Confinement Lady To Recommend

can someone oso enlightened mi if we need to pay deposit to the CL and oso do we need to give angbao to the CL after they finish?

thks

 


Hi



Sherlyn06, some confinement lady doesn't mind but others do. You can try asking her to see her reaction or even order porridge for your lunch.



Starfruit12, people normally give when they arrive and on the last day but no need to give "big" one.

 
I understand that some CLs will charge extra if there's an older kid at home but what's the mkt rate(the extra).

Also, will they charge lesser if there's a maid at home? 'cos if there is, then basically her work is alot alot lessen.

 
mum05,

engaged one with standard price and u need not worry about charging extra and the grey areas when engaging a freelancer... or she asking for more ang pow

p.s. i know the CL of my neighbour asked for ang pow from each family members during the bb's full mth celebration behind her back!!!



Just be careful in engaging from freelance... they are afterall still a stranger in your household.

 
Oh sparks, got yr email, thks.



The thing is, the CL I've engaged for my 1st child was thru an agency, can't rem its name but it's some ' - care' also. Must go check again.

But it was disastrous! My confinement period was to cross over the CNY, that's why we booked the CL many months ahead and whilst she's here, I overheard her telephone conversation that she seemed to want to go for a trip!



After that phone call, she began to find faults and pushed the blame to me! I don't take much traditional confinement food due to my gastric prob history(and advised by a renowned ch physician to avoid taking Ju Jiao Chu), she also complained. Geez, I wld hv tot it's easier job for her...



She said she wants to go marketing for me everyday 'cos it's a chance for her to have coffee/breakfast/break outside, we said it's ok if she's fine with it, but she later complained that it's troublesome and she always left our doors unlocked when she went out.



She wiped my child's face at the end of the bath and yet she claimed to be professionally trained by TMC - we all know that we have to wipe the baby's face first!



She wld even tell me stories of husbands cheating behind women during their confinement period, geez! I told the agent later that good thing I ddn't heed her 'stories' too much, else I might become paranoid and dev post-natal blues.



She complained that my baby's hard to handle - cos she woke up at nite for feed?!!! And she's not happy that she has to follow us to the hospital for the baby's follow-up check - she even told me at the clinic that she WILL NOT go in with the baby 'cos she can't bear to see what they were going to do to the baby, OMG! It was only a routine hearing check, why make it sound so terrible?!



Many more unpleasant things happened thereafter and on the day she left, I didn't even dare leave my bedroom to look at my baby, an act I always did the 1st thing I get up from bed(I have the right to look at my baby rite?), for fear that she might ill-treat her. Finally, my hubby decided to juz let her go since her heart's not to stay-on for the rest of the period and I was left alone. There wasn't a replacement arranged by the agent 'cos she claimed that she doesn't hv anyone who can work during the CNY week. Then what? We're left on our own? Good thing my hubby was home with me the entire week before we finally got help from my sis' friend who used to be a day-time CL(pity she's not doing confinement work now...)



The CL claimed to be in her early 50s, but she told us later that she's in her late 50s. She's a local and a Christian.



During my earlier telephone conversation and during the interview, the agent told us that there's no agency fee involved but we found out later from the CL that there was. The fees for the CL was also ex(given that it was almost 6 yrs ago) - it was S$2k for normal period and S$2,500 + compulsory S$200 angpao for the CNY period. She even got the cheek to DEMAND for her taxi-fare home on the day she left!



This time round, we're getting a maid, reason mainly to help me pack('cos we're moving home) and help out with the chores during the last months of my current pregnancy. Now, we're wondering if we shld get a CL - pay full price and yet, most of the work wld be done by the maid. There're only me, my hub and my elder girl who's almost 6yo and rather independant,plus we have a maid to take care of all the chores.

 
And oh, if I rem correctly, that time the CL/agent did tell me that there wld be an additional charge of S$500 if there's an older kid at home...

