Baby Nurses & Postpartum Doulas: Who are they and what do they do?
A Baby Nurse (also referred to as a Night Nurse, Night Nanny, Newborn Care Specialist, Newborn Care Providers or Infant Care Specialist) is an individual trained and experienced in all areas of newborn care. Baby Nurses typically provide non-medical care for an infant, meaning they do not hold a nursing degree or license. However, Happy Newborns does offer some Baby Nurses that are licensed CNAs, LPNs and RNs for parents in need of infant medical care or desiring extra peace of mind. Baby Nurses provide overnight, daytime and/or 24-hour care for up to three months. Happy Newborns provides many options for Baby Nurses—from those with more basic training and experience to NCSA Certified Newborn Care Specialists, the gold standard in Newborn Caregivers.
A Baby Nurse is primarily charged with care of the infant whereas a Postpartum Doula is more fixed on the needs of the mother as she adjusts. Postpartum Doulas assist the mother with basic household needs, running errands, physical and emotional support, sibling care, meal provisioning and respite as well as training in breastfeeding and daily basic baby care. Postpartum Doulas also nurture the family as they transition into new roles. Both Baby Nurses and Postpartum Doulas serve as gentle, supportive, non-judgmental guides in the home, offering experienced perspectives on best practices in newborn care yet ultimately following the specific wishes of the parents.
Many postpartum super-moms proudly declare, “I got this covered.” Many quickly realize that those critical first few months would have been much more enjoyable for themselves, the family and the baby had more support been engaged—particularly if important careers are at stake or for busy, engaged lives in general. Other clients are recovering from C-sections or difficult pregnancies or deliveries. Remember, infants need several hours of care during the night! During the first several nights after returning home from the hospital or birthing center, a trusted, experienced Baby Nurse allows much needed rest, support and recovery for mom and family as they begin to adjust to their new situation. Childbirth is not only physically demanding for mom but emotionally challenging for every member of the family. Engaging a Baby Nurse early will also ensure optimal baby scheduling that includes feedings and sleep training to make a busy life more manageable. Imagine being able to sleep through the night while a Happy Newborns Baby Nurse cares for your infant, weans the baby off of nighttime feeds and Sleep Trains the baby to sleep through the night within several months. Imagine a well-adjusted baby able to self-soothe and a well-transitioned family prepared for their new lives together! Finally, a Baby Nurse can provide extremely valuable education and guidance based on training and experience in newborn care, helping clients sift through the often contradictory information on best infant care practices.
Happy Newborns provides a full spectrum of Baby Nurses—from those with more basic training and experience to the ultimate NCSA Newborn Care Specialist. After meeting with our clients and determining their unique needs, we can suggest the appropriate caregiver—from basic respite at night for the first few weeks to more comprehensive care, breastfeeding support, sleep training, help with multiples or special needs infants, scheduling and family support over the course of the infant’s first few months. Consider Happy Newborns the training wheels on your first bike!
While there may be some flexibility in what a Baby Nurse can offer based on experience, training and desire, these are the basic infant care duties they fulfill. Happy Newborns is happy to discuss specific needs further with clients, particularly as they relate to household duties beyond the nursery as Baby Nurses typically focus more on infant care.
- Bathing (sponge/full)
- Diapering (sponge/full)
- Dressing and swaddling
- Umbilical cord and circumcision care
- Assisting with bottle feeding and burping
- Settling a baby to sleep
- Offering lactation support
- Maintaining, cleaning and sterilizing bottles
- Nurturing interactions with the baby
- Establishing an optimal sleep/wake schedule and ideal eating routines
- Soothing and addressing infant discomfort
- Doing baby’s laundry (diapers, clothing, bedding)
Organizing, stocking and tidying the nursery - Educating and guiding parents on newborn care, particularly sleeping and feeding
- Keeping a detailed log of baby’s activities, habits and care
We strongly promote caregivers with Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) certifications. An international association, NCSA is the gold standard in newborn care certification with established standards of excellence and newborn care. A Certified Newborn Care Specialist is guaranteed to have more than 1,800 hours of hands-on care within the last two years. She has been background and referenced checked by the Newborn Care Specialist Association (NCSA). She will have proven to the NCSA that she is qualified through testing, reading, completing specific training and hour requirements. The client will know if they hire a Certified NCS that they have been thoroughly checked out and found to be one of the nation’s best NCSs. The Advanced Certified NCS is an accomplished professional. She should have a total of three years of hands-on newborn care with more than 2,500 hours of hands-on experience in the last 2 years.
