Having a professional in your home to care for your newborn during the night can be a real game changer for many parents. The ability to receive a quality night’s rest can make you feel like a brand new person. Most families have never had a Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) work in their home, so one of the questions potential clients ask most frequently is, “What does a typical night look like?” Continue reading to learn more about a night in the life of an NCS.
Before Bed
At some point in the evening prior to your heading to bed, your care provider will arrive at your home to get a recap of the day and how your baby has been that day. Shortly after arrival or during the recap of the day is an excellent time to ask questions of your NCS, particularly if something came up that day of which you were unsure. After you’ve completed the recap and discussed any questions you may have, your role for the night is done. You are free at that point to enjoy your evening until you are ready to turn in for the evening.
Through the Night
Once your NCS is on duty, they will immediately get to work by preparing for the rest of the evening. The first step they will likely take is making the next feeding if that applies to your situation. After everything is ready to go, your care provider may lightly rest but always keeps an ear out for your baby and will wake with them as needed throughout the night. If your child is hungry, they will feed your baby or bring them to you to nurse. Your NCS will handle all burping, changing, swaddling, and soothing required throughout the night. Limiting your interaction with the baby during nighttime hours assists you in getting the maximum amount of sleep with the minimum amount of worry.
In the Morning
Once you are awake in the morning or your NCS’s shift is up, you will receive a recap from your NCS about how the night went and anything you should be aware of or keep an eye on during the day. After getting you up to speed, they will hand back over the monitor (so to speak) so that you can begin caring for your child during the day. At this point, it is time for your care provider to depart and beginning preparations for their next shift.