All parents need help! There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a childThat saying exists for a reasonBeing a parent has many duties and can be mentally, physically, and spiritually exhaustingIf parents have others that can assist them along the way, parenting is a little less chaoticParents tend to put their children first and their personal needs lastRegardless of the title of the nanny, they are there to assist in helping the family run a little smoother and get a little more accomplishedA nanny can provide assurance while you are at work and ensure that you don’t forget about your personal needs.
A nanny can also allow the parents to go to work with peace of mind knowing that the children are at home in the hands of a professional.
Nannies have played a valuable role in the household as far back as 800 BCMany Greek stories involve wet nursesIt was only affluent homes that employed nanniesIt was not until the 1700s that nannies separated from nursemaidsThe nannies were there to look after children generation after generationThey would often assist the maid with general housekeeping and tutor the childrenThe first professional nanny agency was established during the Victorian era.
Throughout the centuries nannies have been called many things and held many dutiesThe nannies were separatedtitle and job description century after centuryCertain titles required a certain amount of educationIn the Greek and Victorian eras, most nannies were children themselvesNow in the 21st century, older children were responsible for younger children for a short periodProfessional nanny services now offer many different types of careFor instance, there is the professional nanny, postpartum doula, and mother’s helperSo what is the difference?
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Professional Nanny
A professional nanny provides childcare services for the familyProfessional nannies often work with children of all agesA professional nanny offers convenient, quality care to meet each child’s physical, emotional, social, and intellectual needs, either in-home or out of the home.
Responsibilities
- Implement daily routines
- Homework help
- Baths
- Snack and meal preparation
- Provide entertaining, mind-activating, age-appropriate activities for children
- Light housekeeping duties, such as cleaning play areas
- Household management
- Family assistant duties
- Driving children to appointments and activities
Education
Some agencies may require an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degreeSome do not require a degree but prefer they have around 20-30 hours of early childhood educationEarly Childhood Education provides skills specific to developing and supervising young childrenThey will learn about child development, relationships, behavior, and diversityThey will also learn how to create a curriculum and give children positive guidanceGain skills in observation and assessment, health, safety, and nutrition.
Most agencies require the nanny to have current first aid and CPR certificationIf driving is a requirement of the job, then they will be required to have a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
In addition to educational requirements, many of the respected nanny agencies throughout the nation run background checks and motor vehicle record checks on potential nanny candidates just to rule out any risks.
Salary
The average pay for a professional nanny in the United States can vary depending on many variables such as experience and location. The amount a professional nanny makes truly depends on:
- How many children they will care for
- How much experience they have
- Have many hours the nanny works
- Whether they live in or live-out
- Their education level
- What city do you provide services in:
- In a big city, the pay rate will be higherIn a smaller city, the pay rate will be less.
- Overall duties:
- is it strictly childcare-related duties and chores or are household management and family assistant duties included?
Postpartum Doula
A postpartum doula is a trained professional who offers guided support during the postpartum care of the newbornThey will help transition you into motherhoodThe doula is there to give the family as much information and support as possibleA doula can act as a liaison between you and your medical team if neededA postpartum doula will come to your home and work with you in your homePostpartum doulas give families to support on:
- Infant feeding and hygiene
- Mommy hygiene and health
- Emotional recovery support
- Physical recovery support
- Assist in the bonding process
- Guide in infant soothing
- Help introduce an older child to the new baby
- May help care for the older child
- Offer light housework help or meal prep
- Offer mental health resources
- Provide information on community resources
Education
Unlike a doctor or nurse, a doula does not provide medical careBecause a doula is for support, there is no educational degree requiredThere is also no state licensing requiredIt is suggested, however, that they attend certified trainingCertification classes teach postpartum lactation, nutrition, exercise, infant health issues, and physical and mental postpartum changes.
By attending certification classes you will get to work hands-on in newborn care, caring for multiple babies and babies with special health needs, breastfeeding support, and first aid measuresTo satisfy certification requirements you will likely have to work with three families for the experienceMost postpartum doula certificates are valid for three years.
Salary
Postpartum doulas average between $25-65 per hourHow much you make as a postpartum doula depends on:
- What city do you provide services in
- In a big city, the pay rate will be higherIn a smaller city, the pay rate will be less.
- Amount of training and experience
- The number of hours worked
- Amount of children caring for
- The clientele
- High-class clients will pay more versus low-class clients who cannot afford to pay as much.
- How long the family retains services
Mother’s Helper
A mother’s helper is an individual that assists the family that needs a little extra care and support while the parent is homeSome people do not realize the amount of work it takes to care for children at home, the household, and other needs that arise, such as appointmentsParents can attest that sometimes some things just do not get done because there is not enough timeThis is where a mother’s helper comes in handyThey can help you save time and get much more accomplishedDuties could include:
- Giving the parent a time-out to take a nap or catch a little me time
- Helping with some household cleaning such as doing dishes, sweeping or mopping, laundry
- Help feed the children
- Help prepare the meals
- Entertain the children with age-appropriate activities
- Help with homework
- Help with the hygiene of the children
- If licensed and able, run errands for the family such as grocery shopping
- Help maintain a safe space for the children to play in
- Take the children to the park or for a walk
- Assist mom in administrative tasks
- Be a positive and safe role model for the children
Education
There are no educational requirements to be a mother’s helperThis is a great position for a young adult looking to earn money or gain some experienceIt is also a great opportunity for someone working on a degree to gain working experienceThere is no formal training required, but it is suggested to have first aid and CPR certificationIf you are old enough and have a valid driver’s license with a clean driving background, this would be beneficial.
The American Red Cross even offers a babysitting course onlineThis class will teach them how to care for infants and children, what to do in an emergency, how to find age-appropriate activities, how to stay safe, and how to respond to certain behaviorThe most important qualification for this job is to have a passion for children and a desire to help others.
Salary
A mother’s helper’s salary can vary depending on where they are located and how much experience they have, just like the other jobs, the amount earned depends on:
- What city you will provide services in
- If you provide services in a big city, the pay will be higherIf you provide services in a smaller city, the pay will be less.
- Amount of hours worked
- Amount of children caring for
- Level of experience
- If they can drive or not
- Sometimes, when they help
- Earn more on weekends or holidays
What is the Difference?
There are not a lot of differences between the three job titlesThere is a significant difference in the amount of salary and job dutiesThe amount of salary given is based on a lot of the same circumstancesAs far as education, most professional nanny agencies do not require a degree, but CPR and first-aid certification is a plus, and a driver’s license is helpfulIt is also suggested that each individual have a certain level of understanding of how to care for infants and children.
The major difference between a professional nanny, postpartum doula, and mother’s helper is the number of duties the individual takes onAll three are meant to be there as supportA professional nanny is there to support the child in their daily needsA postpartum doula is there as support for the family after the birth of a childTheir services are typically limited and short-termA nanny can often get confused with a mother’s helper but the difference is the nanny is there for the day and highly involved in the child’sw daily routinesA mother’s helper is typically only there for a short period of the day.