I’m not crying you’re crying…ok no I’m crying but I’m cutting onions…ok no I’m not I’m crying for real my tears are running into my wine glass…I’m ugly crying.

Not only was hiring a nigh nurse single handly the best decision Chris and I have made so far for our daughter but these two ladies (the Sarahs) are so much a part of our family now. Even Addison is going to miss them!

Over the past 5ish months I have told a few people that we hired night nurses, and the first response is “what’s that?” and the second one came with an eye-roll and “wow you must be rich.” The basics of what they do will be talked about in a minute, but let me tell you I am NOT rich. While it sounds luxurious and something only for celebrities it’s something anyone can have. I don’t have money just laying around…it’s not cheap…you are correct there. The average going rate I found for where we live was $30-35/hour. We skipped dinners out, gym memberships, and rearranged our budget to make this work for us. I’m a firm believer that if its a priority you will find a way and we did <3

I LOVE sleep. Naps are a hobby of mine and a full 8 hours is essential to my ability to function. The talks about the lack of sleep you get with a newborn from friends and family honestly had me worried. I mean was I about to get arrested for doing something I forgot I did because I was so sleep deprived?! On top of that we have zero familyout here near us (honestly after this whole experience even if I had family local I’d hire these ladies all over again). We have amazing friends, many whom we consider family, but no family to help. Icing on the cake my husband had ZERO paternity leave. So, help was needed and I was not afrid to ask for it.

So now on to the “what’s that?” Have you seen the movie Tully? If not go watch it right now and then find every mother you know and hug them.

I digress…

As the name suggests and at the most BASIC of things they do these people usually RNs, Doulas or even Midwives come to your house and take the night shift. But they are SO SO MUCH MORE and I hope to enlighten you here about that.

We interviewed a few potential ladies for our night nurse while I was pregnant. Honestly, they were all amazing I picked “The Sarahs”

(sorry for all the English people out there is it Sarahs or Sarah’s? I don’t think its Sarah’s but now halfway through my post I’m unsure….)

1. because I knew one of the Sarahs sisters and 2. because they got me. During the interview I unloaded my anxiety of pregnancy, being a mom and my game plan for what I wanted their help to be like on them…and they didn’t for ONE second make me feel crazy. They actually got me to laugh about a few things which was nice! The second we hired them and signed our name on the dotted line a sigh of relief fell over me. I knew I had NO clue what I was getting myself in to, but they did and they would catch me.

Sarah rang our door-bell the second night we were home, and I cannot even being to describe to you the feeling I had when I knew at 10pm they would be there. Addison was a little fussy, I was exhausted, Chris had to get the sleep he had to go back to work the next day and I had no idea where to start first. Sarah came in put down her bag and with her magical powers got the baby to calm down within seconds. I watched her every move. How she heald the baby, how she swaddled her, how she swayed and patted her butt (the butt tap is magic mommas just FYI) and as I watched my confidence grew….I remember telling myself ok I can do that. I can hold her like that. I can wrap her like that. I went up the stairs to get a few hours of sleep. When the baby woke up Sarah brought her to me so I could feed her, then she took her back and did all the other things while I went right back to bed. I think that first night I got 5 hours of sleep in a row and you parents out there know that first time that happens you feel like you could run a marathon. That moment right there was when I knew we made the best decision to hire these two!

As the weeks followed twice a week at 10pm one of the Sarahs would show up to our house, and grant us with a nights rest. What I didn’t realize were all the other things they would do. For starters, they would talk to me. Ok, stop laughing at that I’m serious. While Chris was at work I would talk to myself, a newborn or the dog…and after a few days in a row of doing that I was dying for some girl-talk. Sarah would come in and just chat with me ask me how I was doing (which until she asked I hadn’t even asked myself that question) she would answer any questions I had that had come up throughout the week, and even at 3am while I was nursing she would just stay up with me. That company was something I did’nt know I needed so bad until I would go a few days without it. When I started to pump they helped me figure that out…when I wanted to bitch about how much it made me feel like a cow they listened and said it was ok. I remember a night I came home and had to pump…nursing wasnt going to well that day (because its a day-to-day thing people) and I wanted to vent. Chris was in the kitchen and was clearly tired of me talking about the same stuff over and over (which I dontblame him he was a good sport the first 5 times I talked about things) but Sarah happened to be there that night and sat on the couch with me. Chris said out loud “shes just having a moment” and Sarah just looked at me and nodded and let me go on. That right there…was priceless. I realized that they were more of my mental health through outthis journey than I realized.

Little did I know all of the sleeping Addison did with Sarah was purposeful in sleep training. Addison was an amazing sleeper and I know it was because of them. She was sleeping through the night by 3 months and was out of our bed (we co-slept) and in her crib sleeping through the night by 4 months. I am sure I would have googled how to do this on my own and failed but the fact that I didn’t even have to worry about it was amazing. I was able to delete the apps, unfollow those instagram moms, and close the books because anything that crossed my mind or that I needed to know the Sarahs told us.

Once Addison slept through the night we flipped our schedule to have them come during the day. I needed more help so that I could work. Working from home has been and still is a process for me, but on the days the Sarahs came, I could get a few hours of work done. Not only that, they would help me with things that would give me anxiety like the 3 weeks worth of laundry in her room, or the piles of dishes. They would even cook us dinner to ensure we ate. Most of the time it was the only real meal I ate because eating with a newborn is impossible….although I am getting better. Not having to worry about these little things allowed me to feel free to sit down and play with her on her mat or snuggle her for endless hours while she was awake. The other thing I would do when they came during the day was N A P! Can I get an amen?! Sometimes they would have to shoo me away to get me to take it but I always needed the hour or so I slept to get me through the rest of the night.

I know I am a better mom because we hired them. We are a better team as parents, and I know our first few months were as smooth as they were because of them. This week is my last day with them, and writing this I am crying. Not only because I know I’ll need to graduate to a nanny or some other type of help, but because these two ladies have become family. They know Addison. They giggle at her laugh, snuggle her to sleep, and love her the way Chris and I do. I know I can call them whenever I need them and they will run over, but I am truly going to miss our weekly dates. They helped me survive the first few months of being a mom, and for that I am forever grateful. I love you ladies so much, and for all of you reading, I hope you now realize why everyone needs a night nurse.

If you are in the Denver area and want to hire these AMAZING ladies and their team….visit Allotribe.com you will NOT regret it.

xx Sarah

#motherhood #nightnurse #baby