Making Caregiving
More Transparent

"My family member’s visa could not be approved, so within one month of my due date we made a last-minute decision to hire a postpartum nanny. Fortunately, we found Auntie Cao in a short time, and she happened to have an available slot. At 39+1, after a difficult labor that turned from vaginal delivery to a C-section, I gave birth to the baby we had been hoping for for many years. Because the baby arrived nearly a week early, Auntie Cao had not yet finished her previous job, so as first-time parents we gritted our teeth and took care of the baby for almost a week. When Auntie Cao arrived, she was truly a lifesaver. As soon as she came, she immediately washed up, changed into home clothes, and took over caring for the baby. In that moment, she gave me the sense of security of someone experienced. That night she helped me with lactation massage, but unfortunately I had already been engorged for three days, and I don’t know whether it was because of my body type, age, or something else, but my milk supply remained very low. Auntie Cao still patiently had me nurse directly for a while each time before bottle-feeding. Auntie Cao is very optimistic and humorous; my favorite thing she says is “ao ao de” 😄. I am quite picky about food, and the dishes she cooked suited my taste well. In my husband’s words: Worth every penny! Later we also hired a local night doula, and by comparison Auntie Cao was still an excellent value, doing the work of two people by herself."

"Xiang’s contact information had already been recommended to me while I was preparing for pregnancy by a new mom who had hired her before. And on the evening after we had a video call, we decided on her without hesitation. The facts proved that this decision was truly very right. As clueless first-time parents, Xiang completely rescued us from a difficult situation. She not only taught us how to handle the baby’s daily care, but also allowed us to rest well without any worries. Also, as a mom who loves food, Xiang cooked different dishes for us almost every week, and based on the dry goods and seasonings already in the kitchen, she could make dishes that suited our tastes even better. It is worth mentioning that Xiang is also very skilled at desserts, to the point that our weight-loss plan completely failed. When we took the baby to see the pediatrician, Xiang thoughtfully packed everything we might need, and in the end we really did use all of it. Also, we did not know much about some baby products and appliances, and Xiang was able to operate them skillfully and guide us in using them. She was also very professional with the baby’s daily care and the occasional minor issues that came up. The thing I am most grateful for is that I may be one of the very rare first-time moms Xiang has encountered who had low breast milk supply but was also very prone to clogged ducts. My family advised me many times to give up, and I doubted myself many times and cried late at night. It was Xiang who firmly stood by my side, helped me think of solutions, cooked water for me that could help my body’s channels flow smoothly, massaged me to help with lactation, and applied warm compresses to my breasts. At the same time, she comforted me and said that no matter what my decision was, she would do everything she could and support me unconditionally! For this, I am truly very, very, very grateful! During the week Xiang was finishing her job with us, she consciously started training us to handle the baby’s daily care so that the baby could transition well. She also steamed many of Xiang’s whole-wheat mantou that we loved very much; they are still in the freezer, and I am even a little reluctant to eat them. In the three days before Xiang left, I was in a state where as soon as I made eye contact with her, my eyes would start to turn red. I really, really could not bear to part with her. We are very fortunate that my baby and I had Xiang’s care during the first two months. The moment we sent her to the car, I broke down emotionally and cried loudly. To be honest, because of work, Xiang spent even more time with me than my partner did. Every late night, it was Xiang who fed the baby while keeping me company as I pumped milk, and she also prepared fruit that was washed and cut for me, afraid that I would be hungry in the middle of the night. She was afraid that I would not wake up and would get clogged ducts again, so in the middle of the night she would also gently say at the bedroom door: “Baby’s mom, time to get up and pump milk~” It was a bit catchy, and also very touching. Thinking back on it now, my nose still stings... Being a postpartum nanny is a job that really drains one’s energy and health. I hope Xiang can also continue to take good care of herself and stay healthy. See you when we have our second baby!"

"I sincerely want to write a good review for Auntie Wu! During my postpartum confinement, thanks to her attentive care, she helped me so much and allowed my baby and me to get through the most difficult stage smoothly. At that time, my breast engorgement was especially severe, and it hurt so much that I couldn’t sleep at all. Auntie Wu’s skills were truly good. Every day she very patiently and carefully helped me massage and clear the blockage, and she also helped me find a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for weaning medication. In just one short week, she successfully helped me stop lactation, which spared me a lot of suffering. During the postpartum confinement period, she was also especially thoughtful in helping me wash my hair and blow it dry. She took extremely thorough care of me, and I felt much fresher overall. What moved me the most was when the baby was going through the difficult second-month fussiness period and was especially hard to soothe. Auntie Wu stayed up holding the baby night after night. Even when she got tired from holding the baby, she would carry the baby up and down the stairs for more than an hour to soothe the baby. Often she could only sleep one or two hours in a night herself. It was truly very hard work, and seeing it really moved me. Auntie is usually very gentle when she speaks, and she handles things with a good sense of propriety and boundaries, making her very comfortable to get along with. Now all of the baby’s indicators are normal, and the baby has been cared for healthily and well. We were truly lucky to meet such a responsible and patient maternity nanny as Auntie Wu. Thank you so much for all her hard work during this time!"