Domestic Helper VS Confinement Nanny – Which One Suits You Best?
For new parents, the post-natal period is an extraordinary precious time, especially for those who are experiencing it for the first time. Many people feel that managing their newborn’s needs – on top of their daily tasks and health concerns – is quite difficult to accomplish without any extra help from others that they can get.
With a little one to welcome, it can become quite overwhelming at times. Having an extra pair of hands during this period will certainly make things simpler for you as you ease into parenthood. The million-dollar question is, should you hire a domestic helper or a confinement nanny? Well, most people are confused between these two, but the truth is that a confinement nanny is different from a domestic helper.
First and foremost, you need to know the difference between the two. Who is a confinement nanny and what is she specialize in? How is she different from a full-time domestic helper? Read on as we explore a few of the differences and help you decide which one suits you better:
Who Are Confinement Nannies And What Do They Do?
A long-coming tradition of Chinese culture, confinement nannies, are experienced mothers. They are hired to ensure proper recovery of the mother post-birth. After giving birth, a woman requires some time to recover. She is entitled to stay indoors for an average of 2 to 3 months. This recovery time is often referred to as confinement.
During the confinement period, a confinement nanny can be hired. Technically, confinement nannies are only allowed to be hired after a woman has given birth. The nanny is then given the responsibility and kind of restricted to taking care of both the mother and the newborn –
1. She provides guidance and advice for mothers on newborn care procedures and mother care, highlighting all the Do’s & Don’ts of proper care.
2. She prepares confinement meals and herbal baths for the mothers to recover their vitality sooner and smoothly after the childbirth, and to expel wind, relieve pain and post-natal discomfort.
3. She is on 24/7 in charge of baby care including feeding, bathing, cleaning, changing diapers, updating baby’s daily log & night feeding.
4. She only does laundry for baby & mother’s clothes, simple groceries shopping & basic household chores
The confinement nanny is there to provide support to the mother during this phase. She eases up the load on the mother by helping in caring for the newborn but confinement nannies are for short-term as their contract only lasts from a minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 16 weeks. In short, a confinement nanny’s main job is to ensure the confinement period ends smoothly without any issue.
Costs of a Confinement Nanny
A confinement nanny can be hired at varying costs, and the tasks assigned to her decide her pay. A part-time confinement nanny cost will depend entirely on the number of hours she works. Other than that, hiring a full-time confinement nanny can cost a hefty sum of S$3,500 to S$4,000 per month. Conclusively, confinement nannies have a high hiring cost, but given the nature of their job and the experience of the nanny, the price is justified.
In collaboration with Super Nanny Services (EA Licence 12C6019), we offer a one-stop postpartum solution to ensure that you have a smooth transition from pregnancy to post-delivery life! 24/7 pro-breastfeeding support and FREE lactation consultant home visit too! Contact Super Nanny Services for more details at (+65) 9751 1415
Who Are Domestic Helpers?
A domestic helper is often hired to take care of long-term tasks such as housework or cooking and some are hired to take care of children or elderly. Compared to confinement nannies, domestic helpers can be hired whenever you want.
Well-trained maids provide similar help if not even more than that of a confinement nanny. The huge difference between the two is that the services provided by the confinement nannies are more specialized since they are trained for providing post-birth care.
A maid may substitute a confinement nanny, but you must be clear on the factor that a maid will not have the training or experience that the nanny has. Taking care of a newborn is quite difficult, and an experienced nanny can provide new mothers with the support and help they need to settle into their new routine. Nevertheless, there is a lot of domestic helpers with strong experience to take care of baby.
If you are opting for a foreign domestic helper, you must follow a standard contract that is renewed every 2 years. They are paid monthly, or according to the contract details they sign with you.
Costs Of Domestic Helper
A domestic helper is often hired through agencies and their salary can range from S$500 to $1,000 per month, based on the experience.
Other cost depends on the services they have been hired for. An additional fee of $2,000 to $5,000 must be paid to the agency for the worker’s documents. The documents include paperwork, medical examinations, insurance, travel fare, etc. In the end, the total cost rounds up to a substantial amount, but this amount is still quite less than the one required to hire a confinement nanny. Nevertheless, it’s still very much worth the money as the duration of employment is for 2 years and for the obvious fact that, a domestic helper will certainly be able to do a lot more for the entire house and all family members.
Conclusion
Now you know the primary reasons to hire a confinement nanny or a domestic helper. Based on your requirements, you can choose the best fit for you. If it is caring for a newborn, then a confinement nanny is the one for the job. If you require other menial tasks, then you are best of hiring a domestic helper. With this insight, your decision is guaranteed to be a good and efficient one. Good luck!
If you are in need of a full-time domestic helper from a reliable maid agency in Singapore, let us work together with you on your selection to find the most suitable domestic help services that you need. Give us a call today at (65) 8725 7261 / 8189 5339.
We Listen. We Understand. We Are Here to Help.
At Recruitbee, we understand that every home is unique in its needs and preferences.