Photos by Christen Jones
Sleep is gold. There’s no question about it. However, I quickly learned (on day one of Hudson’s life) that it’s about more than sleep for the sake of sleep. It’s about fostering healthy habits for baby, adjusting to the “new norm” and all that comes our way, and recovering from labor and delivery. Our newborn care specialist guided all of the above!
Remy, owner of Bluff City Nanny Agency, offered so much more than overnight relief during Hudson’s first ten weeks — we felt like we had a secret source through it all to give little tips and tricks for Hudson’s sleep training, feeding schedule and volume, and more.
I’m so glad we’ve invested in not only our rest but also in a resource. Social media is such an amazing space to learn, share, and test, but it can be an overwhelming place to find the right answer for your little one in particular! Rest is critically important for health and wellbeing, and I credit Remy’s care to both my own speedy recovery and to Hudson’s beautiful sleep habits.
Keep scrolling for some of your questions answered!
What responsibilities does the overnight newborn care specialist have?
Educated, backed support regarding sleep and newborn development
Umbilical cord and circumcision guidance
Nursery restocking
Baby laundry (!!!)
Pump parts and bottle cleaning
Guidance on sleep shaping
All of the tips for the first few months of life, including but not limited to bathing, feeding, congestion, favorite products, and more
Did Bluff City Nanny Agency work on sleep training and habits?
YES, and it was by far the most valuable aspect of the investment.
When your newborn care specialist was off, did someone replace her?
Yes – That is the beauty of an agency! You have a team of support if you want to add on an extra night or your newborn care specialist needs a sub. They communicate with one another on progress and current habits so you don’t have to skip a beat.
Does the nanny work every night?
We had overnight care for an average of 3 nights per week. Some will opt for 5 nights/week for a shorter length of time. We decided to stretch it out over a longer period of time but with fewer nights per week.
How long did you use her?
We decided to have the overnight care through Week 10 as I eased back into work. It helped to have sleep guidance as we worked on stretching our feeds more recently, too!
How many hours per night on duty?
An 8-hour minimum is expected for overnight care. I would most often request a 10 pm-6 am shift — though, some nights (like on my birthday!), I’d request a 9 pm start, and a few times I’d ask for her to stay until 7 am so I could enjoy a shower for longer than 3 minutes!
Cost?
$35/hour. They offer a 10% discount to all returning clients, including clients that need help with schedule changes after their departure as the baby gets older!
Do they help you get on a schedule and tell you what to do?
YES. Frankly, I had no idea that wake windows were a thing, and it was game-changing to loosely understand the value of consistency in a newborn’s world. However, I loved that Remy got to know our lifestyle and would offer relevant, relatable tips that allowed for optimal routines, even on-the-go. I also would have never known to proactively push Hudson up half an ounce in his bottles without her motivation, and it worked every time!
How much were you involved during their time at your house?
I think this completely depends on the parents’ interest or wishes, but I found it enjoyable and helpful to talk with Remy each night for 15-20 minutes to go over recent observations, any changes or challenges, and questions that arose since her last night with us. I would learn so much in those few moments, whether product recommendations, feeding tips, articles to read, or new ideas to try the next morning.
Does the nanny bring Hudson to you for middle-of-the-night feeds?
If you are breastfeeding, then yes. At the beginning, I would opt to come into the nursery to nurse versus Hudson come to me — but either way, you text the newborn care specialist when you’re finished nursing, and she’ll take the baby from there to burp, change, and get back down to sleep!
How far in advance should you book overnight care with Bluff City Nanny Agency?
The sooner, the better! But, according to Bluff City Nanny Agency, “we even welcome requests when in labor or when you’ve been home for two weeks and you realize how exhausted you are!”
What does she recommend using to swaddle?
Does she sleep while she’s over? Or stay awake the whole night?
Of course, she is prepared to support our baby at any moment and is right next to him in the glider. However, it’s expected for her to sleep while he’s sleeping!
Is this service available outside of Memphis?
Yes. Bluff City Nanny Agency services the entire MSA. They even travel for overnight positions and travel with families on vacation.
