Okay, I admit my blog title is exaggerated.

My confinement nanny isn’t great but she could have been worst.

Still my overall confinement experience wasn’t as I had envisioned.

Maybe I was too idealist/naive, but one of things I was looking forward to after popping, was tucking into delicious confinement meals, herbal soups, sleeping, playing with baby and nua-ing (chillaxing) at home (my mum’s home where I spent the last 32 years of my life growing up at).

Unfortunately, it was one of the most trying month – 28 days to be exact. 

I engaged my confinement nanny through a confinement agency (shall not mention names in case I get death threats etc) and paid an additional $200 plus for a specific nanny (recommended by the husband’s friend). Since we requested and paid for a recommended nanny, we were quite assured that the confinement should be a smooth month.

Hell no.

We were informed like 2 (or was it one) week/s before  I was due that the booked nanny was unable to commit due to personal reasons and the agency will send over a replacement nanny. They will also refund us the extra we paid.

Well, that’s nice. *sarcastic*

So we just crossed our fingers.

The replacement nanny  whipped up pretty decent meals throughout my confinement period and was fairly friendly/chatty. However there were a couple of things that got us riled up:

1)She was VERY insistent that I direct latched my baby. No pumping because it will be hassle to wash and steralise the pump parts. Not true okay. I pumped after my confinement ended and I DO NOT think it was much of a hassle.

2)Whenever I requested for her to replace a milk feed cycle with formula she would be immensely displeased. Like machiam I’m poisoning my baby. She even reasoned that breastfed babies are cleverer vs formula fed babies. Nonsense. I was a formula-fed baby and I think I did pretty well academically.

I felt like I was forced to a corner. Initially I tried. But there were a few times I had to feign dizziness so that I could skip a direct latch session and get some sleep. The husband got so fed up with her that he got into a mini-argument with her regarding this towards the end of my confinement period.

He was trying to make her see that yes, we understood breast milk is very nutritious to baby however sometimes it was at the expense of the mother’s sanity. And if it was mishandled, post-natal depression could develop.

We never knew if she fully understood our point (though she backed down a little). My mum reasoned it could be she was hoping we would extend her services for another week/month. Hell no.

3.My mum’s place was freshly renovated not too long before my confinement started. We had repeatedly told her not to place hot pans/wok etc directly on the solid surface as it could permanently stain it a lighter shade. We even bought coasters for this purpose. Well, she ignored it and guess what, certain surfaces got stained. My mum was definitely not pleased. The confinement nanny didn’t even utter a word of sorry.

There were many more incidents i.e. buying fruits from her own consumption using our money as if it was a given. Gave orders to my mother what she wants for breakfast. Falsely accuse my pet dog of having ticks etc.

We silent put up with her because of the baby who was under her care (yea, she even let my mum handled the baby in the night while she slept through).

I was feverishly counting down to the end of my confinement so I can bid goodbye to her.

No more. I would very much rather care for my no.2 (if we are blessed) on my own and just cater my confinement meals.

To all mummies-to-be, if you are looking to engage a confinement nanny, just be sure to voice out your feelings.If you feel the nanny is not for you, speak to her your concerns and if she isn’t agreeable, terminate the service.

It isn’t worth fighting frustrations and shedding tears over a stranger who doesn’t genuinely care for your mental and physical health.