Bringing Baby Home – Sunday Business Post – 7th March 2010

By Lisa Brady

Bringing a baby home is exciting for new parents, but entering the world of parenting is also daunting – with its remit of schedules, sleepless nights and, above all, responsibility for this tiny bundle who is completely dependent on you.

Carol Flynn, managing director of Nanny Solutions (nanny solutions.com), guides new parents in practical planning to make the first few weeks a little easier with a new baby.

A qualified Montessori teacher with over 15 years of experience, Flynn’s Bringing Baby Home course gives advice on what to expect, and how to make this happy but challenging time go as smoothly as possible.

‘‘There are so many issues that new parents stress about – that the baby won’t put on weight, for example – or they won’t understand their baby’s cry,” says Flynn. ‘‘With breastfeeding mums, they usually question if they are feeding correctly. Is the baby getting enough milk, how do they know how much they are getting.”

Flynn says it’s important in the late stages of pregnancy to do your research, but try to keep things in context. For example, it’s not necessary to child-proof your house until the child starts to crawl, but you can ensure that say there is plenty of room in your bedroom for a Moses basket and crib. ‘‘You don’t want to have to be climbing over the baby,” says Flynn. ‘‘Think about what you’ll need straight away – travel systems, sterilisers, Moses basket – get advice on the best models,” she says.

Flynn says that a focus on essentials, as opposed to aesthetics, such as nursery colour schemes, is key. ‘‘A more necessary action is to ensure that you’ve bought the correct travel system – make sure before the baby comes home that it fits in your car, and through your front door,” she says.

Be aware that, as a new mother, you will be exhausted from the birth and lack of sleep, so all equipment – bedding; medicines and nappies, as well as a freezer full of food for parents – should be prepared and on hand for the first few weeks.

There are certain no-nos when it comes to budgeting for a new baby, Flynn says. Other children’s mattresses or car seats should never be used, as shapes have been formed in the structures and germs will still be present on the cloth, leaving the baby susceptible to infection.

Also, if you are making formula, make sure your kettle is new or spotlessly clean internally – an old kettle will have limescale which will make the baby ill. A suitable baby bath is important too, says Flynn. ‘‘Remember, newborns don’t need a bath every day – this takes the oil out of their skin,” she says.

Hygiene is a huge concern with new babies, so ensure that all soothers and bottles are sterilised in a different sink, away from food preparation and dishes. Anti-bacterial gel should be kept at various points in the house, and used before and after changing the baby’s nappy, says Flynn.

Keep in mind that a large number of visitors in the home may result in the baby becoming unsettled or their sleep pattern disturbed, Flynn says. ‘‘After week three, a new mother might find that she needs more help with the baby, especially if she has had a C section, as recovery takes more longer when sleep is disturbed. She should avail of this at night from family and friends, so she can get some sort of decent sleep.”

And after all this, parents should try to make the most of this happy time. ‘‘Most put themselves under pressure to get the baby to settle into a routine quickly and for the baby to do what the book says,” says Flynn.

‘‘Babies settle at their own pace in their own time, so be as relaxed as possible, as babies pick up on anxiety.”

Bringing Baby Home Workshop – An Introduction To Basic Parenting

Parenting comes naturally but it can take time!   An exciting new workshop offering parent’s basic “best practice” advice for their first baby from birth to 6 months. These will be held at three different locations Stillorgan Park Hotel, Stillorgan, Green Isle Hotel, Newlands Cross or the Hilton Hotel, Malahide Road from 10am – 1pm commencing on 10^th April 2010 in the Stillorgan Park Hotel. 

This 3 hour course helps parents “get it right from the beginning” and includes the following:

Information on Baby care- Breast and bottle feeding, nappy changing, winding and bathing incl demonstrations
Sleep – Routines and issues that may arise
Play and Development - The importance of play and what activities to provide for your baby
Baby’s Health
Out and About - Travel Systems and products on the market
Brief Introduction to Childcare Options available in Ireland

Best practices in baby care etc is presented by our Sleeping Training Expert, Teresa Boardman.
Travel Systems and products etc on the market presented by an expert from Murphy’s Nursery Store, Rathcoole.
Introduction to Childcare Options avaiable in Ireland presented by Carol Flynn, Managing Director Nanny Solutions

Cost: €40 per person; €60 per couple

To find out more about “Bringing Baby Home” – Introduction To The Basics – Best practices in baby care/handling and Introduction to Childcare Options log on to www.nannysolutions.com or call 018734364.

