FAQs

• Please outline your maternity care qualifications.
• Why do you enjoy working in maternity care?
• What makes you a good maternity nurse?
• Are you happy to educate me about my baby?
• What is your chosen approach to routines?
• When do you normally manage to get a baby sleeping through the night?
• Will you support me if I change my mind about routine?
• Are you happy to share a room with the baby?
• Do you have experience helping breastfeeding mothers?
• Can you give advice on diet and breastfeeding?
• Are you willing to support with night feeds?
• Can you give advice on expressing breast milk and how to store it?
• Do you expect meals or are you happy to cook for yourself?
• Are you happy to give the family some alone time?
• Do you have any dietary requirements?
• Will you be happy to make cups of tea or food for the family occasionally and help with some household chores such as the washing up?
• Do you intend to stay in the house on your days off or go home?
• Do you expect your own tv?

There are a number of qualifications a maternity nurse may have including:

• Maternity Practitioner Award - Level 4 (ONC accredited)
• Maternity Practitioner Award - Level 3 (OCN accredited)
• Breastfeeding Course - Level 3 (OCN accredited)
• Sleep Training Course - Level 3 (OCN accredited)

• Ability to establish a routine
• Helpful with advice and suggestions
• Easy to live alongside
• Ability to cope in an emergency
• Reliability, honesty, and trustworthiness

The average is a 6-12 week booking for maternity assistance, though could be as short as for a 2 week period and as long as an 18 week period.

Most maternity nurses commence the role at or around the due date of the baby.

The average time from start to finish is 2-4 weeks.

The Signature Staff team spend a considerable amount of time and effort drawing up a shortlist of candidates who represent the best-fit for your household based upon both your maternity care requirements and their skill-set and personality.

Further time needs to be allowed for the schedules of both the client and candidates for interviews.

Most Signature Staff clients wait until 12 weeks into the gestation, when the pregnancy has progressed and they know whether they are expecting a single, twins or triplets.

We would encourage clients to register early to ensure an excellent selection of maternity nurses.

Maternity nurses are trained to look after newborn babies and infants so their tenure with a family tends to be of short duration. They work longer shifts than nannies with many being on call for 24 hours, 6 days a week. They are self-employed unlike nannies who are employed by the family.

Nannies, on the other hand, look after infants aged 3 months and older and their contracts are long-term. Nannies work 10-12 hours per day for 5 or 6 days per week. Typically a nanny doesn’t do night duties, although they are often prepared to babysit if given sufficient notice.