Making Caregiving
More Transparent

"As a first-time mom, this was my first time hiring a postpartum nanny, and I didn’t have a recommendation from someone I knew. I’m very glad we chose Auntie Lu at the time. She really likes children, is very patient with the baby, and happily “chats” with the baby. She is good at soothing a fussy baby. During the “second-month fussiness” period, the baby often didn’t sleep well, and Auntie would often hold the baby to sleep. Luckily, we hired a yuesao for 52 days, which helped us get through that difficult “second-month fussiness” stage. Auntie Lu got along well with my family and made things feel relaxed and comfortable. She is easy to get along with, easygoing, and not picky. She and my mom are around the same age, and the two of them chatted like friends and went out to buy groceries together. Auntie is good at making nourishing soups and Chinese herbal food therapy. The braised golden pomfret, taro pork rib soup, Hakka salted chicken, and apple millet porridge she made were all delicious. She cooks very efficiently. When she was cooking, my family and I would take care of the baby. Auntie Lu would boil mugwort water for the postpartum mother to wash her hair and bathe for a period after giving birth, which felt very comfortable. Her approach to handling clogged milk ducts was also very scientific. During my first three weeks of breastfeeding, I kept getting hard lumps in the same spot on one side, and I was very worried it would develop into mastitis. Auntie Lu’s recommendation, as well as the latest research I found myself, both suggested cold compresses rather than hot compresses, and that massage is not necessary. The latest research shows that clogged ducts are a sign of inflammation in the body. To reduce inflammation, you need cold compresses and more sleep; you can consider taking ibuprofen, and you should not overstimulate the breasts (no need to pump extra to fully empty the breast). You can nurse directly more often and take lecithin as well. Auntie Lu has a gentle lactation massage technique that can help remove hard lumps. My personal feeling is that lactation massage is not essential for reducing inflammation and can be done occasionally depending on the situation. A little bit of experience to share with other first-time moms: if you plan to breastfeed by bottle-feeding pumped milk or do mixed feeding, I recommend becoming familiar with how to use your breast pump before giving birth and choosing a hands-free bra in advance. I went into labor early, and only started researching all the pump-related items and tools after giving birth, which made the already exhausting postpartum period even more tiring and frustrating. While you are in the hospital after giving birth, I recommend learning more newborn care skills and breastfeeding skills from the nurses and lactation consultants. If you have specific preferences about feeding methods (for example, trying not to waste breast milk while being more flexible with formula), I suggest communicating clearly with the nanny in advance."

"Thank you, older sister, for taking such thoughtful care of our whole family during this period. From the time the baby was born until now, you not only helped us care for the baby with your professionalism and experience, but also accompanied our family through this important and busy stage of life with patience and love. A few days ago I came across a Xiaohongshu post that put it so well: it turns out a maternity matron is a baby’s first goodbye in life. My baby still doesn’t know how to say goodbye to the first friend in life, an auntie who is both unfamiliar and familiar, familiar yet unfamiliar. Meeting is a kind of fate. These twenty-some days were both short and long. At first I hadn’t planned to hire a maternity matron because I had seen so many posts about yuesaos mistreating babies. But on the first day you arrived, I felt like I had seen a savior, and from the very first glance I knew I wanted to sign with you. Everything happened so naturally, so naturally that I tell everyone around me: if this is your first baby, if you don’t know how to raise a child, the experience from books and online is not as good as hiring a maternity matron. Why? Because in that first month, she is the medicine that keeps you going and the strategist in the middle of the chaos. I like your professionalism, I like the meat patties you made and every meal, I like your sense of boundaries, and I like how you had my back when the baby was crying wildly. May we meet again in the future; we’ll see you again when we have our second baby."

"I highly recommend Yan Wen as a postpartum doula. Her expertise in both infant care and postpartum recovery made an incredible difference during the early weeks with my baby after recovering from c-section. She is exceptionally knowledgeable, patient, and gentle when caring for newborns. I always felt confident knowing my baby was in her hands because she was extremely careful, attentive, and nurturing. She also took the time to teach me essential newborn care skills, including how to give a sponge bath, properly burp the baby, practice tummy time, and perform exercises to help relieve gas and discomfort. She is also a wonderful cook and prepared nourishing meals that supported my recovery and breastfeeding. Initially I had to supplement breastfeeding with formula and was able to build my milk supply to fully breastfeed in about a week. Her combination of knowledge, hands-on support, and genuine care made the postpartum period much smoother and less overwhelming for me and my husband. I am deeply grateful for her help and would wholeheartedly recommend her to any family looking for a skilled, compassionate, and dependable postpartum doula."