Wang Jiaye, from Shanghai, has a two-year-old daughter and three-month-old son and hired a nanny shortly after giving birth to her second child. She said most mothers hire nannies, particularly after having their first child, to look after their babies during the night, MailOnline reported.

The trend for live-in nannies in China stems from "the different parenting philosophies between the young and old generations in China," she said.

"Young couples don't want to be influenced by their parents' old-fashioned way of parenting, so they would rather spend money to hire an outsider."

Wang also said it was "obvious" to new mothers whether or not a nanny had received training, "especially in the food they prepare and their attitude towards their employers."

Frances Chen, a mother of one from Shanghai who hasn't hired a nanny herself, said many working couples don't have time to look after their children and turn to a nanny for help, reported MailOnline. There are also no public nurseries for children under three in China, she said.

"Many young parents, who were born in 1980s and 1990s, don't know how to take care of themselves, let alone their child, so they need a professional nanny to help them," she said.

"In addition, hiring a nanny is deemed a fashionable lifestyle, that is why more and more families are hiring them, creating the demand."

The "universal two-child policy" was intended to alleviate China's ageing population, and while it will be years before these children will contribute to the economy themselves, they have at least helped to ensure that nannies are afforded some long-overdue respect.