What Is a Newborn Care Specialist?

What is an NCS?

Highly trained in infant care, development, and routine offering round-the-clock support, assuring the ability to be well-equipped to lead the way in your home from day one.

A Newborn Care Specialist joins the family as soon as the baby is born, being on call from 2 weeks before the baby's due date and usually a part of the birth team.

An NCS is responsible for creating a supportive, nurturing, and organized environment right from the start, at a time when a family is going through one of the most overwhelming experiences of their lives. 

Beyond their experience, many newborn care specialists also have training and certifications.

Newborn care specialists can live in the home and typically work either an overnight 12-hour shift or full days, 24/7. A round-the-clock schedule typically includes time off during the day to rest or sleep so the NCS can be available early evening for the night shift so parents can sleep through the night. 

The length of the position varies from at least 8 weeks, and usually for more than 3 to 4 months longer to help families adjust while welcoming a full-time nanny into the home. It's not uncommon for an NCS to move into more of a nanny role.

Newborn care specialist responsibilities can include:

1. Overnight care so parents can rest

2. Bringing baby to mom at night for breastfeeding

3. All general care of the baby during the first months

4. Also includes organizing clothes,

5. cleaning baby's laundry

6. keeping baby’s room clean 

7. keeping track of supplies needed

8. doctor’s appointments, etc. 

As an NCS, it's my honor to be the link to ease new parents into parenthood, offering support in: 

1. Establishing routines such as feeding, sleeping

2. Education: Swaddling, holding, supporting skin-to-skin, understanding their baby's cues

3. Sleep conditioning

4. Diaper changes and giving baths and dressing baby

5. Troubleshooting reflux, colic, and other issues

6. Breastfeeding support

7. Companionship with a non-judgemental ear