Post Partum Doulas and Newborn Care Specialists
A Doula or a Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) can assist with a variety of skills and services so you can welcome your new baby home in a safe, loving and caring manner. It is customary to engage a Doula for a period of 4 to 6 weeks - a NCS for 8 to 12 weeks. A Doula helps ease the stress of transitioning with her skills, experience and training. Doulas are trained and certified by DONA, Doulas of North America and BAI, Birth Arts International. Doulas provide you with their expertise in a variety of areas, including:
- Post Partum care, adjustment and education
- Pampered care and respite for the new mother
- Assistance with breast feeding
- Newborn and sibling care
- Light housekeeping and meal-time assistance
A Newborn Care Specialist (NCS), sometimes referred to as a 'dry nurse' or (inappropriately) as a 'baby nurse', is a nanny with extensive experience caring for newborns. A 'certified' NCS' education and traniing have been reviewed and certified by an independent association, such as the Newborn Care Specialists Association (NCSA).
Newborn Care Specialists keep up-to-date on the latest developments in newborn care and feeding and often can help with sleep training. A NCS is usually engaged to work with a family for 8 to 12 weeks from the date of birth. She is generally accustomed to caring for a newborn overnight so that the new mom can get as much rest as possible. A NCS can live-in with a family for a period of time, or live-out (if her home is close enough).
Be very careful when interviewing anyone claiming the title of 'Baby Nurse'. A common reference not long ago, today anyone using the title 'nurse' should be able to demonstrate they have earned a degree and certification from a recognized board of authority. In other words: if you're not a nurse - you can't call yourself a nurse of any kind. For this reason, our industry as a whole has moved away from using that title in favor of the more accurate moniker 'Newborn Care Specialist' (NCS).
