating a professional profile on MummyNanny so that more Mummies will be able to find you. If you are already a member, ensure that your profile is always up-to-date with your latest accomplishments. Together we can create a better confinement community.
Some Mummies mention that they dare not confront the Nanny while she is on the job for fear of how the baby could be treated afterwards. Others recounted how they suffered helplessness, high blood pressure, and depression and could only count down to the day the Nanny would leave their home. The best they can do at the moment is to make complaints on personal blogs, forums, and social media only after the Nanny leaves their home. Unfortunately, these complaints are unable to prevent new Mummies from having the same experience. The complaints go undiscovered on the Internet mainly due to a lack of visibility and accessibility. MummyNanny addresses this issue with the Complaint Radar. It allows you to find Mummy complaints that already exist on the Internet in one place and also allows you to submit newly discovered ones. Based on lessons learned from these complaints, here are the 7 most common reasons why Mummies have bad experiences with confinement Nannies, whether engaged through freelance or Agencies. One of the recipes for confinement problems is when you simply settle for a Nanny who was suggested by a friend or another Nanny. Just selecting only one Nanny from a list provided by an Agency is no different, whether or not your choice was based on previous recommendations. Take a couple of days to select a Nanny. Start by creating a shortlist of your most preferred candidates. Then give each of them a call to introduce themselves. After that, add them to your WhatsApp contacts and get to know them better through chat. Leave messages and allow them to respond at their own pace. After communicating with the shortlisted Nannies for a while, you will gather knowledge from each of them and have a better idea about all the things you need to take into consideration as well as the important questions you need to ask. Based on previous complaints, another factor that often leads to misunderstanding between a Mummy and her confinement Nanny is the lack of house rules. Without a clear set of house rules, the Nanny may not be aware of her boundaries in your house. Imagine a new member is joining your family and you need them to know how things are usually done in the house. Start by making a list of the dos and don’ts in your house. For example, a family living on the fifth floor with a 4-year old might say “always keep the window closed for safety reasons”. Next, extend the list to things the Nanny is not expected to do. You might want to go through the previous complaints to get more ideas. Most Nannies have their own rules and job scope. Some of them draw a fine line between the duties of a maid and those of a confinement Nanny. The professional thing for them to do is to inform you about these rules before you make any commitment. However, some may fail to do so while others may leave out some points they think you should already know. Unfortunately, some Mummies only learn about certain important aspects of the Nanny’s job scope during the confinement. The differences in expectations eventually lead to friction along the way. To avoid unpleasant surprises, insist that each shortlisted Nanny submits her complete job scope in written form. This can also be used as a reference to settle misunderstandings that may arise in the future. Nannies can easily create their job scope here. Without a direct line of communication with your shortlisted Nannies, there is no way for you to know how much they are willing to abide by your house rules. Also, you will not be able to ask them to provide you with a complete list of their job scope. Ensure that you can directly communicate with each Nanny in your shortlist. When Mummies share their bad experiences with confinement Nannies recommended by people they know, some comments suggest that the problems could have been avoided if they engaged an Agency instead. On the other hand, some responses to complaints about Nannies engaged through Agencies advise new Mummies to hire Nannies recommended by people they know instead. The previous complaints show that neither of these beliefs is true. That is why is it not safe to make a decision solely based on one of these standpoints. The choice to engage a Nanny based on a friend’s recommendation or through an Agency should not be based on a belief that it is the safer option. Instead, it should be based on your instincts after getting a better understanding of your shortlisted Nannies. Always bear in mind that nobody is more qualified than yourself to determine a suitable Nanny for your confinement. The sad reality is that, unlike most careers, a Nanny’s performance on the job hardly affects her career and reputation, whether she is a freelancer or affiliated with an Agency. From a business standpoint, most Nannies are not bothered by bad recommendations because they are always dealing with new and inexperienced Mummies rather than returning customers. Therefore, these problems just continue without affecting their business. Furthermore, getting blacklisted by one Agency does not prevent a Nanny from getting assignments