A friend of mine related a shocking story of a confinement centre to me and I felt that it ought to be shared for the benefit of many mothers and their babies. Here’s what happened.
My friend called to enquire the services of a particular commercial confinement centre as their baby will be due soon. After asking the standard questions and satisfied with the answers and price quoted, the couple was keen to close the deal and sign up for the confinement service. Before doing so, my friend gave the phone number of the centre to his mother as she had more questions to ask before confirming the service. And it was a good thing that she called up.
When my friend’s mother called, the confinement centre thought that she was looking for a job as a confinement lady. Since this was the case, my friend’s mother decided to play along and said that she was interested to look for work but she has no experience. She was then told that it was NOT A PROBLEM because she could be trained. All she had to do was to pay the centre RM2,500 and stay at the centre to be trained as a confinement lady for ONE WEEK! After that one-week training, she would then be ready to do the job for real.
Upon hearing this, she obviously lost confidence in the confinement centre for providing the services of a confinement lady with absolutely no experience, and having only been trained for a week. If you ask around, the fees that these centres charge are not cheap. You would expect good and experienced people to be doing the confinement at such a price.
It is sad that this is how the centre operates. At the same time, it is a blessing to warn other parents to beware when searching for such services from confinement centres. Do proper and stringent screening of them if you are interested in getting their service instead of hiring a freelance confinement lady. Do pass on this story to your friends who are leaning towards confinement centres too. You could be doing them a big favour.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s scary! I’ve heard of how some confinement centres actually cook in big batches and freeze the food. They then heat it up for these new mothers which apparently isn’t good as mothers in confinement are not supposed to eat leftover food.
That’s awful…it’s true that mothers in confinement should not be eating in such a manner. I guess profits and convenience take over conscience.
I agree with you.They even will send nannies that’re unfit for the job.I exchange 3 nannies in less than a month!These nannies either cough,sore throat or flu.Surely every parents don’t want their newborn to get infected.I don’t trust these confinement centres anymore as the one I took is a very wellknown confinement centre in PJ.
Mimi, thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sure many others will find it a good heads up. The one I am referring to in the post is also based in PJ. It could well be the same one you went to! How scary.
Wow! This is an eye-opener!
Just be careful when looking for a good confinement lady. They are hard to come by, I believe. But going for one of these commercial ones is definitely not an option for me after hearing my friend’s experience.
i’m going to deliver my second bb end of the month. i couldnt find the confinement lady and no choice to sign up with PxxLxxx confinement center for confinement nanny service. i started to get worry after reading few bad comments from the internet about the confinement centers…
Sylvia, since you’ve already signed up for it due to a lack of other options, I suggest you don’t worry yourself now. Just enjoy the rest of the pregnancy and just hope that the confinement service will turn out positively. Or if you really feel insecure, you can still source for options now. Just stay happy and don’t worry yourself unnecessarily at this stage
i just over my confinement month by having the nanny service as mentioned in my previous message…to me the conclusion abt the nanny service should put it this way…
1st week—very good
2nd week—good
3rd week—ok loh…
4th week—like chinese always say…`no eye see’
Hi Sylvia, firstly congratulations on your new bundle of joy. I’m sure you’re a beaming mummy!
Sorry to hear about the deteriorating service you got from the confinement center’s nanny. People should be more aware of all these things going on. Thanks for sharing it here with us.
Hi, Penny… Thanks for your sharing! I actually about to confirm the service of a confinement center in PJ because my due date is mid Jan 2011… it near to CNY… can’t find a confinement lady…
I was actually thinking to engage the nanny from the confinement center to work for 2 weeks till end of Jan…
Thanks god that I read your blog… Just wondering if you have any contacts for a good confinement lady?
Thanks!
I have engaged a CL who just came for 3 days and create nightmare for me.
1) Never offer to bring meal upstairs for me but instead keep asking me go downstairs to eat. My MIL did ask her once to bring up dinner for me, after MIL left, she yell from downstairs ask me go down to eat (again)totally ignore what my MIL said. That is during first week of my confinement (She came 5 days later after I delivered because she wanted to attend a 3 days buffer organized by previous client at singapore)
2) 2nd day, I have late breakfast, then until 1.45pm I ask her if lunch is ready? she said she haven’t cooked, becos I don’t go downstairs yet!
3) After I express milk, she never come to collect the milk from me. When I bring the milk downstairs, saw her sitting there watching tv, never even turn her head to look at me or offer to take over the milk. End up I put the milk to fridge and put the pump to basin myself.
4) Once I sitting at living room alone with no fan turn on, she came out from her room (after taking afternoon nap!), then turn on the fan, where i was sitting down below the fan! (this is first time). At nite, when I had dinner with hubby, and turn on Low fan, she again came out from bedroom, and first thing she turn the fan to HIGH power at the dinner table. I was still eating my dinner below the fan. She said she is very hot becos all the doors and windows are close. Then I replied her said I cannot get wind, then she said she knows, but the high power fan is still on, just becos she also want to sit at dining table to have her dinner already.
