What is a Newborn Care Specialist?
A Newborn Care Specialist* (NCS), formerly known as a "night nurse", "baby nurse", or "babynurse" is a non-medical professional trained and skilled in newborn care, parental education, and family support. My job is to help nurture and care for your newborn(s) while providing guidance and education to you, the parent. I'll be there to help you get your baby off to a great start.
How long do you stay with each family?
This is up to you. I have clients who hire me for two weeks and others I have stayed with for a year or more. Every family's needs are different and I enjoy working with all families.
What does a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) do?
"A CLC certification identifies a professional in lactation counseling who has demonstrated the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes to provide clinical breastfeeding counseling and management support to families who are thinking about breastfeeding or who have questions or problems during the course of breastfeeding/lactation." - AALP
My clients get this complimentary benefit as I'm already in their home to support and advise.
What is "Gentle Sleep Conditioning" or "Sleep Shaping"?
This is a very common question. When I am helping a baby learn how to self soothe, I am giving baby a few moments to fuss before helping him or picking him up. Many times babies will fuss while going through their sleep cycles. I am very familiar with these signs and like to give baby a chance to fall back to sleep on his own before helping him. At Sweet Blessings Newborn Care LLC, gentle sleep conditioning does not mean letting a newborn baby "cry it out" (CIO). Although CIO can be a tool for those families with older babies who choose to use it, it is proven to not be appropriate for newborns. If you have any questions about this or are curious about different variations of sleep training, please don't hesitate to ask or see my sleep consulting section on this website.
What if I'm breastfeeding?
If you're breastfeeding, you will have my guidance to help you find what works best for you to achieve success. At night, you can choose how you would like to handle your baby's feedings. I can bring your baby to you when baby needs to eat or I can give your baby a bottle of pumped breastmilk or formula, whichever you prefer. This is completely up to you and can be adjusted at any time.
Why is infant massage important?
Infants love to be touched. They thrive on it and it is a crucial part of their growth and development. Through touch therapy research, it has been shown that nurturing touch is critical in establishing an overall sense of well-being. As an infant massage teacher, I am not only an instructor, but also an educator who teaches the art of infant massage to parents or caregivers in the presence of their babies. Under my guidance, you will learn techniques to use on your baby to promote healthy growth and development.
*A Newborn Care Specialist is an updated professional term describing what was once known as a baby nurse, babynurse, or night nurse. Only those professionals who are licensed RN's or LPN's may identify themselves as baby nurses or night nurses.