Home help?

[catbox]

We have no family/relatives who can help us after the birth. :( We are thinking of getting someone to help with either food, cleaning, or other stuff, for at least the 1st month or so. But scared about trusting a stranger in the home when we're so vulnerable.:freakingout:

Who/WHat/Where can we find someone to help with things?

[themissingpiece]

Sorry can't help, but bump.

[TeamAwesome]

where are you? If you're on the sunshine coast give Mother's helping hand a call, Tina the owner is just lovely. :)

[Windupbird]

Dial an angel operates in a few different areas and could help with all those things. I've found them to be very good for personal care, but a bit pricey. They do offer a 'mother's helper' option that is cheaper than some of their other options.

Non-agency is usually cheaper, but I'd definitely go by personal recommendations - found my housecleaner through colleagues at work so I knew he had been cleaning several people's places for years with no problems.

Some doulas offer post-natal services to help out specifically with the things you've mentioned.

I've found easy and quite fresh meals from high-end groceries (Thomas Dux, etc) that are cheaper than takeaway or paying for someone to come over and cook for you. Online ordering from Coles/Woolies can be helpful too.

(DH and I have had 3 big surgeries between us in the past year with no local family support, so have explored many options.)

Good luck!

[catbox]

I'm in Sydney, city of expensive everything. Been trying to get recommendations but everyone we know had family and didn't hire help. DW is very picky (even before the pregnancy) so food will be a problem. I can go do coles stuff, but chances are she will refuse to eat anything premade. And I usually take about 2hrs to cook a simple meal, that's before the cleaning etc!

[Windupbird]

Though Sydney can be pricey, you have a lot of choice for solutions to all the things you mentioned. I'm Eastern Suburbs and will probably use Dial an Angel and my doula for support at the start. They both offer cooking/shopping/tidying/babyminding services. I'm usually considered a picky eater myself and have found a few things that I like at Parisi's in Rose Bay and Thomas Dux in Paddington amongst others (just don't try new foods first trimester... that's bound to fail).

Good luck!

[giveitago]

What part of Sydney. I know a wonderful cleaner, reasonably priced.


**** I can spell, honestly! It's my iPhone's fault ****

[NancyBlackett]

If you'rein Sydney also check out Gourmet Dinner Service. Lovely homemade meals delivered. Bliss.

[catbox]

Thanks for all the tips, I'll give them all a look. I'm out homebush way, in a unit so more than house cleaning there's dishes, laundry (i hear babies make more laundrythan we would together!)
Where do you get a doula from?

[Windupbird]

If you'rein Sydney also check out Gourmet Dinner Service. Lovely homemade meals delivered. Bliss.

Yum - thanks LucyB. I'm going to try that out!

[NancyBlackett]

It's really good and oh so handy when you don't have time to cook and freeze meals yourself.

[Windupbird]

Hey Lucy,

I was just about to put in an order for Gourmet Dinners and saw that whoever referred me gets a $30 meal for two. If you want to PM me your first/last name and email address later tonight I don't mind waiting till tomorrow to put in my order (but also completely understand if you'd rather not give out those details). I'll just go ahead and put in my order tomorrow unless I hear from you. Thanks again :)

[NancyBlackett]

Oh I'm so sorry I completely missed this! I would have otherwise :)

Hope you enjoyed it?

[Windupbird]

They're so nice, they would probably still accept it - would be more than happy to try. It's been great! Ordered just a few things last week to try them out and everything was so good that I just got a freezer full delivered this afternoon. You've done us a huge favour - many thanks :)