Companies inform your employees – Free Lunchtime ‘Childcare Options’ Talk

We are currently running a series of free lunchtime talks in companies across Dublin that will give new Parents and Parents-to-be the information they need about childcare and parenting issues.

We discuss the pro and cons of Au Pairs, Childminders, Nannies and Crèches and the costs of all. We also have a Parenting element to our company where we provide advice on behavioural issues like sleep training, establishing a routine etc.  This is something we can cover at this session too if it’s of interest to your team.

Weaning To Walking Workshops – Prepare For The Next Major Milestone

These will be held at three different locations Stillorgan Park Hotel, Stillorgan, Green Isle Hotel, Newlands Cross or the Hilton Hotel, Malahide Road from 10am – 1pm commencing on May 2010.

“Weaning To Walking” will give parents invaluable advice on subjects including health & development; behaviour; nutrition and weaning as well as an in-depth presentation and discussion on childcare options.

The class will run for 3 hours, fee to attend is €40 per person or €60 per couple.

To find out more about  “Weaning To Walking” – Prepare For The Next Major Milestone log on to www.nannysolutions.com or call 018734364.

Childcare Options Available in Ireland

There are four main Childcare options available in Ireland – Childminders, Au Pairs, Nannies or Crèches. It is advisable to start researching your options at least 12 weeks before your preferred start date. Being 100% happy with your childcare arrangements is essential for peace of mind while you are out of the home.

Child minders:

Who are they? They provide a childcare service in their own home. A child minder may care for up to 5 children under the age of six years. They may have previous experience caring for other people’s children or caring for their own children. Some childminders are registered with Childminding Ireland or other childminding committees. Child minders offer either full time, Monday to Friday or part time – mornings, afternoons, 2 or 3 days per week. The house should be a “home from home” for the child with a warm and caring family environment where safety and hygiene is paramount. The child minder provides suitable educational activities for the child i.e: age appropriate books, educational toys, jigsaws, etc. Some arts and crafts, story time and music time may also be included as part of the weekly routine. Within a diary she may detail the events of the child’s day. In the home the childminder provides a quiet area/room for nap time during the day and the parents should discuss with her what sleeping arrangements are in place, if any. Parents should ensure that the child minder has a suitable car seat for each child and a buggy. Generally, the parents bring all bottles/solid food for the day but some child minders may provide snacks. Most childminders request that the parents provide a supply of nappies and wipes, etc.

Qualifications: It is not essential for a childminder to have Childcare qualifications. They may have gained practical “hands on” experience caring for their own children or children from other families. A childminder may decide to complete a Childcare course – FETAC Level 5 or Level 6 or a Montessori Teaching Certificate or Diploma – FETAC Level 5 or Level 6 or equivalent. However, it more common that they would complete one day workshops on children’s Nutrition, Arts and Crafts, Behaviour management, Play and development, Introduction to Paediatric First Aid and many more. These courses are run through the IPPA (the Early Childhood Organisation) and Barnardos. There is also the option of obtaining Garda Vetting through Barnardos

Costs: Child minders are self employed. The costs are generally €40 – €65 per day, per child. This depends on the child minders previous experience, relevant qualifications and the working hours required.

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Sunday Business Post, June 07 2009

By Martha Kearns

Carol Flynn doesn’t have to look far to find her entrepreneurial roots. The managing director of Nanny Solutions is the third generation of female entrepreneurs – and her offices are in the same Georgian building where her great grandmother and grandmother ran their auction business.

The 34-year-old, from Terenure in Dublin, qualified as a Montessori teacher in the early 1990sandworked as a Montessori teacher for seven years before gaining experience as a recruitment consultant. In 2002, she struck out on her own and set up Nanny Solutions.

‘‘Setting up businesses has always been in my family and there was always a part of me that wanted to do that,” said Flynn.

The company provides a number of services, including placing professional career nannies in homes, providing night nurses and sleep training. Sleep training, which involves a maternity nurse coming to the home for up to three nights to help parents deal with problems such as sleep disruption or behavioural issues, is becoming extremely popular.

All of the nannies on the company’s books have childcare qualifications and at least two years’ full-time experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Under the Radar – Interview: Peter Cluskey, The Irish Times

It’s a sign of the tough economic times that families who 12 months ago might have been hiring their own nannies are now opting for nanny-sharing – dividing the cost of their children’s dedicated “Mary Poppins” with neighbours or friends.

“Nanny-sharing is certainly an area we’re finding more demand for and expanding this year because of the way the economy has gone”, says Carol Flynn (34), founder and managing director of Nanny Solutions, which she set up almost seven years ago. Read the rest of this entry »