Newborn Care Specialists are commonly referred to as baby nurses. However, they are typically not registered nurses. You may have also heard the terms newborn nannies, postpartum nannies, maternity nannies/nurses, or night nannies. A Newborn Care Specialist is hired on a temporary basis to nurture and manage the care of your newborn while you recover from childbirth and to provide emotional and educational support to the new parents. Newborn Care Specialists are typically not registered nurses and cannot legally refer to themselves as "Baby Nurses" in most states. They are, however, trained professionals with years of experience who have made a career out of caring for newborns. The term "baby nurse" stems from Old England, when they referred to the women who cared for the children as "nurses." The term "nursery nurse" is still used in England today to refer to someone who cares for young children either in a public or private setting.

A good newborn care specialist will put your mind at ease and be available to answer the many questions you will have as a new parent. Newborn care specialists provide expertise in all aspects of newborn care. The primary responsibility of a newborn care specialist is the everyday care of your newborn(s). Newborn care specialists take on all responsibilities that directly relate to the newborn. These include feeding; burping; changing; cord and circumcision care; soothing; providing a stimulating environment; administering medications; and attending to monitors (if applicable) as well as bathing; sterilizing, preparing and cleaning bottles; keeping a log of the baby's patterns, including eating, sleeping, elimination, and moods; and doing baby laundry.

Responsibilities also include educational and emotional support to the parents and light care of the new mother. A good newborn care specialist should be able to recognize the signs of postpartum depression and can gently encourage the new mother to contact her doctor if she has those signs. Many newborn care specialists will also act as "gatekeeper," monitoring the new family's visitors and taking calls from well-wishers, enabling you to get the rest you need.

A newborn care specialist who is experienced in scheduling and sleep training will make it thier top priority to transition your baby into a regular routine and to get him to sleep through the night as soon as he is able. This usually occurs between 12 and 16 weeks of age or 12-15 pounds; although with the method we use at Nanny for Newborns, it can occur sooner. We will also train your baby not to get his/her days and nights mixed up.

Yes! Nanny for Newborns supports both breast and bottle feeding. We can feed your baby for you with formula or breast milk from a bottle, or we will retrieve you when it is time for you to nurse your infant and help get him positioned and latched on properly. When a nursing infant is finished eating, we will burp the baby and settle him back to sleep if it is nighttime or encourage a wakeful period during the day. The decision of how to feed your baby is up to you!

Your Nanny for Newborns NCS will do all baby laundry, wash and prepare bottles, empty diaper pails to the garage, and clean up after herself. Newborn care specialists spend a lot of time working with your baby and do not usually take on any additional household responsibilities.

Newborn care specialists will focus their complete attention on your newborn(s) and therefore are unable to care for siblings. However, we do work with siblings and other family members (including pets) to welcome the new baby and help him integrate into the family.

The duration of a Newborn care specialist depends on your needs. If you want someone to be there just while you recover from childbirth, you may hire us to work around the clock for a couple of weeks. However, if you want a nighttime caregiver who will manage the baby's care until he is sleeping through the night, you will want someone to stay longer, perhaps 10-12 weeks. Many people start out having around-the-clock care for a few days or weeks, and then use the services during the night only. Feel free to contact Nanny for Newborns to discuss your needs.

We recommend booking your newborn care specialist 3-6 months in advance of your due date in order to secure your preferred dates. Our best caregivers are typically booked this far in advance; however we are sometimes able to accommodate last-minute requests.

Although Nanny for Newborns is based in Central Arkansas, we travel anywhere in the United States or even abroad.

At Nanny for Newborns, we book your start date as a window of time. We typically book your Newborn Care Specialist to begin sometime between one week before and one week after your due date.

What parent doesn't want a baby who can sleep peacefully? Requests for infant sleep training are the most common requests we get at Nanny for Newborns. Infant sleep training involves creating a symphony of healthy habits, a predictable routine, all while following the natural tendencies of the baby. We feed babies when they are hungry, we allow them rest when they are tired, and we give lots of hugs and cuddles in between!

We have found that babies who are sleep trained by Nanny for Newborns from Day One typically sleep for 6-8 hours by six weeks of age and 10-12 hours by twelve weeks of age.