Chat attack

maternity matron / 月嫂 / (yuèsǎo)

A: Congratulations! You just had a baby, you must be feeling pretty happy, right?

恭喜你,刚生了宝宝,你的心情是不是很好？

(ɡōnɡxǐ nǐ, ɡānɡ shēnɡle bǎobǎo, nǐde xīnqínɡ shìbùshì hěnhǎo?)  

B: Sure I'm happy, but as a new mom there are a lot of things about taking care of a baby that I don't know. It is already giving me a headache. 

我开心是开心,但作为一个新手妈妈,好多育儿知识我都不知道,我现在已经有些焦头烂额了。

(wǒ kāixīn shì kāixīn, dàn zuòwéi yīɡè xīnshǒu māmā, hǎoduō yùér zhīshí wǒdōu bù zhīdào, wǒ xiànzài yǐjīnɡ yǒu xiē jiāotóulàné le.)   

A: Why don't you hire a maternity matron to help out?   

你为什么不请一个月嫂帮你呢？

(nǐ wéishenme bùqǐnɡ yīɡè yuèsǎo bānɡnǐ ne?)  

B: It's not like I didn't consider it. But recently I saw a social news that said a woman in Beijing noticed a bruise on her baby's forehead and later when she checked the surveillance video she found out that the maternity matron was busy playing with her phone and so accidently hit the baby's head on the corner of the table.  

我不是没有想过。但是最近我看到一则社会新闻,有一位在北京的女士发现自己的宝宝额头上有块淤青,后来她查看了家里的监控录像才发现原来是月嫂只顾着玩手机,不小心让宝宝撞到桌角。

(wǒ bùshì méiyǒu xiǎnɡɡuò.dànshì zuìjìn wǒ kàndào yīzé shèhuì xīnwén, yǒu yīwèi zài běijīnɡ de nǚshì fāxiàn zìjǐ de bǎobǎo étóushànɡ yǒu kuài yūqīnɡ, hòulái tā chákàn le jiālǐ de jiānkònɡ lùxiànɡ cái fāxiàn yuánlái shì yuèsǎo zhīɡùzhe wán shǒujī, bùxiǎoxīn rànɡ bǎobǎo zhuànɡdào zhuōjiǎo.) 

A: It sounds like this woman found a maternity matron who wasn't very responsible.

听起来这位女士好像找了一位不太负责的月嫂。

(tīnɡqǐlái zhèwèi nǚshì hǎoxiànɡ zhǎole yīwèi bùtài fùzé de yuèsǎo.)

B: You're right. I saw a lot of netizens say they have run into the same situation. 

你说的没错, 我看好多网友评论说他们也碰见过类似的情况。

(nǐ shuōde méicuò, wǒ kànhǎo duō wǎnɡyǒu pínɡlùn shuō tāmén yě pènɡjiàn ɡuò lèisì de qínɡkuànɡ.)

A: I think a qualified maternity matron would have patience, love and empathy.  

我觉得一个合格的月嫂要同时具备耐心,爱心和同理心才行呢。

(wǒ juédé yīɡè héɡé de yuèsǎo yào tónɡshí jùbèi naixīn, àixīn hé tónɡlǐxīn cáixínɡ ne.)

Illustrations:Chen Xia/GT