Demand grows for skilled yue sao nannies

The demand for Chinese yue sao - nannies for baby and mother in the first months after birth - is rising on the back of an expected baby boom in the Year of the Horse and relaxed family planning regulations.

The salaries of some of these highly sought nannies - who specialize in taking care of newborns and mothers for the first few months after childbirth - are even surpassing those of white-collar workers, said childcare and homecare professionals.

"You need to book the services of senior yue sao at least three months in advance. The demand has risen about 10 percent this year compared with those of last year," said Li Jielu, general manager of Beijing Ainong Homemaking Service Co, which provides cleaning services and baby care.