Newborn Care Specialist: What Is It? Do I Need One?

What is a Newborn Care Specialist? Do one of these terms sound more familiar, Night Nanny or Baby Nurse? All of these terms have been used interchangeably in the past but in reality there is vast difference in their duties. A Night Nanny is simply a lady who comes into your home at night and gets up with your newborn when he/she awakens. She is not educated in newborn issues and will do only what the client instructs her. At times it can be like the blind leading the blind. A Baby Nurse is a registered RN or LPN who comes into your home and cares for your newborn’s medical issues. So what is a Newborn Care Specialist?

Newborn Care Specialist is a skilled and certified person who has a well-rounded knowledge in formula and breastfeeding, understands how to effectively set up a routine that fits the family’s lifestyle, is able to interpret and adequately respond to a baby’s needs, establish healthy sleep habits, knows about diaper rashes, circumcision care, reflux, colic, swaddling, soothing techniques and how to effectively set up the family for success. She will be experienced in preemies, multiples and special needs babies.  She will generally come in for one week to three months relieving Mom at night and educating the parents while she is there. Most Newborn Care Specialist are also available for day duty or 24/7 duty. Her goal is to work herself "out" of a job by the time the baby is 3 months old and typically sleeping from 7 PM to 7 AM without waking.

New parents don’t realize that once a baby reaches 12 weeks or 12 pounds he/she should be sleeping all night without waking. A Newborn Care Specialist is trained to help a baby accomplish that.

New parents may not understand how important a sleep, feed, wake schedule is to a new baby and how that determines sleep patterns at night. A Newborn Care Specialist will help them set that up.

Unfortunately, most parents, also do not understand the importance and benefits of swaddling a baby or the proper technique used in the swaddling procedure. They are surprised to learn that a swaddled baby will sleep longer and more peacefully. A trained Newborn Care Specialist is an expert in swaddling and can show new parents how to become experts also.

Bringing  home baby is not as simple as it is cracked up to be. You can read the books and go to the classes but when that sweet little bundle arrives in your home, all your learning can go out the window. There is so much to know about babies and a Newborn Care Specialist is a person who is ‘in the know’.

While doing your search for a newborn care, we would strongly suggest that you make sure the Newborn Care Specialist/Baby Nurse you hire is certified by a qualified agent (Newborn Care Specialist Association). Those ladies will carry the initials CNCS (Certified Newborn Care Specialists) behind their name. Many ladies call themselves Newborn Care Specialists/ Baby Nurses but not all are qualified to be doing that job, causing countless problems that you will be calling us to fix.

Summary

Arriving home with your newborn, a Newborn Care Specialist can be a wonderful asset to your family and to Mom’s recovery. Her services are priceless when she leaves 12 weeks later. Your baby should be sleeping through the night, and your evenings are yours to share with your other children or your spouse. You will feel more confident in your newborn care skills and you will be well on your way to a well integrated family structure. Even if you decide to gift yourself with only a couple of weeks of help, the education you will receive and the rest you will get for those two weeks will have your friends envious.