5) After my baby vomit some milk on his shirt, she told me, little bit wet only no need changed (she realised it before she start her dinner but didn’t change the cloth becos she gan cheong to eat). The wet portion is about 50cent large. Then I go change the baby cloth myself, and diaper together becos baby poo poo already. Then, my baby suddenly pee before I get to put diaper on him. Baby pee on the napkin and a cloth I use to cover the bedsheet. I saw both are wet, but the CL said the cloth underneath is not wet no need change. Then I said it’s wet! She again said “NVM, IT WILL DRY!” OMG. I said cannot it smell stings. then only she reluctantly tk both to wash.
6) From first day, she already told me her previous client give her XXX sing dollar ang pao. She said she never get so much before. So money face.
7) She thinks she is very experience and refuse to listen to ppl or instruction. And like to demand this and that. She keep on ask my MIL to buy her things to eat for breakfast & tea time, and even specify that she don’t eat bread, only eat cake with no cream. When my MIL brought back the kuih, she is first to eat herself and don even bother to offer to bring up for me to eat. I never had any tea time from her because I din demand and she never ask if I need one also. Though I don feel to eat.
With all these, I have no reason to keep her anymore. I believe no1 else will. She even dare to tell me no1 complaint her before. I am not paying her low. standard RM3k + RM200 ang pao which she demanded. I never ask for discount, yet she give this kind of service.
Conclusion, she is very lazy and money face. I have changed her now and hopefully my 2nd CL will be better. It should be, as I think will not have anyone worse than her.
BTW, her name is call “lan che”, but her number is not same as the 1 mention above. 016-9xxxxxx
Sorry to hear about jenny story and the bad experiences. I believe not all confinement lady is bad. Normally, we do have reference and testimonial check for the confinement lady before hire. I do have a couple of confinement lady who have good reference and experiend. Hope to share with all friends if you are interested. my email is samkoh06@yahoo.com
Jenny, that confinement lady must be a real fucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To all confinement lady out there!!!!!!!!
Remember, your work is just to make sure the welfare of both mother and baby are taken care of! Do not become so arrogant as if no one else can perform that job!
If you want me to label confinement lafy, I would use the word ‘kuli’ or ‘buruh kasar’.
Do not act like you are fucking professional! You are just a fucking cook @ maid @ or watever u like to call.
Fucking bastard to all confinement lady with poor attitude!
Medituve!
Wow, what a word from you! Haha…. I do agree that some of the confinement lady a real asshole!
They sleep more than they work!
So, my formula to describe a confinement lady (not all, but most of them) as below :
Lazy + Arrogant + Busy Body + Ignorance + Stupid = Confinement lady!
I will propose to MCA to build a confinement centre in future.
Hi, need some help over here. I’m going to be PAPA soon, November, 2011. Need to look for a good confinement lady. Is there anyone that you’ll can intro??? Do mail me at 3tsmlr@gmail.com or sms me at 0123010028. Thanks
I AM AMAZED TO READ ALL THE COMMENTS HERE ONLINE,I WAS JUST SEARCHING FOR A CONFINEMENT CENTER IN MELAKA WHEN I CAME ACROSS THIS FORUM. ALTHOUGH,IT MAKES ME A BIT WORRIED BECAUSE I JUST BECAME A NEW DADDY 4 DAYS AGO. MY WIFE JUST DELIVERED A BABY GIRL IN PANTAI HOSPITAL ON 16 OCT. WE ARE NIGERIAN COUPLES,MY WIFE IS A STUDENT HERE IN MMU MELAKA AND MYSELF DOING MY MASTERS HERE TOO. I NEED A KIND LOVING LADY TO HELP TAKE CARE OF MY BABY ONLY. DUE TO CULTURE DIFFERENCES,I INTEND TO TAKE CARE OF MY WIFE. I NEED SOMEONE TO JAGAA MY LITTLE BABY FOR JUST 1 MONTH. KINDLY HELP ME TO INTRODUCE ME TO A WELL PROFESSIONAL LADY TO HELP ME OUT. SHE WILL COOK IN MY HOUSE AND I WILL BUY HER FOODS,WHILE I COOK FOR MYSELF AND WIFE. FROM YOUR COMMENTS HERE,I REALIZED THAT THROUGH YOUR EXPERIENCES,YOU WILL NOT ALLOW SUCH TO HAPPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE. AND I HOPE YOU CAN RECOMMEND TO ME SOMEONE THAT CAN DO THE JOB PERFECT. HERE IS MY CONTACT NUMBER..0149281980. THANKS
I hv delivered my baby in March 2011, and stayed in a well known confinement center in PEN. The food is nice, the nannies hv great exp. Basically, I have a good exp during my confinement in this center. Because of this, I decided to put my baby (premature) there for another 1 month. After discharged from the center (full moon), on the 5th day itself, I received a call from the boss, saying my baby has light fever, and checked if I would like to bring him to see Dr. Without any delays, I brought him to see Dr. and after several tests, he is confirmed to have blood and urine infection. Dr. asked me “how” I take care my baby to have him infected with so many viruses!! Of course, my answer is ” I DONT KNOW”. After the incident happened, the boss and the staff were very helpful, offerred to take care my baby in the hospital at night. Anyway, this confinement has closed down due to some legal issues. A lot of confinement center operate without licensing. Thanks to mass media to create public awareness. Anyway, after it has closed down, one of the staff told me to avoid confinement center in future. She told me a lot of stories that happened in the center, it is very scary on how those nannies treated the babies. After listening to the stories, I cried. I can’t imagine I have my son through such horrow experience. I am the one to be blamed.