with another Agency. This has continued because there has been no single platform to confirm the authenticity of Nannies and also access their previous records — until now. MummyNanny addresses this problem through the Nanny Evaluation System. With the system, Nannies will strive to put on their best performance for each assignment they get through MummyNanny because they will be publicly evaluated after the job and their reputation is at stake. It is reassuring to know that there will be another option if things turn out unexpectedly with a Nanny. However, the idea of getting a replacement Nanny causes more harm than good. Without the assurance that your feedback will have significant implications on the Nanny’s career and reputation, any lady can simply become a confinement Nanny and claim to have some years of experience on the job. After all, she can always be assigned to another Mummy if she is replaced. This leaves a lot of room for unqualified Nannies to be put in charge of Mummies and babies and will only cause more bad experiences in the future. Entirely relying on the idea of replacements means that there is no guarantee you are receiving a professional and worry-free confinement service. So instead, ensure that you will be able to publicly evaluate the Nanny’s performance and it will have an impact on her reputation as a confinement Nanny. For instance, Mummies who have used the Nanny Evaluation System agree that it brings out the best in Nannies, as their assessment determines the Nanny’s rank and reputation. Congratulations for making it this far. By now you understand that there is no shortcut to this. Just like the saying goes: easy come easy go. It’s not every day you have confinement so it is worth putting in the effort to ensure that you do not have a bad experience. We hope every Mummy will go the additional mile to avoid disappointment. Repeating the same old process will not give different results, so let us join our efforts in creating a better confinement experience for every Mummy out there.
Based on our interviews with Mummies after their confinement, almost 60% of them wish they had done a proper interview before making a down payment. Some common complaints include: Passing the job to another Nanny; last-minute changes & cancellation; additional charges after confirmation; refusal to refund the down payment; bad manners; over-demanding; refusing certain tasks on the job; poor hygiene; and endangering the baby. There have also been recent reports of scams, whereby someone posing as a freelance confinement Nanny takes the down payment and disappears. To prevent these problems from happening to new Mummies over and over again, we did extensive research and came up with this guide. Malaysian Nannies require a visa to work in Singapore. Refer to The Step-by-step Guide on how to apply for a Work Permit for your Confinement Nanny in Singapore. Determine the Nannies you wish to interview. If you made a job post on Facebook, a lot of Nannies available during your Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) usually respond, so it will be difficult to conduct a proper interview with each of them. This is when you filter out all those who do not meet your key criteria. Key criteria include: Simply being available during your EDD is not enough. You want to be sure that the Nanny you choose has enough free days before the start date of your job. This is to avoid cases of no-show or the job being transferred to an unknown Nanny if your delivery is earlier than expected. You need to be comfortable with the Nanny’s salary for the number of days you want to secure her services. The freelance community is packed with experienced confinement Nannies so there is usually enough of them who will meet your budget. Do you have specific meal preferences such as vegan meals; halal meals; traditional Malay, Chinese, or Indian confinement dishes; or western dishes? If your answer is yes, then you need to consider only Nannies who know how to prepare your type of meals. Communication is key to successful confinement. You should only hire a Nanny who can communicate fluently in the language(s) of your choice. Some Nannies require a separate room for themselves and the baby to sleep, while others are fine with sleeping in the same room as the Mummy. Therefore, you can only hire a Nanny who you have enough room to accommodate. We have created an easier way for you to filter out Nannies, which is by asking them to create an account on MummyNanny. With MummyNanny, you can select your key criteria from a list and only the qualified Nannies will be displayed. You can also view each Nanny’s calendar to decide if they have enough free time before your EDD. The platform is free for everyone to join so a Nanny who refuses to create an account upon your request might not be authentic. Make a list of interview questions to determine whether a Nanny is suitable for your confinement. Here are some points we suggest you consider when formulating interview questions: You need to know the things each Nanny does and the things that are out of their job scope. Ensure their job scopes are clearly stated to avoid conflicts in the future. It is important to take note of the payment process of each Nanny. The salary is usually split into 2 parts — the