Piccalilys Night Nanny Services

12/08/2021

After a couple of covid years out I am back providing night support for parents with newborn babies +

Here’s a reference from my latest role with baby D….

‘I couldn’t recommend Emma highly enough, she worked to understand our needs well before the birth and immediately bonded with the baby when we were comfortable enough to start the night nannying, she ensured he was well looked after through the night and always gave us updates on his night and any tips for us to help him sleep. Emma came 3 nights per week for 3 months which allowed us to maintain our sanity and energy for the whole family during the day. All babies are different, we know by experience, but it was the first time we had had a night nanny and the first time the baby had slept through the night by 4 months old.’

DM if you would like to find out more

05/07/2019

I have availability in July and August for some ad hoc nights for any parents of newborns/twins or general bad sleepers that are desperate for a good night sleep....message me via my page

Piccalilys Night nanny support for newborn babies and older. Taking over night feeds and advice on r

16/04/2018

Hi guys,

After spending the last 6 months Night nannying for some lovely twins from newborn....I am now available again. Reference from mum to follow (she gave consent to this cute pic) we had forgotten how small they were!

Whether it is long term support or ad hoc nights you’re in need of, the relief from sleep deprivation can have such a huge impact on your day to day wellbeing. Please message for info on availability and rates for 1 baby or twins.

24/10/2016

Re posting a blog I wrote last year, slightly adapted....yes Its that time again! British Summer time is about to officially end....you know what that means!!

Are you dreading the clocks going back? Losing that precious hour in bed in the morning! Your child already wakes at 6am....now it's going to be 5am!

Now I wish I could give you a quick fix but unfortunately it is inevitable...
....But I can give you a few suggestions in ways of dealing with it so it doesn't last for too long:

•Ideally I would suggest to start 'tweaking' your child's sleep time a week before the dreaded clock change....So if bed time is usually 7pm start holding them off for another 15-20 minutes extra the first couple of nights. Then an extra 15-20 minutes the next couple of nights. Continue until they are going to bed nearer 8pm for a couple of nights before the clock change. This should help ease them into sleep that extra hour in the morning.

However if you're reading this too late or for whatever reason you've not been able to 'tweak' your childs sleep then I'd suggest the following:

•If your child usually goes to bed at 7pm, when the clocks change they will seem more tired than usual and be wanting to sleep by 6pm. If you can hold them (older babies and young children more so) then do try and just hold them off as close to the extra hour as possible and they will gradually get used to it.

•but for young babies that's not so easy....now just to explain, I like to refer to slight changes and adaptions to normal routine as 'tweaking'. If they are just too shattered to hold off that extra hour at bedtime...try 'tweaking' each day by 15mins or so each couple of nights until eventually they can hold out that whole extra hour until 7pm.

•If after a couple of weeks (yes unfortunately it could take this long for their little body clocks to adapt) they are still waking at 5am instead of 6am or 6am instead of 7am and they are awake and happy you don't have to get them up and start the day....try to hold off going to them until they are calling for you (crying). Or at least try and hold off feeding them until a time of the morning that you are happy with to start the day.

•Try to avoid feeing your baby back to sleep at 5am (yes it can give you an extra couple of hours but) they will become dependent on it and keep waking at this time for it!

•If you have a toddler that can get out of bed and come and find you and you're happy for them to get into your bed just remind them 'it's not quite morning' so cuddle up for a bit first.

•If you're laughing at the last suggestion (there are honestly some that would) and you know for a fact your child wouldn't get into your bed and settle quietly, it might be worth investing in a special light clock which switches off when it's 'morning time' (you can set this to a time that suits).

I hope this helps and good luck!!

18/10/2016

Do you remember that day you found out you were expecting? That excitment you both felt at the thought of having a baby. The first scan day arrived and you sat nervously in the chair waiting for your name to be called out. In you went and lay on the chair, both anxiously staring at the screen to see that little heart beating! 'Hold on they say....I dont just see one heart beating....congratulations you're expecting twins!' You feel a mixture of relief that theyre ok, excitement at the thought of having your babies....but now also worry! 'How will we cope with two!'

Some may be prepared for this news with it running in the family and you may feel ready and up for the challenge. However i'm sure some of you (and you wouldn't be alone in this) are either in this situation and the reality is kicking in, or you have had your babies and are struggling to keep up with the day and night feeds.

This is where piccalilys can help...with plenty of experience in taking over those night feeds so you can catch up on some much needed rest. This enables you to function so much better in the day. Whether it be ad hoc nights or regular 1-2 nights per week untill they are sleeping through.

Not only can I offfer this respite but also some support and advise on your babies sleeping and feeding routines as your babies get older and may not settled into one naturally.

Please do get in touch if you would like more info on availabilty and costs, private message through my fb link https://www.facebook.com/emmanightnanny/ or my website www.piccalilys.co.uk

Piccalilys Night nanny support for newborn babies and older. Taking over night feeds and advice on r

23/09/2016

After a few months helping some lovely first time parents with their twins I'm about to become available again.....I wanted to show you a snippet of the reference they gave me but it was too lovely to choose which bit so here is the full thing....

