Confinement nannies in Australia: cost and how to hire

In the tradition, the confinement month runs on the labour of the extended family. Where that family is overseas, a confinement nanny is the closest replacement: someone experienced who comes into the home to cook, care for the baby and let the mother rest. In Australia they are sought after, expensive, and worth understanding before you commit.

What a confinement nanny does

A confinement nanny, or pui yuet, is a specialist rather than a general nanny. For the month they typically:

• cook the confinement meals and daily soups,
• take on overnight newborn care and feeds so the mother can sleep,
• support breastfeeding and settling,
• and handle the cooking, washing and household jobs the tradition keeps the mother away from.

The point of the role is the same as the point of the whole month: to let the new mother do almost nothing but recover.

What they cost

Confinement nannies are not cheap, and prices have climbed. Recent Australian rates sit around 260 to 320 dollars a day, which is roughly 1,800 to 2,200 dollars a week and can reach 8,000 to 9,000 dollars for a full month of live-in care. Reporting has noted rises of around 50 per cent since before the pandemic, along with genuine shortages of experienced carers, especially in the larger cities. Rates vary with the city, the nanny’s experience, and whether the role is live-in or daily.

Finding and vetting one

Because good nannies book out early, start looking well before the due date. Most families find them through Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean community networks, word of mouth, and specialist agencies. Before you commit:

• Follow up references from families the nanny has recently worked with.
• Confirm the right to work in Australia.
• Check training such as first aid and newborn care.
• Agree everything in writing: live-in or daily hours, duties, meals, days off, and pay.
• Meet in person and be clear about language and expectations; the nanny will be living closely with you at an intense time.

If a nanny is out of reach

A full-time confinement nanny is beyond many budgets, and there are ways to cover parts of what they do:

• A postpartum doula or maternity nurse by the hour or night. Maternity nurse fees commonly run around 45 to 90 dollars an hour, with live-in rates higher.
• Meal and soup delivery to take the relentless cooking off everyone’s hands; see confinement meal delivery and soup packages.
• A clear plan for your partner and any family who can visit, so the household jobs are covered even without paid help.

You do not need every part of the traditional support to do confinement well. Work out what matters most to you, rest first of all, and build the help around that.

For how this fits the wider picture of doing confinement here, see confinement in Australia.