Down Payment and the Remaining Salary. You need to know the exact day each part of the salary will be paid. Some additional charges may come in form of ang pows, postnatal massage fees, staircase fees, house chore fees, extra cooking fees (e.g., cooking for the entire family), health insurance, etc. Therefore, it is also important to have a clear payment agreement so that you will not find yourself being charged unexpected fees in the future. For this, we suggest you ask the Nanny to provide a list of all her additional charges. It is also important to know each Nanny’s working hours and when they need to take their rest. Know the exact time and duration of their rest hours and try not to disturb them during this period so that they have enough energy to take care of your newborn for the remainder of the day. Some Nannies do not consider house chores as part of their job, so confirm what they do to keep the environment clean (e.g., cleaning after cooking). Their environmental and personal hygiene must meet your expectation so that you will not have problems with how she manages your house or handles the baby. Every Nanny takes care of babies differently, so find a way to access their level of experience and knowledge about baby care. Confinement is a period for the Mummy to recover from delivery after all. Hence, you need to understand how each Nanny plans to take care of you and determine whether it is up to your expectation. It is crucial to understand each Nanny’s procedure in case of any emergency. Find out how each Nanny will respond in case an unfortunate situation occurs. Ask each Nanny about the items that need to be purchased for your confinement. This could include the type of herbs, ingredients, house furniture, and home appliances or utensils. Try to make a list of the required items so that you do not over-purchase. Clarify what you do not want the Nanny to do or share with friends, colleagues, or others to protect you and your family’s privacy. For example, you may want to approve the photos she can share, or you may not want her inviting friends over. Mummies tend to be emotionally sensitive after delivery. To avoid disputes that may lead to episodes of high blood pressure and depression, try to determine each Nanny's personality to see if you can work with them during your confinement. A video call can give you more hints regarding your personality match. For Malaysian Nannies, ask each of them about their visa situation so that you know when to start the visa application process. Ask them the questions you formulated and take note of what you have agreed on because this will become the Terms of Service for the job. Ensure the selected Nanny agrees to abide by the Terms of Service before you make the down payment. Unfortunately, since the freelance community is open and lacking regulations, two things you cannot be sure of are getting a refund and receiving a professional service. Our solution to this is making the Nanny’s down payment through MummyNanny. This way, you can always get a refund because the Nanny will get the payment only after you confirm that she has arrived at your home. A portfolio will also be created for you and the Nanny so you are likely to receive a more professional service since you will publicly evaluate her performance after the job is complete. Stay in touch with the Nanny and keep her updated on your progress so that she knows when to arrive at your home. If you made the down payment through MummyNanny, you should evaluate her performance in the job portfolio and publish it after the confinement period. Take note that the Nanny can only see your evaluation after you publish the portfolio, so we encourage you to be as honest as possible. By taking part in this process, you will be doing future Mummies a lot of good and playing a very important role in advancing the freelance confinement community.
Every once in a while, Mummies make complaints about various problems they had with their confinement Nannies. This includes experiences with freelance Nannies as well as those from confinement agencies. Several posts recounting their experiences suggest that a lot of things could go wrong before or during the confinement. Some of the most frequently reported issues include: Hiring: Taking a down payment and passing the job to another Nanny; Last-minute changes to the arrangement; Last-minute cancellation; and Refusal to refund the down payment after cancellation and avoiding calls. Attitude: Bad manners and rudeness; Laziness and over-sleeping; Wasting resources; Telling lies; Lack of focus and always on the phone; Over-demanding and having too many special requests; Exploiting the Mummy and over-spending; Accusing the Mummy whenever things with the baby do not turn out as expected; Leaving the job earlier than agreed; and Smoking on the job. Confinement Skills: Limited knowledge about confinement practices and baby care; Lack of cooking skills; Poor time management skills; Overfeeding the baby to sleep; Discourage breastfeeding and secretly feeding the baby formula milk against the Mummy’s wishes; Poor hygiene with the baby; Endangering the baby. Sadly, some Mummies even commented that having a smooth confinement period without experiencing these issues depends on luck. The complaints indicate that there