FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a Newborn Care Specialist?

A Newborn Care Specialist is an individual trained and skilled in newborn care. Our caregivers are more than just nannies. They know the ins and outs of newborn development and have specialized newborn training. They provide unique expertise in all aspects of newborn care, parental education and support. Her job is to help nurture and care for newborns while providing guidance, and education for the parents. Our goal is to reassure you as new parents and help make the transition enjoyable. RN’s are also available for overnight care.

What is a Night Nanny?

A Night Nanny is an individual skilled in the area of newborn care. Her job is to help nurture and care for newborns while parents get well-deserved sleep at night. Night Nannies do not typically have advanced training in sleep conditioning or lactation but have ample experience in the care of a newborn.

What is a Baby Nurse?
A “baby nurse” is an old term referred to an individual who cares for a newborn baby. Most baby nurses care for newborns around the clock from day one. However, using the term “nurse” in ones title is illegal in the majority of state in the US. There are still individuals who care for newborns under the title of “baby nurse,” however it should be made clear that these individuals have no medical training and many lack professional newborn care training as well.
What is provided during overnight care?

Feeding the baby/babies
Sterilizing, cleaning and preparing bottles
Sterilizing and cleaning pump parts
Changing baby when needed
Establishing healthy sleep habits
Soothing baby back to sleep
Maintaining sleep schedules & Logs
Keeping the nursery tidy
Education for parents
Awake Care for baby/babies with medical conditions

What do I need to provide and expect from my Newborn Specialist?

It is requested that a large chair, bed, or couch be provided for your caregiver to rest on during the night while taking care of your baby/babies. Your caregiver will feed, change, and put your baby back to sleep throughout the night. For mothers who are breastfeeding, your caregiver will bring your baby to you throughout the night to eat. Once feeding is complete, your caregiver will return to put your baby back to sleep. Other accommodations can be also be made for breastfeeding based on your preferences. There is nothing else you need to  provide the specialist while she is on duty.

I am breastfeeding, how does that work?

Your Newborn Care Specialist will bring you your baby when it is time for a feeding. She can assist with latching, pumping, and positioning. She will also change diapers, burp, hold your baby upright for the recommended time, and change any linens that need to be changed. All of this can take up to 45 minutes, and most babies will feed 3 times a night, which makes that almost 3 hours of sleep you could be getting!

What is the difference between overnight care and awake care?

A normal overnight caregiver may lightly rest when your newborn is sleeping. Caregivers may stay in your baby/baby’s room and are at their side when they wake or need assistance getting back to sleep during the night. During awake care, your caregiver is alert and awake throughout the entire night, giving your newborn more intense supervision. Awake care is especially important for newborns that may have medical conditions due to premature labor.

What do I need to provide for my Newborn Care Specialist for 24 hour care?

It is always important during 24-hour care that your infant specialist be comfortable. We suggest for 24 care that your specialist has access to a private bedroom, internet access, and private bathroom. If this is not possible, a minimum of a bed and personal space for personal items in the baby’s room or another space shall be provided. The family will also be expected to provide food and beverages for the duration of the placement. Specialists are also given four consecutive hours of personal time a day. These hours are decided by the family and the specialist. It is important to remember your specialist needs sleep in order to provide the best quality care for your family. These 4 hours are generally used to nap, shower, and take care of other personal needs.

Do your Newborn Care Specialists have background checks and insurance?

Absolutely. Background checks and reference checks are completed before each specialist is invited to join the team. Records are searched on the county, state and federal levels. SSN & sex offender databases are also searched. Hush Little Baby also provides professional liability insurance to every team member working with the agency under contract with an agency client. Hush Little Baby is one of the few, if not the only postpartum agency offering insurance to its staff.

Does Hush Little Baby have agency fees?

Hush Little Baby will provide each client with one rate based on the specialist and her location that will be providing care. Rates range from $30/hour to $50/Hour for overnight care assistance.

Can we choose the specilist who will be providing care for our family?

Absolutely! Hush Little Baby has a team of nearly 200 newborn care professionals. Once you are ready to begin the process, a Hush Little Baby admin will send you profiles for the ladies who are available around your baby’s due date. We encourage in-person interviews to ensure the perfect match.

Do you have specialists who provide care for preemies, multiples, or babies who suffer from Colic and/or Reflux?

Hush Little Baby has specialists who can aid families with the management of multiples, preemies who may come home on apnea monitors, ng or g-tubes, and babies who suffer from colic and/or reflux. Many of our ladies specialize in each of these areas to provide the most advanced care.