Our Twins' Night Nanny Saved Our Lives

No, our twins’ night nanny didn’t physically save our lives with CPR, but it sure felt like she did! If I could offer any new mother of multiples only one piece of advice, it would be this: Get a night nanny.

When I gave birth to my boy/girl twins in October 2017, my husband (Rob) and I were in for a rude awakening. We had no idea what we were doing with multiples! The first night home from the hospital with the twins felt like the beginning of a terrible, chaotic nightmare.

The first 2 weeks were filled with surround sound crying, simultaneous feeds every 2 hours, double the diaper changes, bottle cleaning around-the-clock, and a few curse words here and there. This regimen was beyond your normal interpretation of the word “intense.” As new parents to multiples, our patience for anything became paper-thin and stress was soaking into our cores like a sponge. And what happens when you add sleepless nights on top of it all? You don’t want to know.

Cue the night nanny!

When my in-laws first suggested we get a night nanny, I was against it. Our twins were only a couple of weeks old. They were too young to be left with anyone else, right? I felt scared to leave my adorable duo with anyone other than my husband. I felt bothered by the mere thought of a stranger in my house at night. I felt I would carry guilt by sleeping instead of “working” the nightshift. And most of all, it’s not cheap (you can expect to pay $30-$45/hour at night for twins depending on the nanny's experience level and certifications). Was this nightmare the right of passage that all twin parents needed to go through?

A few more days passed until I finally waved my white flag in the air (with what energy I had left). The insomnia had forced my resignation when the twins were ~2 weeks old. We decided to get a nanny for 4 nights per week for about 4 months (until the twins would likely be sleeping through the night).

Through mutual friends, we found a twin nanny “hunting” service to assist us along the way. The owner of the service met with us at our home to meet the twins and to help determine our needs. Rob and I reviewed résumés and interviewed several nannies until finally we found the right one. As soon as she arrived for her interview, she immediately went to the kitchen to wash her hands and wasn’t afraid to ask to hold the babies. Not to mention, she had previous experience taking care of several sets of twins and is a mother herself. All of this led us to choose her.

We kept her for the first 4 months. The sleep was glorious! I felt better rested and the stress from before was starting to leak out of our systems. While it took me a couple of nights to feel comfortable with her, I could finally  “disconnect” with ease from 8PM-6AM without any worries on the nights she came. Her knock on the front door each evening was angelic. When I woke in the mornings, I went to the nursery to find two soundly sleeping babies with full tummies. I still had my moments of exhaustion as I cared for the babies during the daytime by myself, though they were far less severe than before. I found myself having more energy to play, read, and simply interact with the kids. Having a night nanny and good rest allowed me to more fully appreciate this unforgettable time with the babies. Most importantly, I felt more “present” with them. Thankfully, we found a healthy way to survive twin newbornhood.

Ultimately, every family is different with disparate needs. This may not be for you, and that’s okay. However, if you’re a new twin parent (or about to be), and you’re toggling back and forth with the idea of getting a night nanny, then I leave you with these 3 words: GO FOR IT!

Photo by: Paige Walker Photography