Merle P.

It is with great pleasure that I would recommend Merle P. as a baby nurse. Merle P. worked as a baby nurse for our second son from September 2011 December 2011. Merle was originally scheduled to work with my family for 8 weeks and we extended her stay an additional 4 weeks. If we could have we would have kept her in our home forever! Merle is the second baby nurse our family has used. We used a baby nurse when our first son, now 4 years old, was born. Our experience with Merle far surpassed our experiences with our previous baby nurse. This is not to say that our previous baby nurse was not good. This is simply to say that Merle was phenomenal. Merle came into our home the same day that we brought our son home from the hospital. One of the most prominent memories I have of Merle is the ease at which she came into our home. Coming home from the hospital is obviously an emotional time full of joy, excitement, as well as nervousness about how the new addition will impact the current dynamics of the family. Merle came into our home that evening with such an air of confidence and ease that it immediately relaxed our entire family. We felt as if she was not only here to care for our newborn son but also our family as a whole! Merle worked for us on a 24/7 schedule. She was with our son constantly and developed an amazing bond and attachment with him. She is naturally gifted with newborns. Her extensive work history with newborns coupled with her natural talent makes her ability to care for and read newborn cues truly superb. I never for one second questioned her ability to care for every need my son might have. She was constantly one step ahead of whatever it was he needed as far as a feeding, changing, gas relief, sleep or even a problem with a clogged tear duct. Merle was able to help get our son on a more predictable schedule and was even able work this schedule around our family routine. Our son was diagnosed with acid reflux and prior to his being put on medication could be quite challenging in terms of sleep (for weeks only sleeping for 1 hour clips all through the night and day). Merle remained steadfast in her ability to manage his care despite herself getting such limited and broken sleep. She also remained loving and kind at all times, never becoming frustrated by his constant crying and fussiness. That level of calmness and lack of frustration is hard enough to maintain for a parent of a fussy newborn, let alone a non-family member of the newborn. Merle took care of our son as if he were her own. Showing him love at all moments. She would talk to him, play with him, and cuddle him. Merle s work is not simply a job for her. Merle loves her work with babies. It seems our baby could pick up on this affection, as he loved Merle in return. He would often strain his head just to see her if he heard her voice. In addition to her expertise in caring our newborn, Merle was also gifted in caring for our family. First, she was always nonjudgmental and very easy to be around in the home. Merle knew how to be in the home and interact with our family but also knew when to give us our space or time alone. Secondly, Merle was able to interact extremely well with our older year old son. I was concerned that it would be confusing enough for him to have a new baby in the home, let alone a new baby and a new adult living in the home! Merle connected with our older son to the point that he talks about her as part of our family! She treated him with warmth and gave him the attention he needed during this transitional period. Finally, Merle was always clean and neat and moved seamlessly around our home. We recommend Merle without any hesitation and hold her in the highest regard. We would recommend her to our closest family members and friends and of course, would use her again ourselves.

Merle was a lifesaver for our family! She was our night nurse for a few months and worked seven days a week. We had other nurses come in and help before her, but she was excellent with our daughter, so we hired her full time. Our daughter was a terrible sleeper and she helped us teach her how to self soothe, get on a schedule, eventually weaned off of night feedings, etc. She offered tons of great advice as well. We couldn't have done it without her! Shannon G.

It was a real pleasure to have Merle employed as a full-time baby nurse in 2009. Merle came to me as a trained baby nurse with CPR certification and excellent references. She has great enthusiasm for her work and is very knowledgeable in the care of newborns. Merle was an enormous help with my twins for their first 6 months. From feeding, diapering, and bathing, to baby laundry and bottle preparation, Merle always carried out her duties with diligence, care, and efficiency. Over time, she also naturally adjusted herself to the evolving needs and patterns of two growing babies, talking to them and playing with them as they increasingly began to perceive and interact with the world around them. Merle also helped me as a new mother to learn how to best care for my babies and understand their needs. And perhaps most important is the love, warmth, and sound judgment Merle always showed in caring for them. It was a real comfort for me to know that I had someone like Merle to help care for my babies, and I always felt very safe leaving them in her hands when I had to go out for the day. As a person, Merle is wonderful to have around. She has a cheerful personality and is open, honest, and easy to talk to. She is also a great listener, takes directions well, and carries them out diligently. Her experience working in many different households has made her sensitive to the unique needs and patterns of each family. She is truly a professional in her field and I recommend her as a baby nurse for any family with great enthusiasm!