is not much guarantee even with Nannies from confinement agencies. Some also mentioned that Nannies can sometimes turn out to be different from how they sounded on the phone during the interview. To avoid such experiences, it is necessary to do some research to ensure that the Nanny you wish to hire has not been previously blacklisted. If you are engaging a confinement agency, you can start by consulting them about the Nanny’s personality and performance in previous jobs. Otherwise, proceed to scour the Internet for complaints on blogs and forums, as well as posts on social media groups and individual accounts. One way Nannies get blacklisted is when the confinement agency they were associated with adds their names to a list of terminated Nannies. This list is usually used to assure Mummies that the available Nannies are of high-quality and necessary actions will be taken in case of any problems. Another way Nannies get blacklisted is when Mummies share their personal experiences and dissatisfaction on online forums, personal blogs, social media groups, and on their accounts. The posts typically include a description of the events that took place and personal details about the Nanny, such as names, passport number, phone number, and place or country of residence. Some of these posts also alert others about individuals carrying out fraudulent activities under the guise of a confinement agency or freelance Nanny. In such cases, the post may also include photos of the individual. Even with so many blacklists on the Internet, Mummies continue to post new complaints about the same issues every year. This section explores the main reasons why blacklisting confinement Nannies has not been effective in preventing Mummies from going through these experiences. When it comes to agencies, most of them retain their list of blacklisted Nannies for internal use. As a result, you only have access to their blacklist if you engage them. Only a few agencies provide a list of terminated Nannies on their website for public viewing. Even at that, you can only find these blacklists if you can discover those particular pages on their websites. As for blacklists on online forums, social media groups, and individual accounts, finding them on the Internet is not always easy. To find specific information on such platforms, the post needs to be visible to the public, and you need to guess the right keywords for your search as well. When it comes to keywords, one thing to bear in mind is that Mummies post their complaints in different languages and use acronyms you may not be aware of. Another issue with social media groups is limited access. Some of them are not open to the public and require verification to confirm that you are a Mummy and a resident of their country. Further verification may also require you to get a referral from one of their members, and your request could be declined or left pending forever if their admins doubt your eligibility for any reason. One of the main reasons for this strict membership policy is that they want Mummies to openly post complaints about their experiences without being concerned by the presence of Nannies. Unfortunately, not every Mummy will be able to gain membership, as they might not be residents of the specified country or may not know anyone from the group to refer them. Even when you manage to join these groups, the lack of dedicated search tools could make it difficult to confirm whether the Nanny you wish to hire is on their blacklist. A major limitation of agency blacklists is that they are usually composed of only their previous employees. Hence, provided the Nannies can still get confinement jobs in the country, there is no way to be sure if those who were blacklisted in one agency have continued to work with another agency. As for online blacklists, they are spread across various platforms and not everyone has the time and patience for conducting detailed research to confirm that a Nanny is not on any of them. Online blacklists often focus on only one side of the story. Whenever a Mummy makes complaints about a Nanny’s service, everyone reading the post tend to forget that two parties were involved and either one or both of them could be at fault. It is also very rare to find Nannies responding to complaints about their service, and this is partly because they are often unaware of such posts. This makes blacklisting generally biased against Nannies. On Facebook, for instance, you might not be aware of a post that concerns you if the author is not your friend. You cannot know what is being said about you in groups you have not joined as well. Some Nannies have voiced their feelings concerning this matter after finding out about such posts against their services from someone else. This is even worse with online forums and blogs, where you might wake up one day only to realize that your name and personal information have been shared on a blacklist some years ago. Imagine the feeling of making such a discovery and not being able to defend yourself or share your side of the story. Just like the saying “one mistake can undo years of good work”, it only takes one bad complaint on the Internet to taint a Nanny’s career. When it comes to online blacklists, people usually make conclusions based on only one Mummy’s personal