 
Wahhh.... what an ordeal!!! I think no mum doing confinement deserve to be in yr situation! An additional charge of S$500 is ridiculous!!!



I guess the confinement agency is named: Confinement Care. Now it's called GPLS. Maybe some mummy can penned down their experiences with nanny in GPLS??? Personally, i also find them having integrity issue too. Previously, saw some discussion and bad comments abt them but very soon all discussion threads were deleted!!! Perhaps, i could tell you more over email....

 
oh no no, sparks. it's not Confinement Care/GPLS. It's '__ - care'...



Initially I'm thinking of hiring a nurse for home-visits to teach/guide the maid on baby handling but now, I'm re-considering to get another CL but still skeptical if history might repeat itself...



ya the addnl S$500 is indeed too much, in fact, there're many(incl those via agents) whom still charge extra if there're older kids or even other extended family members are ard. I think it's rather fair(of cos not 500/pax la!) but ironically, they don't reduce their fee when there's a maid in the family whom will relieve them of the chores...

 
mum05,

I think six yrs ago there were few agencies only that's why I guess it's Confinement Care. But I still think additional $500 is too much lor... Mayb letting yr maid go thru some infant handling courses can help you during yr confinement days... N can help u after confinement too. No need to worry abt strangers anymore... [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
Ladies I probably may let go my confinement lady cos my parent haven decide when to move out. They may do for time if my bro hse not ready yet,



if I let go, do u tik you have any one who want her? I paid deposit Liao but I can tell her not to forgeit my $, use it as the next replacement n the replacement pay me back

 
Hi Linda,



you want to tell us more abt your CL?



Ladies, using aunty irene, can tell me more...I would like to noe more abt her...

 
Hey Mum05



Are you talking about i-kare? Cos' that was the confinement agency i recently talked to, have not decided...pls advise



And what's the name of the agent and confinement lady?



Need urgently.



Thanks.

 
Oh no sunglow, it's definitely not i-kare. It's I-Care (not MOM registered)!



I've engaged nanny fr i-kare myself....my nanny was Mei Hua n my sis's was Yuhua. They r ethical n nannies were of pro-level.... At least, I've seen it myself n my neighbor too engaged nanny Aili fr them thru my recommendation too.

 
Hi Sparks...



I was thinking of engaging i-kare too, but i wana see more recommendation lst....can share more with me...



currently im left with CL Yuhua, Yuzhen, Amy n yingzhen, did you pay for the work permit as told?

 
Usagibb,

What can I say abt I-kare? Juz thumbs up...! B'cos for every recommendation I refer, they didn't let me down on their promises... I Muz say I'm also initially quite skeptical in doing recommendations.... I'm afraid 'what if' the nanny is not good n the mummy might come back to me abt it... Now, I'm more confident to refer n had no qualms to recommend as the agency's integrity stands....



Getting a Work permit just gives me a peace of mind.... At least I know I'm not employing any illegal worker.

 
Hi Sparks



Thanks for clearing...so worried...



So you met up with the May Chua from i-kare? She said she was a lactation consultant from KK...Did you take up the herbal package? SGD500+, worth it? I cannot remember how much I paid for the 1st baby I had....



May Chua recommended Zhenjie...heard of her? Is she good?



Thanks.

 
Sunglow,

I know she's no longer w KK.... When i saw her at 2008 & again in 2010. As for the herb package... I find it expensive but end up paying nearly $820 for the it (I think the medical hall boss was dishonest at tat time) n we were pushed to get more expensive herbs too much a qty. But my Sis gotten their package n it's actually quite a complete set. This made me regret n I will not patronize that medical hall again!



I heard of Zhen Jie.... But not too well. If you hv doubts you could ask for referrals of Zhen Jie's employer. I'm sure May will not deny yr request.

 
Hi Sparks...thanks so much for your words, its really assuring for me, especially...haha



I tok to May thru email and she's gvn me few choices, which now i duno who shld I choose...



