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Coping strategies for bringing home baby

You have survived many tiring months of pregnancy. You have made it through the excitement of labour and delivery and now you are ready to head home and begin caring for your baby. Once home, though, you frantically realize you have just taken on a 24-hour a day job!

Not to worry, help is always at hand. You could consider in-home postnatal help. Someone to look after the household while you look after the baby or even someone to show you how to look after the baby.

You might also consider in-home help if:

• You are blessed with twin babies
• You haven’t any family support to call upon
• You have an older preschooler at home
• You had a traumatic or difficult birth
• You had a Caesarean section and need to rest
• Your partner/husband has a busy job and needs to get back to work soon after the birth

For qualified in-home help, you might need a Mothercraft Nurse - suitably qualified nurses/midwives who will support you in your own home, making the introduction of a baby the enjoyable experience it should be. On the other hand, maybe you just need “another pair of hands” to help with housekeeping, cooking, washing, and shopping.

While you are “infanticipating” or even after you come home with baby, you can engage a reputable agency to do the hard work for you in finding just the person to help you through the early days. If you have the energy and the time to find your own in-home help follow these tried and tested tips:

1. Be careful where you advertise - it's better not to put your contact details on local bulletin boards.
2. Do not give out too much information over the phone when people answer your advertisements. Try to meet on neutral ground first or have another adult with you - after all you are inviting a 'stranger' into your home.
3. When you interview a prospective carer, be prepared with your questions; have them written down, since it's easy to forget what you wanted to ask. Suggested questions:
   • What kind of childcare experience have you had? Ask them to explain the best and worst experiences.
   • Find out what they would do in an emergency such as your child suddenly becoming ill or a fire in the building.
   • Do they have a valid driver's licence? A car? Child restraints? Insurance?
4. Check References (but be aware that these too may be unreliable). Request proof of identity, current address, the names and phone numbers of the reference-givers and their relationship to the applicant. If references are from a previous employer, ask why the applicant is no longer working for that family. Would the former employer engage the carer again? Don't rely on general comments like, "Oh, she was fine..." Ask specific questions. Did she arrive on time consistently? Has she ever failed to turn up? Why? Were you given ample notice? Did the carer handle stressful situations competently?
5. Check credentials and Qualifications. Has the carer done any first aid or CPR classes? Carers should have first aid training.

Once you have narrowed down the list of applicants, make sure your partner and any other children are on hand to meet them. See how your child/ren interact with the carer.

Above all, go with your instincts. The most experienced carer with 'glowing' references can turn out to be a dud, while the younger girl who gets down on the floor with your two year old and makes mud pies can turn out to be a real gem. Just remember if you were engaging someone to work in your company you would undertake a rigorous interview and screening process. Why would you do any less when it comes to your own children?

Danielle Robertson is the CEO of DIAL-AN-ANGEL®. Established in 1967 it is the only national agency specialising in the provision of home and family care. The company provides childcare, nannies, occasional babysitting, before and after-school care, emergency "fill-in" child carers, as well as housekeeping services, Eldercare-at-home®, in-home nursing, handyman services, in-home entertaining and corporate functions.

For further information 1300 721 111 or www.dialanangel.com