experience. However, without considering previous records, there is no proof that other Mummies will also feel the same way about the Nanny. The Nanny may have always provided excellent services for her previous Mummies, with only that specific case turning out differently. This is something that is typically neglected when blacklisting Nannies. It is important to bear in mind that good cooperation between a Mummy and Nanny often requires both of them to share some common values and preferences. So one Mummy’s personal opinion about a Nanny should be taken with a grain of salt until reports from other Mummies who have also received the Nanny’s services indicate a pattern. Without such a pattern, consideration needs to be given to the Nanny’s side of the story. Just like most professions with a learning curve, Nannies are also expected to improve their skills as they gain more experience while taking care of different Mummies and babies. That is why Nannies need access to Mummy feedbacks to continue improving their performance. Unfortunately, the blacklisting system does not encourage the kind of constructive criticism that helps Nannies to improve. Instead, most of the feedback from Mummies are either awesome recommendations or bad complaints. Continuing with this system will only do more harm to the confinement community as the years go by. Blacklists tend to leave a bad impression on freelance Nannies in particular. After considering the risks involved, some Mummies may no longer feel safe to hire a freelance confinement Nanny, even though some of the Nannies in the complaints were acquired from agencies. For example, consider the situation where a Mummy finds the services of an agency’s Nanny unbearable. Upon making a complaint, the agency offers to provide another Nanny. The moral of the story becomes: it is safer to deal with agencies rather than freelance Nannies because some agencies can provide a replacement. Mummies feel safer with an agency because they provide a certain degree of guarantee and also take responsibility if anything goes wrong with the service. The same cannot be said for freelance confinement because it seems like the Nanny can always disappear and much cannot be done to affect her status in the profession. This is unfortunate because the freelance confinement industry holds a high calibre of reputable Nannies that have received professional training from different confinement institutions in their early years and have also gained vast experience as freelancers working with Mummies and babies in different countries. To identify Nannies, blacklists include personal details such as names, passport number, phone number, and place or country of residence. Unfortunately, more than one person can have the same names, details such as passport and phone numbers can always be changed, and the place of residence can be falsified. This makes it quite difficult to confirm whether a Nanny has been previously blacklisted and attempts to do so might just be too much of a hassle for expectant mothers. In the end, the blacklisted Nannies still get hired and unfortunate Mummies still experience the same problems. Despite all the warnings on the Internet, new Mummies continue to experience the same problems. For example, some expectant mothers still make down payments to strangers and fall prey to scams. This is because the issues with the online blacklisting system have made it difficult to create awareness. In most cases, Mummies join these blacklisting groups to post their complaints only after a bad experience. As a result, the groups seem to be concentrated on Mummies who have already undergone their confinement rather than expectant mothers who have more to gain. As you can see, there are various reasons why blacklisting Nannies is not an effective way to prevent expectant mothers from hiring the same Nannies. MummyNanny was created with these issues in mind and provides a one-stop solution to access the performance of Nannies from their previous records. The platform also creates a chance for Nannies to learn from previous experiences and improve their understanding of different Mummies and babies as they continue to get more jobs. One of the main concerns with the freelance confinement industry is the lack of security when hiring a Nanny. The available methods of making a down payment are vulnerable to scams and many Mummies have lost their money in the process. Other Mummies find it impossible to get a refund and are forced to accept new conditions set by the Nanny. MummyNanny addresses this issue by providing a way to make down payments through the platform instead of directly paying to the Nanny. This way, the Nanny receives the down payment only after arriving at your home and you get refunded if she fails to turn up as agreed. Blacklisting Issues addressed: Lack of a General Database; Limited Access and Visibility; Does not give a Second Chance; One-sided Opinion. Once you make a down payment through the MummyNanny platform, you will gain access to a portfolio where you will manage and record the progress of the job. Think of it as a diary to record your experiences with the Nanny during confinement. You will be able to add entries to the portfolio once the Nanny arrives at your home. A portfolio consists of sections