Newborn Care Provider = Course completion + passed test + less than 2 years of experience + strong mentor relationship
NCS Basic Certification = Course completion + passed test + 1,800 to 2,499 hours + 2 years of experience
NCS Advanced Certification = Course completion + passed test + more than 2,500 hours + more than 3 years of experience
Whether parents are first timers or experienced, a Baby Nurse can assist in educating and guiding in best practices in newborn care. Most of our clients are highly motivated professionals, ambitiously undertaking everything they set their minds to, including parenting! As they embark upon child rearing, they quickly begin to see many techniques and often conflicting advice they find online, in magazines, books and from friends. A Baby Nurse applies their knowledge and experience to guide eager parents in what they have found to be most helpful in an infant’s first three months. This may include lactation support for mom and baby, noting and marking key postpartum milestones, assisting the transition for baby and family, suggestions for organic baby care, frequent communication about an infant’s activities and behaviors and addressing issues of concern by offering helpful solutions regarding an infant’s development, needs and care in the first trimester. Ultimately a Baby Nurse provides reassurance, gentle support and helpful information to create confident, capable parents.
Your Baby Nurse will either bottle feed with your milk or bring the baby to you for feedings during the night and then care for the infant post-feeding with burping and diapering if needed, allowing you (and baby) to get back to sleep.
Yes! A Baby Nurse can help you with a list of basic supplies you will need; equipping, stocking and arranging the nursery; helpful resources to address your most pressing questions (including her experience!) and recommendations for a healthy postpartum diet, particularly if you’ve chosen to breastfeed.
Baby Nurses typically do not perform housework, cook or care for pets. They will do baby laundry, clean bottles and breastfeeding supplies and keep the nursery tidy and stocked. Should a client express a specific need for duties beyond the typical during our in-depth interview, Happy Newborns will do our best to accommodate the request for an additional fee.
Baby Nurses are typically only charged with care for the newborn but will assist in a family’s adjustment to the new addition. However should a client express a specific need for sibling care during our in-depth interview, Happy Newborns will do our best to accommodate the request for an additional fee.
Happy Newborns provides Newborn Caregivers with training and experience with multiples. In addition, we offer Newborn Consulting in Infant Multiples Care that addresses special nursery preparations, advice on feeding, sleeping and changing as well as best ways to ensure that both or more infants receive the attention and care necessary for healthy growth and development. We can also assist with round-the-clock care with a team of Baby Nurses.
Happy Newborns provides RN and LPN Baby Nurses that are able to assist medical needs infants that may include premature births, deformities, medically complicated births or genetic disorders. This more acute care can be “stepped down” to a non-licensed Baby Nurse should the client desire and where appropriate. In addition, Happy Newborns provides Special Needs Newborn Care Consultations to further support our clients with information geared toward special needs infants.
Ideally, your Baby Nurse or Postpartum Doula will start the day you come home from the hospital to begin caring for you and the newborn and to transition into the “fourth trimester.”
Happy Newborns Employee Screening & Matchmaking Process
Happy Newborns screens Baby Nurses and Postpartum Doulas for placement in client homes. Happy Newborns directly employs the caregivers (working as independent contractors for us) and pays their salaries. We do not charge a placement, retainer or application fee, only hourly, daily or weekly rates. Our rates reflect the amount that we are paying our caregivers in addition to administrative fees for our detailed screening process, background checks and coordination of care—all of the things that simplify finding relief for our clients.
- We ease what can be a stressful, time-intensive, complicated process into unchartered territory by finding qualified, professional, fully-screened and suitable Baby Nurses, Postpartum Doulas and Infant Consultants from which to select.
