Naturally Healthy Parenting The parent's guide to a healthy family
A baby nurse, also known as a Newborn Care Specialist, is an educated, trained, and highly skilled newborn care expert who provides infant care and parental education to families of newborns. Baby nurses have commonly been utilized by elitist parents with big banks accounts to help them become well-adjusted to life with a newborn. Nowadays, they are available virtually everyone, even if you are on a budget. Let’s dive into the world of baby nurses to learn more about them.
Job Duties
Baby nurses do everything from organizing nurseries, helping with feeding time, establishing a bedtime routine, and ensuring a mother’s comfort and nourishment for the first few days that she is home from the hospital. They can provide helpful tips and tricks on dealing with colic, gas, excessive crying, and other common issues that might overwhelm a first-time mother – this is also an integrated part of their CNA Classes that they have to take to become a registered nurse.
Along with serving as a great source for education, support, and encouragement, baby nurses can serve as an extra set of helping hands to assist with chores such as washing soiled baby clothes and properly packing a diaper bag. The nurse will also be able to educate your spouse or partner on what to expect when you come home from the hospital, especially if they are a first-time parent too. They would also have the knowledge to detect any problems. If the baby has suffered a birth injury, then the nurse might be able to spot it early. This would enable you to get in touch with a medical malpractice attorney Atlanta (or somewhere closer to you) and seek justice swiftly. Therefore, baby nurses through the course of their duty can help you and the baby to ensure the best care.
Cost
Hiring a baby nurse is not necessarily cheap. Carole Kramer Arsenault, RN, IBCLC, founder of the Boston Baby Nurse and author of The Baby Nurse Bible explains that the average hourly rate for a baby nurse is $35. Most of her clients tend to utilize their services for about eight weeks on average.
If your budget does not align with the cost of 24/7 baby nurse care, there are other viable options for you. You can choose to hire a nurse to visit once or twice a month. There is also the option of putting those services on your baby registry to ask friends and family if they can donate towards the cost of hiring a baby nurse. It is recommended by professionals to utilize a baby nurse at least once or twice to allow you and your partner to get a good night’s sleep. Rest and better parenting go hand in hand.
When to Hire a Baby Nurse
Caring for a newborn is not an easy feat. How do you know when you should hire a baby nurse? There are several factors that new parents should take into consideration before doing so. Think about whether or not you and your partner will be able to properly function after staying up all night to care for your newborn. Another important factor to consider is having family or trusted friends that live close by who are willing to help you out for a few weeks after you bring your baby home from the hospital.
How to Hire a Baby Nurse
If you are looking into hiring a baby nurse, it is crucial to do your homework. Anyone can call themselves a baby nurse since it is an industry that is not monitored by a professional agency or alliance. Look into different agencies and what type of training programs they put their baby nurses through. If you are hiring someone outside of an agency, make sure they have taken a proper baby nurse certification program.
It also helps to start your search for a baby nurse a couple of months before your due date to eliminate any extra stress in prepping for your baby’s arrival. Make sure to keep your options open and meet him or her ahead of time so that you can determine if you will have a consistent baby nurse. It is never too early to prepare for the care of your newborn and hiring a baby nurse is a great place to start.