'Emma has been coming to help us with our twin sons since they were 3 weeks old. We have left the boys in her sole care overnight in order to allow my husband and I to catch up on some much needed sleep. In short, Emma is brilliant and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone. She is extremely competent and looks after the boys efficiently and with great care and warmth. We are first time parents and she has patiently provided us with a huge amount of extremely sensible advice, which has always been proven to be effective. She also helped us to move the boys to a 4 hourly feeding routine (from not much routine at all) which I can honestly say, as a mother of twins, changed our lives! It is clear that she knows a huge amount about what she does. My husband and I trust Emma implicitly and always have an extremely good night's sleep when she is here. In addition to this, Emma is friendly and kind and a lovely person to have around the house.'

Kirsteen, Hersham

27/07/2016

Other than providing over night support and sleep training implementation, piccalilys also offers a consultation service to support parents in solving their child's sleep issues themselves....here is how I helped one mum do just that.....

'I called on Emma to help with my gorgeous 5 month old who had started to wake at midnight and stay awake for 3-4 hours despite my deploying what I thought was every trick in the book. Emma gave me the confidence and conviction to do what I knew I had to to encourage my daughter to settle. 2am can be a lonely time so it was reassuring to know Emma was there for me and that I had some structure to follow.' Catherine

Message for more details!

28/06/2016

Piccalilys is all booked up for the next few weeks but I've availability from the end of July onwards. Whether it's routine/sleep settling advice or simply some respite from unsettled babies/multiple births. It can be as simple as giving you a night or two off per week to get some much needed sleep, as I helped this mum:

Emma has looked after our 8 month old since he was 5 months old for one or two evenings a week. He has bad reflux and digestive issues and doesn't feed well so relies on being fed overnight. Emma has really listened to us and has kept to whatever feeding schedule we want and has been very good at the balance between self settling and realising when his tummy is uncomfortable and he needs resettling. I would recommend for anyone who wants an experienced helping hand. 'Tamsin'

09/06/2016

Another lovely reference from a mum of a 9 month old I've recently helped....

'Our son woke up a few times during the night and disliked his cot. Emma was very reassuring and supportive. She took over for two nights, settled our son in his cot and helped him sleep through. She also provided advice on sleep training so we could carry it through. We would definitely recommend her!' 'Leila'

24/05/2016

Don't you have a sense of humour?

Is what my 7yr old daughter has been known to say to me....generally I do, however when your child is still playing hide and seek (she's the one hiding by the way, for the tenth time!) at 7.30pm at night and she's supposed to be getting into bed....it's hard to find that funny!

Going right back to when you've first had your baby. You may have had that sense of contentment, you could burst with love (although a little nervous) when you bring that little bundle home. You're happy to be getting up to feed them in the night just so you can see them and cuddle them again. You giggle at those funny gurning faces they make at 1am and that sticky out tongue.

The problem I and I'm sure many would agree, is that when you've been doing those night feeds every 3-4 hours for any more than a week or so in, it's not long before that tiredness kicks in and those little things you found cute and funny....just aren't that funny anymore!

Unfortunately for some this can mean that that sense of humour, you know that thing where you're supposed to be able to laugh it off (believe me it makes life a whole lot easier being a parent when you can) when your baby has just done a huge poo after that 3am feed. Or even some months in when your much older baby, who you're sure is getting enough food and milk in the day, is still waking to be fed/settled more than once a night!

There are many mums that are able to still smile through these times, even with the lack of sleep. They know that at some point, and generally, it will get better. However you're not alone if this is sounding all too familiar and all you want to do is have a good sleep to feel human and find that sense of humour again....

Whether you're due to have a baby (or two), have a newborn already or have a baby that is up frequently due to wind or reflux issues and you could just do with the odd night a week of proper sleep. Or whether your much older baby is still waking more than once in the night and you'd like support in helping him sleep through.....piccalilys can help. 'Like' the fb page for occasional news https://m.facebook.com/emmanightnanny/ and check out the website for blog posts, about me and testimonials www.piccalilys.co.uk

Piccalilys Night nanny support for newborn babies night feeds and advice on routines. Sleep training for older babies with challenging sleeping habits.

04/05/2016

Piccalilys has some availability for evening consultations if you're needing some routine or settling advice....here's some words on how just a half an hour consultation and follow up support has helped one mum previously:

'Emma has an amazing ability to create a routine that is specific to your family! We have a 3 month old who just wouldn't sleep (day or night). After spending half an hour with us, where we told her what normally happens, she created a bespoke routine. Nothing online worked! From the first night of doing the routine she went to sleep at 8pm, only woke once at night and then woke in the morning at 7am. It has all worked so well, she is also napping in the day now, which she never did!'

Send me a message for more details on fees and availability.....