What are Newborn Care Specialists?
These individuals are trained specifically for newborn care, and work with babies from birth through several months, depending on the needs of the family and baby (or babies!). This person has a variety of skill and experience with caring for newborns and has expertise in not just newborn care, but parent education and support. The services they provide include:
- Assistance and education for parents after the baby is born and settling in at home
- Sleep training
- Changing diapers and bathing
- Help with breast feeding and/or formula and bottle feeding
- Creating a stimulating environment for a baby when awake
- Documenting sleep, eating, and changing patterns for the baby
- Helping the baby transition to a routine/schedule
Newborn Care Specialists often work at the home during the night shift and take care of the baby while the parents sleep and assist with feeding as necessary. If the baby is breast fed, the specialist will bring the baby to the mother for feeding then get the baby back to bed. During the day, the specialist provides similar care. They are not usually responsible for other household duties and are not usually in charge of watching other children in the household. This position is a temporary one, with the average specialist working at least 2 weeks and sometimes up to four months.
Are there Newborn Care Specialists with advanced training?
Some individuals choose to go through additional training to offer greater assistance to families. Some specialists have been trained to assist with sleep training beyond the age of 3 months and are able to provide information on colic/reflux in infants and are available to provide consultations on other issues that arise with newborns. Many Newborn Care Specialists have undergone advanced training on caring for premature babies or multiple newborns including twins, triplets, and quadruplets.
What do Newborn Care Specialists charge?
Salary is often dependent on experience. The average rates are between $20-$35/hour and are based on how many babies the individual will be caring for. Most specialists work 8 hour shifts, but there are also others that are willing to work 24 hour shifts or part time shifts as needed.
Newborn Care Specialists are special people that have a passion for providing extra love and attention to a family adjusting to a new baby. The individual recognizes that both parents will need to change their routines a bit while learning to care for a child, so she works with them to educate and support during this transition period. For first time parents as well as parents that already have older children in the home, Newborn Care Specialists have proven to be an extremely valuable asset in the home once a new baby arrives.