CL Yuhua, Yuzhen, Amy n yingzhen....since your sis used aunty Yuhua before....whats her comments on her? maybe I will choose aunty Yuhua too...Mei Hua alrdy taken up by another mummy in June who she recommend me this agency de....



thanks so much

 
Hi Sparks, sorry, forget to ask you one more qns...you pay the balance on the first day the CL reach your place?

 
icic....anyway i ask May to reserve aunty Yuhua for me...hehe....then told her if I confirm using her service, I will get this CL...keke



Ur Sis feel aunty Yuhua okay?

 
Hi mummies



Just curious....apparently the confinement agency does not charge very high compared to the freelance confinement ladies, some even slightly cheaper, if the confinement ladies under the agency are really that good, why would they not become a freelancer and obtain all the fee? Why would they still stay with the agency and get less?

 
Sunglow,

Freelancers nannies doesn't seem to hv consistent assignments..... Whereas, following the agency would at least hv a stable source of income.... I hope this answer to yr queries.....



p.s. Not all nannies from agencies are good.... It also depends which agency you are dealing with and the agency's terms & conditions matters too...

 
Sunglow,

Agreed w Pac. As a mummy.. I would agree that engaging fr an agency is safer as their nannies would get all the experience when compared to a freelancer.... And I would be assured of replacement option which is hard to have when engaging a freelancers. Another point is, the chances of freelancers backing out the last minute is very high too.



But it would all make a difference especially when the agency themselves don't know their nannies well!

 
Hello mummies,



Was wondering if anyone has got any good CL to recommend?



I am due in May 2011. I know is kinda of late to ask now. But really hope to find a good one.



Thanks alot. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
Hi mummies



Can I know what much does Auntie Irene charge for confinement this year? Does she request that you pay for her 1st taxi fare to your house? Thanks.

 
Becareful of antie Irene, I am not trying to smash her ricebowl, but take all recommendations with a pinch of salt. This is the link for my review of AUntie irene

M'sia - +60168029823

singapore number 81486751



Dishonest, like to talk on HP, spend more time than me on blackberry, very fierce, scould my wife , she cry like almost everyday. The best thing we never even scould her . It is like i scould my boss everyday even he is my pay master. Maybe i should try scoulding my boss after i go back to work.



http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/messages/3877999/5099671.html?1297391316

 
I am oso beginning to suspect something is wrong with auntie irene, i've paid deposit to her 4 mths back to book her in end apr....end up i keep seeing pple here mge to get her for this period too and there are oso pms i;ve recd that they can engage her for the same timing......



i have been trying to get her.....anyone can get her?

 
calling all mummies engaging auntie irene!!!



i've just called her and she told me she's doing my confinement. i sugguest those that have paid her deposit, pls add your name to the list and we see how many EDDs actually clashes.....we hope its nt a con case.....



from wat i know she has another 1 sister and 1 fren doing the rotation, so if she is unavail, her fren/sis will come etc...



pls add on to the list if u have paid:



1) Sh... paid $400 deposit in Oct10, EDD 27apr11, just called her she say she's the one doing my confinement



2)


 
she is always on the phone, maybe she is busy chatting ?? i dont know.....she can hold her HP on the right hand, left hand holding the ladle for cooking and tell my wife "My sister doing confinement for another couple , she on the 4th day can pump 250ml of breast milk liao. U leh?? of course my wife hear liao go to the room to cry right?? then who get it? the husband also right?? this is nonsense. super insensitive, i dont go up to my boss and say " eh you look short and stupid right? althought i feel that way....she got super LOW EQ.......



when i tell her to leave, she told me tomorrow she just got a new assignment, whether true a not i dont know. I guess she is just so hyped up and overated or maybe she used reverse psychology giving the impression she is so sought after that she can manipulate the poor mothers. Or maybe those posts are created by antie IRENE herself or by her friends?