for adding photos and reviews about the service you received as well as recommendations for the Nanny. There is also a section that requires you to evaluate the Nanny’s performance. This gives her an idea of the aspects of her service that require improvement and those that she needs to maintain. The portfolio also allows the Nanny to add photos and share her side of the experience, thereby eliminating the issue of a one-sided input. Blacklisting Issues Addressed: Neglecting Previous Records; Freelance Nannies pay the Price. Mummies play a very important role in advancing the confinement community when they take part in the Nanny Evaluation System. The system is specifically designed so that they refrain from exaggerated reviews as much as possible and provide contributions that help other Mummies to make the right hiring decisions. This helps to ensure trustworthy evaluations, reviews and recommendations in job portfolios. Since the assessments Nannies get for each job are publicly available on their profiles, you can gain more insight into the aspects of their service that matters most to you and can better determine the most suitable person for your job. This effectively eliminates the need to go about searching for blacklists on various platforms and also allows you to consider previous records of Nannies. Blacklisting Issue Addressed: Identification Problems. One reason why blacklisted Nannies are still being hired is that they can always change the information that is used to identify them on the blacklist. That is why MummyNanny eliminates the need to rely on personal information by focusing on Portfolios, Nanny Ranks and Experience Points instead. Experience points are prized possessions to Nannies because they get only one point for each job they complete on the platform. The more experience points a Nanny accumulates, the more reluctant she will be to discard her account even if her rank is affected by a Mummy’s review in one of her portfolios. In most cases, she will rather try to provide a better service in her next job to improve her rank. In the worst-case scenario where she decides to create a new MummyNanny account, she will not be able to transfer her previous records. As a result, her new account will have no portfolio, experience point or rank, thereby making it easier for Mummies to identify and decide whether or not they wish to hire her. Blacklisting Issues Addressed: Lack of a General Database; Lack of Awareness. It is difficult to create awareness about blacklists when they are scattered over various agencies and online platforms. Having everything in one place makes it easier to create awareness among expectant mothers. MummyNanny brings Mummies and Nannies from all over the world together on one platform. Any user can find Nannies and get in touch with them through the contact information provided on their profiles. Create a free account today to start your journey with MummyNanny.
Hiring a freelance confinement Nanny can prove to be stressful, especially if you are a first-time Mummy who has never had the experience. You will most likely find freelance confinement Nannies through recommendations from family and friends or social-media groups and forums. Freelance confinement Nannies are often fully booked months in advance, so the chances of finding an available one get slimmer as your expected date of delivery approaches. Therefore, you cannot afford to be too picky as you set out to acquire a shortlist of available Nannies. After creating a shortlist, you try to obtain as much information as possible about the Nannies who respond to your inquiries and also ask them a few questions to access their knowledge on confinement care. This is when Nannies try to promote themselves with the best recommendations they have received from their previous jobs. You don’t come across any bad recommendation at this stage, and hardly find hints that would suggest incompetence in a Nanny’s service. Unfortunately, whether these simple steps are enough to identify a Nanny that will meet your expectations can only be known during your confinement. You brush off any doubts and move on to the next step, which involves making a down payment to secure the Nanny’s services for your expected date of delivery. All is left to faith from this point onward. In most cases, you will be sending money to the bank account of someone you hardly know, and you might not even receive any authentic proof that you have hired the Nanny. The worst part might be that there is no guarantee the Nanny will show up as promised and in reality, the appointment is still open to changes in the future. As you can see, this freelance system where Nannies operate independently without a set of generally accepted standards or affiliation to any agency leaves a lot of room for potential problems. Reasons for this include the lack of proper benchmarks, regular evaluations, quality assurance, and professionalism. As a result, you may feel more comfortable hiring Nannies from established agencies instead. Here are some of the main concerns most Mummies have about hiring a freelance confinement Nanny. There are various criteria Mummies have when looking to hire a confinement Nanny. One of them is language, since effective communication between the Mummy and Nanny is crucial. The