• 先说基本情况：坐标：洛杉矶，选择范围：月子中心 or 涉外月嫂，没有第三个选择
    Let me start with the basics: Location: Los Angeles, options: Postpartum care center or foreign confinement nanny, no third option

    最终孕妈实测月嫂VS月子中心，我们最终还是选择了月子中心。考量因素：月嫂>环境（住宿环境、周边环境、婴儿设施、妈妈设施等等）>价格。
    After comparing postpartum care providers with postpartum care centers, we ultimately chose a postpartum care center. Factors considered: postpartum care providers > environment (accommodation, surroundings, facilities for infants, facilities for mothers, etc.) > price.

    如果你们也在纠结，不妨私聊。下面，我就将我的心路历程，分享给大家。
    If you are also struggling, feel free to chat with me privately. Below, I will share my journey with you.

    一、为啥没有第三个选择 1. Why is there no third option?

    前面简要说了，要么月子中心，要么就是月嫂，不会有第三个选择。为啥呢？首先，老人肯定是会来的，他们都很有带孩子的经验。但是，考虑到三个人在家，又是照顾孩子，又是照顾产妇，还要买菜、做菜，这些活是真不轻松。其次就是观念的不同，难免会搞的手忙脚乱。深藏在思想深处的东西，是最难改变的。到时候肯定搞的不愉快，落下一个月子仇，就不好了。最后，俩人一商量，决定选月子中心，如果二选一，多花钱买轻松吧。
    As briefly mentioned above, it's either a confinement center or a confinement nanny—there's no third option. Why? First, the elderly are definitely there; they're experienced with childcare. However, considering there are three people at home, taking care of the child, the new mother, and doing the grocery shopping and cooking—it's not an easy task. Secondly, there are differences in perspective, which inevitably leads to confusion. Things deeply ingrained in our minds are the hardest to change. It's bound to be unpleasant, and there's going to be a grudge after the confinement period, which is not good. Finally, after discussing it, the two decided on a confinement center. If they had to choose between the two, they'd rather spend the extra money for ease.

    二、为啥选择了月子中心，2. Why did you choose the confinement center?

    月嫂和月子中心的选择，也是蛮纠结的。月搜肯定是在花费上面，节省一些。像洛杉矶这种城市，问了邻居的华人宝爸宝妈，一个月的时间，月嫂的大概工资在1万美金左右。如果是熟人推荐的那种月嫂，会更加的抢手。他们不屑于待在中介公司（因为中介会抽成），可以通过口口相传接单子，这种都需要一万多美金。如果月嫂还要求做饭，那么费用会更高。关键是这种情况下，月嫂在这一个月也太辛苦了。24小时照顾俩人，还要做饭这些，想想都比较的辛苦。还有一个很重要的原因，那就是费用问题。谷歌上有人算过账：月嫂工资、买菜钱等等乱七八糟的，加一起也差不多要2万。稍微加点，让月子中心赚，也算是合理。
    Choosing between a confinement nanny and a confinement center can be quite a dilemma. A confinement nanny is definitely more economical in terms of expenses. In a city like Los Angeles, I asked the Chinese parents in my neighborhood, and they told me that a confinement nanny's monthly salary is around $10,000. Nannies recommended by acquaintances are even more sought after. They disdain working with agencies (because they take a cut) and can rely on word of mouth, which costs over $10,000. If the nanny is also required to cook, the cost is even higher. The key point is that in this situation, the confinement nanny's month-long workload is simply too much. Caring for two people 24/7, while also cooking, is daunting. Another important factor is the cost. Someone did the math on Google: including the nanny's salary, groceries, and other expenses, the total cost is around $20,000. Adding a little to allow the confinement center to profit is reasonable.

    三、月子中心怎么选，3. How to choose a confinement center?

    这方面我没太多经验，因为我也是看着别人的经验，一步步来的。比如这样：
    I don't have much experience in this area, because I also learned from others' experience and took it step by step. For example:

    上面是我看到的一个帖子介绍的内容，确实很实用，这些资料在谷歌一搜就能看到，就不重复说了。着重说下我关心的几个点吧。
    The above is the content of a post I came across, which is indeed very useful. You can find this information by searching on Google, so I won’t repeat it. I will focus on a few points that I am concerned about.

    第一个就是时间，一般都是28、42、56这样。我选了28天，预算不高，加上有人推荐，又送了一天，加起来那就是在月子中心修养29天；
    The first is the duration, which is usually 28, 42, or 56 days. I chose 28 days because my budget was not high, and someone recommended it, so I got one free day. So, in total, I spent 29 days recuperating in the confinement center.

    第二个是医院期间的陪护，这点可以谈，毕竟在医院那几天如果有个护工，也剩下不少的手忙脚乱。如果在医院单独请，一天也要几百美金（可能200-300吧）；
    The second is the caregiver during the hospital stay. This is negotiable. After all, if there is a caregiver during the hospital stay, a lot of things will be done in a hurry. If you hire a caregiver separately in the hospital, it will cost several hundred dollars a day (maybe 200-300);

    第三，关于什么陪护餐、宝宝洗澡次数、待产包这些，都可以问问，我不细说了；
    Third, you can ask about things like accompanying meals, the number of times the baby is bathed, and the delivery bag. I won’t go into detail.

    第四，那就是妈妈的活动中心有没有？大不大？有没有活动安排？很多月子中心房子有限，只给宝宝留足了空间，压缩了妈妈的活动场所。但是，如果能让妈妈们定期交流，这恰恰是月嫂，和居家都没有的服务。总结出一句话，那就是亲自看、自己感受；网上查，看过来人感受。有些月子中心故意藏着一些空间，留着客户杀，不喜欢这样。不如直来直往，毕竟最关心的给了，其他的都无所谓。
    Fourth, is there an activity center for mothers? How large is it? Are there any activities planned? Many confinement centers have limited space, leaving only enough space for the baby, which leaves less room for mothers to move around. However, if mothers could have regular communication, this is precisely the kind of service that confinement nannies and home care providers lack. In short, see for yourself and experience it for yourself; research online and read reviews. Some confinement centers deliberately hide some areas, leaving them for clients to occupy, which is unacceptable. It's better to be direct. After all, you've given your most important care, and the rest doesn't matter.

    总结 Summarize

    终于是定了下来，希望我们的选择不会错啊。等到住进去了，再给大家分享自己的感受啊。如有任何问题，都可以评论、私信交流啊。
    We've finally decided on this place. Hopefully, we made the right choice. I'll share my thoughts with everyone once I move in. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send a private message.