What does a Japa do?
A japa is a live-in postpartum caregiver for you and your newborn, usually for the first 40 days to three months. She typically handles:
Bathing and oil massage for the baby
Massage and care for the mother
Night support, so you can sleep between feeds
Help with latching and burping
Traditional postpartum food, if she cooks
Laundry and care for the baby's clothes and linen
Agree on exactly which of these she will do before she arrives. "Everything" means something different in every household.
Which Japas do Bangalore mothers recommend?
Recommended by mothers in Bangalore (these japas travel across India):
Vimla
Archana
Jaya
Annu
Suggested in Bangalore parent groups by families who hired them:
Sona Shaw
Pratima
Preethi
Rita
These names come from families who hired them. They are not Live Gracious employees or agency placements, and the decision to hire, along with the checks before it, sits with your family. Here's how to do those checks properly:
Speak to her first. Meet her or video-call before agreeing to anything. Ask about her last three families, the babies she cared for, and why each job ended.
Collect references. Ask for the numbers of two or three families she worked with in the last two years. Call every one yourself, using the questions in the next section.
Compare her last home with yours. Family size, other help (cook, maid, nanny), the husband's paternity leave, grandparents at home. A japa who thrived with four adults helping may struggle with two.
Verify her identity. Take a copy of her Aadhaar and complete police verification at your local station before she moves in.
Put the terms in writing. Duties, start and end dates, monthly pay, advance, days off and travel costs, even if only on WhatsApp.
Check in after week one. If something feels off, raise it then. Day seven is a conversation. Day thirty is a problem.
If a reference doesn't pick up, doesn't exist, or hesitates when you ask "Would you hire her again?", keep looking.
What should I ask a Japa's previous employers?
A WhatsApp forward is not a reference. Call the families yourself.
First, understand the household she worked in. A five-star review from a house with a cook, a maid and a grandmother is a review of the whole house. Ask:
How many family members lived at home?
Did you have a cook, a maid or a nanny alongside her?
Was your husband on paternity leave, and for how long?
Was your mother, mother-in-law or any other adult woman in the house who has some experience with babies staying with you?
Was it a normal delivery or a C-section? One baby or twins? Full-term or preterm?
Then ask about her work:
Did she take the night shift, and how did she manage it?
How did she keep the baby's things clean, and did she wash her hands before handling the baby?
When your paediatrician's advice differed from tradition, whose did she follow?
How did she treat you, not only the baby?
Did she take unplanned leave or ask for an advance mid-way?
Would you hire her again?
The last question tells you the most. Listen for a pause.
I found a Japa through an app or agency. How do I check her?
Treat in-app star ratings as a starting point. Before you pay:
Ask the agency for the actual phone numbers of two previous families, and call them using the questions above
Ask how long the agency has worked with her personally
Ask what happens if she leaves early or the fit is wrong. Get the replacement policy in writing
Ask whether there is a placement fee. Agencies often add about a month's salary on top
Check whether the agency has done her ID and police verification, and ask to see it
What should I confirm before she starts?
Identity: a copy of her Aadhaar, and police verification through your local station
Dates: start date, flexible around your due date, and end date
Pay: monthly amount, advance, and when the balance is due
Days off and travel: who pays her travel to Bangalore and back
Food and stay: where she will sleep and what she will eat
Duties: the exact list, agreed in writing, even if only on WhatsApp
Should a Japa follow traditional practices with my baby?
Many japas bring practices passed down over generations. Some are comforting. Some, such as putting oil in a baby's ears or nose, or applying kajal, are ones paediatricians advise against. Tell your japa on day one that your paediatrician's advice comes first, and share it with her in writing.
How do I get in touch with these Japas?
Message the Live Gracious team on WhatsApp and we'll share their contact details.
Want to talk to a doctor about your recovery first? Meet the Live Gracious Care Team.