by NCSA Newborn Care Specialist Association
Welcoming a newborn into a family is a time filled with joy. It can also be the start of a new crucial role: ensuring their little one always receives the best care possible.
Amidst the sea of advice and recommendations, understanding the different types of newborn caregivers can be both enlightening and empowering, so let’s delve into the diverse world of newborn care, exploring the roles of caregivers and the unique contributions they offer to families.
Understanding the difference between professional titles within the newborn care industry is essential. While Baby Nurse and Night Nurse are terms that parents have been using for generations, here at the Newborn Care Specialist Association, we are working on being part of the change in educating parents and professionals to understand correct terminology.
Newborn Care Specialist
A Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) is qualified in newborn care and specializes in the first 0-16 weeks of a baby’s life. An NCS’s primary focus is on the newborn, helping to troubleshoot any issues of concern with a newborn’s health or development. An NCS will also often provide other support based on additional qualifications such as lactation management, age-appropriate sleep shaping, and perinatal mental health.
Night Nurse/Baby Nurse
A Night Nurse is a licensed RN or LPN who works with newborns. The term is commonly misused to refer to an NCS, but an NCS cannot ethically or legally refer to themselves as a nurse unless they have a nursing degree. In-home care by a qualified nurse may be appropriate if a newborn is medically fragile, particularly if tube feeding, oxygen monitors, or heart monitors are needed.
Postpartum Doula
A Postpartum Doula (PPD) is trained to support a family during the postpartum period. A PPD typically focuses on a family as a whole and guides parents through recovery offering, emotional care, newborn care, household support, and sometimes meal preparation and sibling care when requested.
Night Nanny
A Night Nanny is a nanny who provides overnight care for newborns. They can provide basic newborn care and will follow the parent’s lead and guidance. A night nanny typically will have no professional newborn or postpartum-focused training or certifications. Parents should not rely on a night nanny for professional advice.
By helping parents understand the different types of newborn caregivers, we can empower them to make informed choices that best suit their family’s needs with peace of mind that they are surrounded by a network of caregivers dedicated to helping their family thrive.
NCSA Newborn Care Specialist Association is the leading Industry Association and Certification Entity for Newborn Care Specialists. Together we will raise the professional standard of newborn care.
