An Inside Look at what to expect from Day, Overnight, and 24-Hour Newborn Care
Whether you’re new to the Hush Little Baby team or a family seeking support during the postpartum period, understanding how our shifts are structured can help set everyone up for success. Our work is built around consistency, compassion, and clear communication—and that starts with knowing what to expect.
Below, we break down our three main shift types: Daytime Care, Overnight Support, and 24-Hour Live-In Care—including the duties involved and what makes each one unique.
Daytime Shifts
Hours: Typically between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., with some flexibility including evening shifts.
Common shift lengths: 4 to 12 hours, depending on family needs. Minimum length is 4.
What Team members Do:
Daytime care focuses on helping parents stay rested, informed, and confident. During the day, team members are more interactive with families and often provide both practical help and emotional support.
Typical duties include:
- Feeding (bottle or assisting with breastfeeding)
- Diapering and swaddling
- Soothing techniques for naps or fussiness
- Bottle and pump part washing
- Baby laundry
- Light housekeeping related to the baby
- Teaching new parents baby basics: bathing, burping, swaddling, and safe sleep
- Supporting moms with recovery, rest, and light meals
- Identifying early signs of postpartum mood disorders and referring as needed
Day shifts often have a heavier education and empowerment component, and may include teaching milestones, routines, or helping the family plan for longer-term infant care.
Overnight Shifts
Hours: Usually 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Common shift lengths: 8–12 hours, depending on family schedule. Minimum shift length is 8 hours.
What team members Do:
Overnight care is designed to give parents the gift of sleep while ensuring baby’s needs are fully met.
During overnight shifts, responsibilities include:
- Monitoring baby using a monitor or staying within earshot often in the nursery
- Handling all overnight feedings (bottle, pumped breastmilk, or bringing baby to nurse)
- Burping, changing, and settling baby back to sleep
- Washing bottles and pump parts from the night
- Logging feedings, sleep, and diaper output
- Maintaining a quiet, calm environment
- Ensuring safe sleep practices are followed at all times
Resting while baby sleeps is permitted, as long as you remain alert, responsive, and use no noise-canceling headphones or distractions. You are not expected to be awake the entire shift unless the baby is awake or requires care.
24-Hour Live-In Shifts
Hours: 24 hours/day, typically at least 4–7 days at a time and can be as long as 6 months.
What team members Do:
This is the most immersive support level and is often used in the first few weeks postpartum or with multiples or medically complex infants.
During 24-hour shifts, responsibilities include:
- All newborn care, day and night (rotating responsibilities with breaks usually 4 hours)
- Breast and bottle feeding support
- Diapering, swaddling, and bathing
- Coordinating sleep schedules and early routines
- Organizing baby supplies and nursery
- Cleaning bottles/pump parts and baby laundry
- Meal prep or light tidying (only related to baby and mom)
- Emotional and recovery support for postpartum parents
Team members usually receive guaranteed breaks, including a sleeping break (usually 4–6 hours in the morning), depending on the agreement). These details are always discussed and finalized during contract setup.
General Reminders for All Shifts
- Communication is key. Check in with the family before each shift if needed, and document key highlights afterward.
- Follow the care plan. Respect each family’s parenting style and goals.
- Safety first. Always follow safe sleep guidelines and hygiene best practices.
- Be proactive. If you see something that could help—do it or offer. From organizing the diaper caddy to recommending a new bottle brush, small actions go a long way.
- Document as needed. Daily logs help parents understand baby’s rhythm, reassure them that things are going well, and assess what to expect when they are solo.
Final Thought
At Hush Little Baby, we don’t just care for newborns—we support whole families. Whether our team members are working an overnight shift so new parents can rest, guiding them through the witching hour during a daytime visit, or supporting recovery and routine through live-in care, we are part of a trusted circle that’s making a real impact and knowing what to expect is key to that experience.
We’re so glad you’re here. Now let’s go help some babies (and their parents) thrive.