She told me that she dont know how to book airticket from sabah to singapore and tell me to book. IF she dont know then how come she knows AIRASIA got promotion and she knows the exact timing. The more i think back the more loopholes i find.



Anyway i dont want to sound petty but i guess mothers here find comfort when their confinement lady is recommended by another pier mother. But online accessments and recommendations can be bias . I tell you i am not a picky person but i cannot stand dishonest and people with attitude problem. She has such a big ego that she thinks she has so many jobs! if she is that great stay in malaysia lah, why come here to earn our singapore dollars!



This is just my 2 cents worth. Maybe it is just bad experience on my part. For those mothers who have engaged her for your confinement , i just hope that it will go well for you. I just hope that you do not have a big ego and able to take criticism. Even my maid just complained about her. She told my maid " you are just a maid ok, i am not suppose to eat what you eat.." what the %^$#? even i eat what the maid eat , who does she think she is?



Anyway i wont be bitching about this unfortunate event anymore, i am just bored and frustrated, nanny take out on wife, WIFE TAKE OUT ON husband, Husband take out on KEYBOARD!



I hope all mothers all their best in their pregnancy and confinement, being a mother is really not easy seeing what my wife goes through, the body , emotional changes etc, no point stressing out over some inconsequential person who is going to spent the most 2 months of your life. Mummy must be HAPPY at all times and remember your husbands will be there to help you when you need. Happy lunar new year to all , mothers , newborns, and babies yet to be born! CHEERS to all and have a good rabbit year

 
Kokomi, thanks for your review. I spoke to her yesterday that I need a confinement lady for end May and she said ok. She called me a lot of times this morning but I miss her call and in the end, her friend called. Wanted to meet me tomorrow to get her deposit. I am so glad I saw your review. Don't think I will engage her service now.



Here's any updated list

pls add on to the list if u have paid:



1) Sh... paid $400 deposit in Oct10, EDD 27apr11, just called her she say she's the one doing my confinement



2) Chewwy.. just confirmed date. EDD end May. Have not pay her yet

 
Btw she just left my place this morning.....ard 10 to 11 i think...if you mentioned that she called you this morning numerous times, i presume she was doing it during her work here, ....i REST MY CASE..(she told me she got no lack of cases and she was fully booked the whole year when she left , that if she dont work for me she can easily get work elsewhere) hmmmm i guess she was lying? or just trying to play the act tough card?...btw i am not trying to get back at what she did i am way pass that but i do not want people to go through what i went through. Although confinement maids are not regulated like other professions eg: lawyer, accountants, architects etc with a code of ethics and regulations, they show at least show a decent level of professionalism. I applaud this forum for allowing all mothers to come together to share information esp confinement maids which is a poorly regulated YET expensive service . How to we seek RECOURSE if our confinement maid is not up to standard? The only thing we can do is just sack her right and worst we still need to pay her in fact in early termination we may need to compensate her in our case. So actually we are rewarding BAD WORK! If we sack her then we are stucked with a catch 22 situation of not having an extra set of hands to help ard , if we dont , we have to live with her attitude and abuse? AS singaporean parents we are at the mercy at these so called confinement ladies.



I hope my review has not in anyway influenced your impressions on confinement maids. I am sure there are many CL out there that have changed the lives of many mothers but sad to say not in my case. I wish you a happy pregnancy and hope you find a CL who will exceed your expectations. if you do pls share it here. CHeers

 
Hi kokomi,



Thanks for your review here.



Before I read your review, I have called auntie Irene as well and I told her that I am due ard near to mid-May. She said she can the confinement for me.



Her charges was $2.1k and I asked her if she can cook for my dad and she said she will charge additional $100. Then I asked her, what will u eat then? Followed what I eat? She told me that she can just eat a bowl of rice with an egg.



