miaon,
I hv talked to the CL but she always not free to come out collect the deposit from me. she said she will come at apr and meet me for deposit.
for my last CL she asking for $300 deposit, this CL she asking for $200, so it's not fix one, depends on the CL, some even dont want deposit one. but heard from my colleagues her CL no need deposit one then recently economy bad, that poor CL received a lot calls cancle the booking since no deposit so very easy to break the promise.
For my last CL I hv no experience, so only asking her like what to buy(those chinese medicine, need to buy b4 u give birth), and what she normally do, and if cooking for extra person any extra charge or not, will she wash cloth for my hubby too. but at the end my mum is here, so got one more person, that CL not happy said she supposed to cook for me and at most for my hubby, but at the end my IL and my mum both eat her cooking, so request big angpow, I gave her $200 when she leave, asked my colleauges they normaly give less than $50 only.
and this time round we hv #1, if u hv ppl take care #1 then should be fine, else u need to ask if she minds to help take care #1 or not, some may request to pay extra $$.also need to asking her what kind of food she normally cook ,see if it suit yr taste, and things like if she will take care bb at night,if she pro breast feeding.my last CL though she said she pro breast feeding, but she insist bb sleep with her at night and let me pump but not latch on at night, my gal refused my nipple already at day time, plus night time no latch too, so almost the whole fist month I hv to pump and no latch on, then only after she left, and I force my gal to latch on, then only successful reduced the FM intake.