When Khalifa was a baby, I took care of absolutely every single thing for him. He was always with me from the second he was born, and I loved always being there for him… but also, it drove me almost to the point of insanity because I never had any time for myself. I’ve never even let any of the maids take care of him without me in sight. I never took a shower without knowing he was completely asleep, and I always had the video monitor in the bathroom with me, regardless of how many other people were in the house! Yes, I admit I was a crazy, obsessive mom.

Before my second baby, Jude, was born, I knew that I had to do things slightly different this time around. I cannot stress how important it is to take time for yourself and your sanity, especially in the weeks and months to follow after giving birth. Having reliable, qualified help is SO important during this time, and since so many expats live in Dubai and the UAE without their families, services like the ones that Malaak ME provides is seriously a life saver. Things like this could save you from post-partum depression and so many other mental and physical issues that new moms face.

So, this is where Malaak comes in. My first experience with Malaak was with a night nurse, Janice. A few days after my mom left, I booked a night nurse to come in and help me take care of Jude so that I could get some sleep. From the moment she walked into the house, I immediately felt comfortable with her. Knowing that all of Malaak’s Maternity Nurses are actual Dubai Health Authority (DHA) certified nurses and each of them have plenty of experience, I was sure that my little Jude would be in good hands.

Janice handled absolutely everything the entire night. I only woke up to pump and leave Jude’s milk outside of our bedroom door. She fed her, put her to sleep, sterilized her bottles and even gave her massages to help with a poopy problem that popped up at night.

Speaking of baby massages, Malaak ME has classes for moms to learn how to give their babies massages, which can help with gas and other issues. Check out their page to see all of the different classes they have: Malaak ME Classes and Workshops.

Back to my wonderful night of sleep: When I woke up that morning at 7am, I literally woke up with a smile on my face. I haven’t been able to get that much sleep since before I had my first child (and that was 2 and a half years ago)! I came downstairs and the baby was swaddled and sleeping and Janice was watchfully looking over her. She showed me a piece of paper that listed all of the times that Jude woke up to drink milk, how much she drank, what times her diaper was changed (and whether there was a #1 or #2 in it), and how long she slept for. Janice even washed and sterilized all of Jude’s bottles! I was so sad to see her go, but I knew that I would definitely be requesting her to come back soon.

My second Malaak experience was in the day time. Janice returned for another 12-hour stay. I felt so comfortable with her that I actually left her and Jude at home together and went for a day out with a friend. While I enjoyed a indulgent brunch and then a spa day, Janice stayed with Jude and took care of her every need. She kept me updated and constantly sent me pictures of her whenever I asked. She was very quick to respond and never gave me a doubt in my mind about the safety of my little Jude. I was able to take time for myself and feel comfortable with it– a rare occurrence!

I came back after almost 7 hours of being out of the house. Jude was awake and playing, happy as can be! Even after I came back home, Janice stayed for a few more hours, so I could relax a bit more.

Soon her Malaak driver was back to pick her up, and it was back to being just us again. I wish could keep her all the time, and I know for sure I’ll be requesting her to come back again soon! I’m a stay-at-home mom so I don’t need help taking care of the kids every single day, but I think that a few hours away from the little ones, once every few weeks can really help me be a better mother to my little ones. After all, everyone needs a break every once in a while, right?

To book a Malaak ME Maternity Baby Nurse, classes or workshops, call +971 4 453 8164. For more information, visit Malaak.ME.