location of the job is another criterion because not every Nanny is able or willing to travel long distances to meet a Mummy. Nannies charge different fees for their services, therefore the Nanny’s salary must be within the Mummy’s budget. Some Mummies also require special skills, for example, a vegan Mummy would require a nanny who can prepare appetizing vegan meals. Since finding a Nanny that meets various specific requirements may prove to be challenging, some Mummies are forced to make compromises by relaxing some of their criteria, while others prefer to contact an agency that can provide them with a list of Nannies to choose from. It is normal for people to feel reluctant to send money to an individual they have never met, especially when there have been cases of such individuals disappearing with the money. The same applies to hiring a freelance confinement Nanny, since there is no establishment to be held responsible if the Nanny fails to show up. Without a written contract or actual proof that the Nanny was hired, not much can be done to retrieve the down payment if the terms of the agreement are broken. There are also cases where the Nanny cancels the job at the last minute or refers it to someone else. In the latter case, the third party might not meet all of Mummy’s criteria or even be qualified to become a confinement Nanny. Nevertheless, the Mummy usually accepts the Nanny’s conditions, since trying to get a refund for the down payment may be too much of a problem. Every once in a while, families report dissatisfaction with the Nanny they hired due to various issues ranging from poor hygiene and disregard for their preferences to matters that give rise to health risks and other dangerous situations. Some Mummies have also reported that the services they received did not reflect the level of competence they were made to expect during their interview with the Nannies. Unlike agencies that can be assessed by their star rating, Mummies can only rely on the recommendations provided by the Nannies themselves to assess their performance and the quality of service they provide. Nannies typically ask their Mummies for a recommendation after the job is complete. However, the issue with this is that Mummies who have had unsatisfactory experiences may not be willing to submit their recommendations. Even on the rare occasion where they provide a bad recommendation, the Nanny would most likely disagree with the evaluation and not present it to potential Mummies. As a result, a whole set of recommendations that would have given the Mummy a better understanding of the Nanny’s background and personality goes missing. To avoid these inconveniences, some Mummies opt for agencies instead of a freelance confinement Nanny. The freelance confinement industry is lacking a regulatory body responsible for setting standards to address the aforementioned issues. MummyNanny aims to fill this gap by bringing freelance confinement Nannies together in one place. This not only makes it easier for Mummies to find Nannies, but also introduces standards to address the lack of proper benchmarks, regular evaluations, quality assurance, and professionalism in the industry. MummyNanny acts as a directory for freelance confinement Nannies and provides an advanced search feature that gives you the ability to find Nannies based on various key parameters. You can search for Nannies based on their availability during your expected date of delivery, the languages they speak, their country of residence, and any other additional skills. When you Sign In with your Mummy account, you can also find Nannies that meet your specific budget. After you get a shortlist of potential Nannies, you can directly get in touch with each of them through the contacts provided on their profiles and discuss the job details. After you have contacted and discussed with the Nanny that meets all your requirements, the next step is to make a down payment for booking the Nanny’s services. Instead of sending money to someone you do not know, MummyNanny provides a secure payment system and issues an official receipt for your down payment. When you make the down payment through MummyNanny, you will be eligible for a money-back guarantee. The money-back-guarantee ensures that your down payment (excluding the Service Fee) will be refunded in case the Nanny is unable to start the job. Once you make a down payment through the MummyNanny payment system, a new portfolio will be created for your job. This will allow you to assign skill points, post comments, upload photos and leave a recommendation for the nanny when the job is complete. Updating your new portfolio is a very important aspect of the hiring process, as the comments and recommendations you provide will contribute to the Nanny’s overall rank on MummyNanny. Since each portfolio contains a sincere first-hand evaluation by the Mummy who hired the Nanny, you can be rest assured to get a complete assessment of the Nanny’s competence and skills before you hire her. If you are a Mummy who is feeling reluctant to hire a freelance confinement Nanny, confirm that she has a MummyNanny account before you hire her so that you can get a money-back guarantee and also leave a public review in case of unforeseen circumstances. If you are concerned about