When new parents first come home from the hospital with a new baby, those first few days can be a huge challenge and a stressful time. While taking care of a newborn may be entirely new for some parents, there are professionals that specialize in newborn care and specialized nurses that work with babies as a full-time job. These professionals are valuable resources to parents and definitely worth learning more about before your due date.
Baby Nurse vs. Newborn Care Specialist
The terms baby nurse and newborn care specialist are often used interchangeably because of overlapping duties and similarities in expertise. A baby nurse assists with infant care by providing support, comfort, and reassurance to new parents in the weeks and months after a baby is born. These professionals help with everything from feeding to bathing, diapering, burping, and sleep training.
A newborn specialist typically has at least five years of experience with taking care of newborn babies and is certified in first aid and CPR. Some newborn care specialists even have medical degrees.
Both types of professionals can work on a live-in basis and receive a salary or alternatively, work on an hourly basis and only occasionally when needed. Depending upon your arrangement with your household staff member, she or he may offer light housekeeping services as well, such as doing baby’s laundry and organizing toys.
When to Consider Hiring a Baby Nurse or Newborn Care Specialist
There are many reasons why a new parent or set of parents would benefit from having an experienced and loving extra pair of hands around the house. For example, professional baby care is an especially useful service for new moms who had a difficult pregnancy and/or delivery and are now bed-ridden to heal and recover.
Busy parents who have professional careers and work outside the home also benefit from having a baby nurse or newborn care specialist in the home to tend to baby’s daily needs. This type of service is beneficial for families that have multiple young children at home, that live in remote places far away from easily accessible day care options, and that have newborn babies with special needs. Essentially any first-time parent will benefit tremendously from having a baby care specialist available for guidance and support.
Transitioning to Nanny Care
Many baby nurses and newborn care specialists only work with families during a baby’s first few weeks or months because this is their area of expertise. The average length of stay for a baby nurse is between one and six months.
However, some versatile professionals may stay with your family until the toddler years or until the child is ready to go to school. As children grow older, it is often beneficial to transition from nurses who work with babies to nannies with a well-rounded approach to childcare and who have more experience working with school-age children.
How to Find Specialized Nurses That Work with Babies Near You
Household Staffing International is a private baby nurse and newborn care specialist agency that can connect you to the very best baby caregivers in the world. We understand how hard it is to trust someone new with your little one, which is why it’s best to work through a trusted household staffing agency to find and interview only the most reliable and experienced candidates for the job.
At least a few months before your due date, call us at 212-683-7722 or fill out our online form. You can browse baby nurse and newborn care specialist candidates right on our website to learn about their areas of expertise and how they can help your family transition into this new and exciting phase.