- We are in the family building business—and that includes our family of clients and Newborn Caregivers. Personal relationships are at the heart of every transaction!
- Client and caregiver interviews are extensive and detailed so that we are able to make the best match possible.
- We offer great flexibility in our supportive services—from a range of qualified, experienced Infant Caregivers and the ability to step down care as time progresses to helpful consultations from our expert Newborn Consultants in areas such as Sleep Training and Lactation Support.
- In addition to experienced, well trained Newborn Caregivers, Happy Newborns offers experienced administrators—including a seasoned nanny who has undergone Newborn Caregiver training.
- Happy Newborns offers our caregivers additional training in ethics and professionalism which requires passing a test and adherence to our own philosophy and standards of excellence.
- - We offer immediate relief and reassurance for stressed parents by providing a Night Nanny Risk Free Trial and a Sleep Training Guarantee for in-home consultations.
- They must demonstrate qualities of reliability, trustworthiness, honesty, a love of children, professionalism and a good work ethic.
- They must demonstrate the required training and experience for their newborn care category (RN/LPN, NCSA Newborn Care Specialist, Newborn Care Specialist, Newborn Care Provider, Postpartum Doula).
- They must be a minimum of 21 years of age.
- They must provide 2 forms of personal identification.
- They must provide current Infant CPR & First Aid certification.
- They must provide an updated resume with experience and qualifications.
- They must provide 3 excellent work references and 2 personal references.
- They must be authorized to work in the U.S. (verified Social Security number).
- There must be a willingness to undergo various background checks (national and international background checks, National Sex Offender Registry check, Child Abuse Registry check, DMV check).
- They must be able to read, write and speak English fluently.
- They must be a non-smoker.
- They must engage in a face-to-face interview (Skype may be possible) with a Happy Newborns representative prior to being eligible for work with us
- They must successfully complete our Ethics & Procedures Training, including passing a written test.
- They must show proof of updated TDAP, annual flu shot and TB test within the last 4 years.
In addition to the above qualifications that we require, the most critical parts of the Happy Newborns hiring process are the application, the reference checks and face-to-face interview. Our extensive, detailed questions on the application and in the personal interview address personality, presentation, job preferences and skill sets. We address many areas with the Baby Nurse in the application and interview process such as the following:
- Work history, experience and training
- Skills and preferred job duties
- Lifestyle, hobbies, interests, health habits, health issues
- Preferred household environment
- Future goals, strengths and weaknesses
- Ideal work environment
- Family life
- Professionalism, conduct, attitude, personality and demeanor
- Assessment of how the Baby Nurse would handle real life situations regarding multiples care, sleeping / eating scheduling, frequent spitting up, colic and reflux, bathing, swaddling, sleep training, child development, infant safety, breastfeeding support, soothing crying babies and communication with clients
In talking with references, we address areas like punctuality, professionalism, attitude, any issues that arose and how they were addressed, reliability, newborn care and client communication.
In addition to recruiting and advertising online, one of our best resources for finding excellent Baby Nurses is referrals from their colleagues. Of course, every Baby Nurse still undergoes our rigorous screening process and Ethics & Procedures Training.
Yes! We can provide Baby Nurses worldwide, however roundtrip travel expenses must be paid by the client.
Happy Newborns is in the matchmaking business, and our clients’ satisfaction with their Baby Nurses is critical to our business. Therefore, in addition to our in-depth screening process for Baby Nurses, we have a detailed process to ensure our families receive a Newborn Caregiver that reflects their personal lifestyle, personalities and individual needs. This may take anywhere from a few days to up to week. Here’s how the Happy Newborns process works for families:
The client fills out a detailed, family application.
- Happy Newborns conducts an in-depth, in-person home visit to you and your family when possible to understand client needs, service levels, lifestyle, preferences and expectations. Alternatively, a Skype or phone call will be arranged.
- Based on client budget and care needs, Happy Newborns will recommend the most appropriate Newborn Caregiver type, including the option of step-down care or Newborn Consulting.
- Based on family interview, Happy Newborns will present a few potential caregivers we feel may be a good fit in terms of personality, experience and availability. Clients may review the candidate’s file at any time.