unprofessionalism, MummyNanny provides a platform where you can publicly post comments about your experience. So if the Nanny fails to show up, you can get your refund and leave a comment about her on the recommendation section of the job portfolio. Also, if you receive an unprofessional service, you have a place to talk about it. Without MummyNanny, the only way to make complaints about a Nanny is to create posts including her details such as passport and phone numbers on social media or online forums. Unfortunately, this will not be of much help to anyone since most Mummies will not be able to find your comments on such platforms. Moreover, passport and phone numbers can always be changed. On the other hand, public comments in job portfolios will always be associated with the Nanny’s account on MummyNanny. As a result, you are likely to receive a more professional service from Nannies that you hire through MummyNanny since you will personally evaluate their performance after the job is complete. Creating an account on MummyNanny is free and users from all over the world are welcome.
Finally, the platform we’ve all been waiting for is here! We bring you MummyNanny, a platform that connects Mummies with the most suitable freelance Nannies for a better home confinement experience. As a Mummy, you can now find all your stay-home confinement Nannies in one place and contact them without any hassle. We provide you with advanced search features to find Nannies based on the languages they speak, where they reside in, their estimated daily salary and their skills. We also provide you a money-back guarantee to put your mind at ease when looking to hire a freelance confinement Nanny. Our money-back guarantee ensures that any down-payment (excluding the service fee) that was made through the MummyNanny payment system will be refunded in case the Nanny is unable to start the job. We know that it is very important for you to get a Nanny that best meets your confinement needs and specific requirements. Nannies you find online can tell you all about their job experience when you contact them. You can also get to know about Nannies and their abilities through relatives, friends and colleagues. However, you will not be able to verify these claims or decide whether the Nanny meets your personal requirements without seeing a tangible proof of their work. That is why our goal is help you to make better hiring decisions by showing you the Portfolios of each Nanny’s previous jobs, which will include samples of their work as well as comments and recommendations by registered Mummies who have already experienced their services. A Nanny's Portfolios are a collection of well organised records that demonstrate the competencies of the Nanny. Each of the Nanny's Portfolio contains first-hand reviews, recommendations and photos uploaded by the Mummy who employed the Nanny for that job. Portfolio entries are grouped in different categories that are relevant to assess a Nanny's knowledge and skills for providing the required confinement services and experience. Since Portfolios are added for every job, they also contain the most recent skills acquired by the Nanny. MummyNanny takes quality very seriously, that is why Nannies are ranked based on Nanny Rank and Experience Points. When you search for Nannies on MummyNanny, the Nannies will be displayed in a list starting from those with the highest Nanny Rank or Experience points, depending on your preference. Whenever a Nanny is hired for a job, the Mummy ranks the Nanny’s cooking skill, baby care skill and mummy care skill. The Nanny Rank is the average of all the Nanny’s cooking, baby care and mummy care ranks. Experience Points indicate the number of jobs that have been successfully completed by the Nanny. Once you make a down-payment for a Nanny through the MummyNanny payment system, a Portfolio will be created for the job. You will have the opportunity to rank the Nanny’s skills as well as provide reviews and recommendations about the Nanny in the Portfolio for public viewing. The Nanny will also have the opportunity to provide reviews about the job experience in the Portfolio. As a Nanny, you can now create an online presence for yourself as a brand. This is a great chance to be discovered by Mummies wherever they are. MummyNanny also provides you with the ability to create a Portfolio for each job you complete. With portfolios, you can show Mummies actual proof of your work experience and keep record of all your jobs. Portfolios provide tangible proof of your work history, experience, relevant skills, and abilities, which demonstrates to Mummies that you are qualified for the job and meet their specific confinement requirements. Portfolios are also a great way to keep track of your accomplishments and take note of when you have acquired key competencies. However, putting together a complete Portfolio can take quite a while, especially if you are a Nanny who is always busy on a job. Always making sure that the Portfolio is up-to-date can even be more challenging. But sit back and relax, because MummyNanny is here for you. Whether you are a Mummy or a Nanny, joining MummyNanny is free! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we will be thrilled to assist you in any way we can. Thank you! The MummyNanny Team