Oh my! I was thinking dun tell me she dun need to eat meh? I am not asking her to go marketing ley, I told her my dad will do the marketing. She can just cook extra rice and maybe 1 more dish and she can eat also mah?



Haiz... I dunno lah... find that why the need to charge extra $100.



Others I spoke to, say they dun mind cooking extra dishes and didnt ask for additional $ ley



Here's any updated list

pls add on to the list if u have paid:



1) Sh... paid $400 deposit in Oct10, EDD 27apr11, just called her she say she's the one doing my confinement



2) Chewwy.. just confirmed date. EDD end May. Have not pay her yet



3) Helen... EDD mid May, didn't pay her yet

 
Please be aware of Aunty Lian if she's recommending her jie mei CL for you.



She charged me $2.2k and asked for $300 deposit.

I thought the deposit is for her jie mei, only to find out later that the deposit was her drink coffee money and the rest $1.9k goes to the CL.

 
Jan_ice

Seems like freelance CL are breaking their reputation, trust n rice bowl with all the 'easy money making tool' by recommending jobs.... Try yr luck with a reliable agency... You are better covered n assurred.

 
HI mummies,



Im looking for a CL named "ah hua auntie".

She fm msia, muar. I lost her hp no.

she did my first confinement.

 
Hi Mummies,

Understand some mummies here mentioned that certain CLs request the employer to apply work permit for them. I have a CL here who requested the same as well. Just wondering does the employer needs to bear any extra charges like insurance, hospitalisation etc. She told me I only need to pay $6/per day for the work permit that's all and it is easy to apply via online.



Appreicate if any mummy could give me further advice on this. Many thanks!

 
Hi... i am headache for CL now as i have one private and charge me $3500 for twin babies. But GPLS only charge me $2800 for twin babies. I tot private will be cheaper and end up agent is cheaper. Although the private has experiance but $700 different and i guess a bit too much. Anyone use GPLS before and which CL is good to recommend?

 
I would like to recommend my confinement lady, she cooks very well, polite, hardworking, does housework, very good at handling baby, not naggy, wash all my clothes and even feed my dog when i am not around. Her price is very reasonable.



more details:

name: xiu lian auntie

contact:96282074

age:50+

race:chinese

singaporean, married to jb

 
just surprised why people don't use confinement agencies and try to find confinement nannies on their own... if they are freelance, it's very easy for them to "run away" and their standard is based on traditional methods and may not have medical training? from what i see on this forum, the rates seem to be more exp than going thru agency! my EDD is mid Aug and i booked a confinement agency. Rates is about $1900 plus the MOM work permit of $158 or $168 which those freelance ones may not bother to apply, making you illegal employer! the agencies also have replacement policy and can replace CL within 2 days if you feel not comfortable... and they also seem to have their own proper training (at least got TCM training or send to TMC parent craft)... and if they are more regularly employed through agency, these nannies would have more experience right? seems more assuring??

 
Faithz17,

Replacement is within two days???? The agency u engaged seems not in control too (not assuring).



Personally if I can't stand my CL, of course I couldn't wait for two days... Is it engaged cheap also looses priority too?

 
Be careful of this CL (Aunty Bi Ai) - in her 61 got more than 10 years experiences.



She wants me to pay for her cabfare when she took a cab from malaysia checkpoint all the way to my house (sg) since we are not driving. After hearing this, I didnt hire her as my CL. Its such a ridiculous demand..just be careful of her.

 


Hi all,



I have also booked auntie irene for my confinement too, seems like she's not being very honest here accepting many confinement which coincides with one another...



Here's any updated list

pls add on to the list if u have paid:



1) Sh... paid $400 deposit in Oct10, EDD 27apr11, just called her she say she's the one doing my confinement



2) Chewwy.. just confirmed date. EDD end May. Have not pay her yet



3) Helen... EDD mid May, didn't pay her yet



4) Jess- EDD 13th May, paid her $400 deposit

 

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