- Happy Newborns will offer a Risk Free Trial of one night’s Baby Nurse service after the family interview, if desired.
- We will schedule interviews with the client and caregivers, in person if possible, Skype if necessary.
- The client will make a selection and engage our services by signing a Services Agreement that outlines job expectations, responsibilities, fees and terms of employment.
- Happy Newborns continues with the client every step of the way through the contract duration.
- We allow our clients to call the same references we have already called.
While quite a few of our Baby Nurses are local, many live outside the state of Florida. We require round-trip travel expenses (food, transportation) to be paid by the client as a reimbursement to the Baby Nurse if a non-local Baby Nurse is selected by the client.
Depending upon the schedule, current assignment and location of the desired Baby Nurse, an in-person interview may not be possible. However, an extensive phone or Skype interview may be arranged.
Happy Newborns offers pre-qualified clients a Risk Free Trial of one of our Night Nannies for a night of rest (up to 12 hours). Parents who have completely filled out our in-depth questionnaire and have participated in our equally in-depth interview qualify.
The Business of Arranging for Your Infant Care with Happy Newborns
Happy Newborns can meet the unique needs of clients. Typically the maximum duration for a Baby Nurse or Postpartum Doula is up to three months (the “fourth trimester”) as this allows time for ideal scheduling, Sleep Training and transitions to take place as well as to instill critical parent confidence. We find that one of the most important things to our clients is the ability to sleep at night since many are engaged in very busy lives so Night Baby Nurses tend to be in the highest demand. However, some of our clients require a daytime or live-in Baby Nurse. Ultimately, a Baby Nurse creates the opportunity for an enjoyable fourth trimester rather than a time that the family needs to just trudge through.
Our Night Baby Nurses typically work approximately 12 hours shifts from 7 pm to 7 am. Our Day Baby Nurses typically work approximately 12 hours shifts from 7 am to 7 pm. Live-In Baby Nurses provide care for 7 days a week. Each day of work shall be no longer than 19 consecutive hours and Newborn Specialist shall have no less than 5 consecutive hours off each calendar day, break is from 7am-12pm. On each week there will be 1 day of daytime hours taken off. Break is from 7AM-12PM and on this day the break will be extended till 7pm. Baby nurse will resume duties at 7pm that day. We recommend a minimum of 2 weeks to start. Contact a Happy Newborns representative to discuss your specific needs.
Depending upon the schedule of the Baby Nurse, we may be able to extend the number of hours and days, however not beyond 19 hours per day or 6 days per week if the Baby Nurse is working in a day or night capacity or xx hours per week in the case of a Live-In. We just ask that you let us know as soon as you know that you would like to increase or extend. Happy Newborns will check with the Baby Nurse to see if her schedule will permit any increase in hours, days or duration. If not, we may be able to bring in another team member to help support with care.
It is best to schedule your Baby Nurse as soon as your doctor confirms your due date THREE TO SEVEN MONTHS. We recommend booking as soon as possible as Baby Nurse schedules fill up quickly. However, we can often fulfill last minute needs.
Happy Newborns reserves your Baby Nurse for 1 week before your due date and for 1 week after your due date. If your baby is born outside of this window, then we will do our best to fill in with another qualified team member. If you have been informed during your pregnancy that there is a likelihood that your due date may change, please let us know as soon as possible.
Happy Newborns will do our best to arrange for your last minute request.
We ask that clients provide a couch or bed for a Baby Nurse. A private guest room with a baby monitor is nice but not necessary for a Night Baby Nurse. We allow our clients to choose whether they would like the Baby Nurse in the nursery or not. Live In Baby Nurses will need a private room with a baby monitor
You are not required to provide meals for a Day or Night Baby Nurse, however making a space available for the Baby Nurse to prepare meals is highly suggested. Snacks and drinks are optional. Live-In Baby Nurses will require meals.
A Baby Nurse will sleep when the baby is sleeping, particularly overnight. Live-Ins will do the same but will also be given a flexible 5 hours break every 24 hours to sleep or leave the dwelling.
