hi, i have some experience with baby nurses. i have an 8-month old daughter. i used the Bohnes Agency in Manhattan. they were very professional, they sent 4-5 women to me (in NJ) to interview, nearly all of whom were older (my preference) women from the West Indies or Bahamas. It's nice for the mom to go through an agency to find the baby nurse because if a) you don't end up liking her or b) she gets a cold - or worse - and can't come when you deliver, the agency must always send a replacement instantly. you also need to hurry and start interviewing because the best nurses book up fast - like 8 months in advance. When you interview the women be sure to ask how long they will work in your home before they need a day off. You can expect the baby nurse to "work" 24 hours per day, 7 days a week for at least the first 4-6 weeks without a break. (This is why they earn the big bucks). Don't let someone tell you they need a day off during the week, unless you are comfortable with this arrangement in which case you should get the agency to send you a replacement to cover the off-days.But in my experience, all the best nurses work straight through. Also, consider what qualities you might want in a baby nurse - for instance, do you want someone who is older (and more grandmotherly) or someone young and energetic. Someone who will put the babies on a schedule or someone who believes in feeding on demand? If you are going to breastfeed, do you want someone who will bring you the babies during the night and let you feed them in your bed, or do you want the burse to feed them at night and let you sleep. Do you want someone who has worked with twins before? etc. Questions questions, but answer them as best you can before you begin to search, because it will help you eliminate candidates quickly. Good luck!
here's their info:
Bohnes Baby Nurses:
###-###-####
16 E 79th St Ste G-4,
New York, NY 10021
i think the name of the owner was "Jerry"