If this is an important requirement, please share that with us during our familiarization interview so that we may secure a Baby Nurse who is able and willing to meet this need. Note that all food, lodging and travel expenses must be paid by the client.
The number of hours and days the Baby Nurse is working per week will determine time off. Hourly Night or Day Nurses will receive one shift off per every 6 days worked. Live-Ins will receive 1 day off per week. Happy Newborns will do our best to find a fill in should you desire.
Happy Newborns will do our best to secure team support as quickly as possible.
Yes, our Baby Nurses are paid twice the 24-hour period rate for work scheduled for the following holidays:
New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve day or night, and Christmas Day.
You may tip your Baby Nurse or Postpartum Doula 10%-15% of the total contract amount.
Happy Newborns, as the employer of the caregiver, handles taxes.
If a client is not happy with the Baby Nurse they have chosen or a Baby Nurse terminates her commitment, Happy Newborns will do our best to secure an agreed upon replacement as quickly as possible.
Sleep Training and Baby Scheduling
One of Happy Newborns’ most popular services is Sleep Training for babies and toddlers. While the service is provided by all of our Newborn Care Specialists (NCSs) gradually starting the first month if engaged in overnight services, the same Newborn Care Specialists share their techniques and years of experience with new parents either in the home or via phone if they have not been retained in a longer term contract.
All of our Sleep Training Consultations start with in-depth parent interviews to gauge child health and preparedness for sleep training as well as assess parental commitment, philosophy and attitudes surrounding the process. Our Sleep Training Coaches will thoroughly assess present sleep and eating habits as well as environment and other behavioral patterns. Then, an appropriate, individualized plan will be presented and implemented. Note that successful Sleep Training requires fully committed parents and some diligent homework, but the rewards will be worth it!
Happy Newborns sleep trains children from at least 12 weeks old or 12 pounds to age 4 allowing parents the rest they need to fulfill new responsibilities and prevent equally common sleep deprivation among infants. We find that most infants will begin to sleep well within 2 to 4 nights after Sleep Training. Toddlers or babies that have been rocked or held to sleep may take between 7 to 10 days to acclimate.
Contact us to discuss Phone and In-Home Sleep Training Consultations.
Our guaranteed techniques ensure that infants at least 12 weeks old or 12 pounds sleep 12 hours at night without waking. We are highly confident in our expertly trained and experienced Infant Care Consultants and proudly offer that if clients haven’t found our Sleep Training services effective (meaning baby is not sleeping between eight and 12 hours a night), they simply don’t pay. Now, one thing is absolutely required, however. Parents must 100% consistently follow the Sleep Trainer’s recommendations! Another point to consider is that parents who are willing to use the CIO (Cry It Out) method will yield faster results, typically within a week. Parents who choose alternate methods such as Pick Up, Put Down may experience a longer Sleep Training period, possibly up to four months. Finally, it is essential to establish a consistent daytime schedule, particularly during the critical hours of 4 pm to 7 pm, to affect any real change for infants at night. In any case, there’s nothing to lose (except sleepless, frustrating nights). Premature babies may or may not require a little extra time in Sleep Training.
While we maximize safe and effective Sleep Training at the magic “at least 12 weeks or 12 pounds” mark, some clients want their babies Sleep Trained sooner. We can accommodate this request in two ways. First, employing a Newborn Care Specialist consistently from birth will ensure a quicker Sleep Train. In addition, for babies who haven’t hit our critical milestone, our Newborn Care Specialists can do what we call “gentle stretching” at night to allow infants to sleep longer. From this point, Sleep Training would take an additional 6 weeks to complete.
We find that most parents agree that toddlers are an entirely different beast than a newborn, and we say that with love and appreciation for their most necessary individuation process! Sleep Training is no different. In fact, we have found that the individuation process is so strong (as soon as our Sleep Trainer leaves, guess who wants to be back in charge!) that we recommend that only parents do the Sleep Training for toddlers. Parents will benefit from an in-home consultation and initial overnight stay, but experience shows that there is greater benefit if they then take over the remainder of the Sleep Training.
If you have a Baby Nurse in your home the day you bring the baby home from the hospital, she will immediately begin to structure the baby’s sleep, wake and feeding schedule. However, if your preference is not to do this, your Baby Nurse will respect your wish and defer to your needs.
For Baby Nurses and Postpartum Doulas Looking for Employment
If you are looking for a newborn care agency that supports you in what you love to do—providing excellent care to newborns and outstanding support for stressed, overwhelmed parents—then you’ve met your match with Happy Newborns! Our pledge to our Infant Care Providers is to treat you with respect, operate in a professional fashion, pay competitively (and timely!), assist you in the best way possible in your career path and consider you a valued team member in our mutual success. Additionally, as detailed as we get in our caregiver interviews, we also get in our client interviews to ensure the best possible fit for both.
It can be right away if an immediate need opens and you are a good fit. Otherwise, your hiring is dependent upon your schedule, our pending client roster and a good fit with clients you interview with.
- You must demonstrate qualities of reliability, trustworthiness, honesty, a love of children, professionalism and a good work ethic.
- You must demonstrate the required training and experience for your newborn care category (RN/LPN, NCSA Newborn Care Specialist, Newborn Care Specialist, Newborn Care Provider, Postpartum Doula).
- You must be a minimum of 21 years of age.
- You must provide 2 forms of personal identification.
- You must provide current Infant CPR & First Aid certification.
- You must provide an updated resume with experience and qualifications.
- You must provide 3 excellent work references and 2 personal references.
- You must be authorized to work in the U.S. (verified Social Security number).
- You must be a willing to undergo various background checks (national and international background checks, National Sex Offender Registry check, Child Abuse Registry check, DMV check).
- You must be able to read, write and speak English fluently.
- You must be a non-smoker.
- You must engage in a face-to-face interview (Skype may be possible) with a Happy Newborns representative prior to being eligible for work with us
- You must successfully complete our Ethics & Procedures Training, including passing a written test.
- You must show proof of updated TDAP, annual flu shot and TB test within the last 4 years.
No. Nor is there an obligation to accept a position that you feel will not be a good fit.
You can start by filling out an application online. We will contact you to discuss setting up an interview.
Depending upon training and experience, pay starts at $30 per hour for hourly care for a singleton and $550 per day for a Live-In.
- Submit a resume and fill out our extensive online Newborn Caregiver application that includes questions on personality, job preferences and skill sets.
- A Happy Newborns representative evaluates the application and will then reach out to schedule an interview if we are interested in your qualifications and presentation.
- If we feel you are a good fit for clients after the interview, then we will check and verify your references and work history. A rigorous background check will also be completed.
- If these check out, then you will be eligible to work with us after completing our Ethics and Procedures Training, passing a written test and signed off on your understanding of our policies and procedures. You must also agree to acceptable nanny practices and abide by all nanny laws and regulations.
- As we have clients that we feel may be a good fit based on your profile, we will contact you to see if you are available and interested in working with them based on their profile. If there is interest on both sides, we will send the family your information. Understand that the family may be speaking with a few candidates.
- You may go to an interview with the client or have a Skype interview with them.
- If the client is interested in having you provide care, a Happy Newborns representative will reach out to you to confirm your interest.
In addition to the above qualifications that we require, the most critical parts of the Happy Newborns hiring process are the application, the reference checks and face-to-face interview. Our extensive, detailed questions on the application and in the personal interview address personality, presentation, job preferences and skill sets. We address many areas with you in the application and interview process such as the following:
- Work history, experience and training
- Skills and preferred job duties
- Lifestyle, hobbies, interests, health habits, health issues
- Preferred household environment
- Future goals, strengths and weaknesses
- Ideal work environment
- Family life
- Professionalism, conduct, attitude, personality and demeanor
- Assessment of how you would handle real life situations regarding multiples care, sleeping / eating scheduling, frequent spitting up, colic and reflux, bathing, swaddling, sleep training, child development, infant safety, breastfeeding support, soothing crying babies and communication with clients
In talking with references, we address areas like punctuality, professionalism, attitude, any issues that arose and how they were addressed, reliability, newborn care and client communication.
