Should You Hire a Baby Nurse? 
Not only will you not feel well, you will have a little baby to
care for, and probably have limited experience with newborns.
Many New York couples survive this time and enjoy their child's
first few weeks with the help of a Baby Nurse.
What is a Baby Nurse & What Does One Do?
The
term Baby Nurse is used by an RN or LPN that specializes in working
with newborns. However, newborn care specialists are also called
Baby Nurses in some states. She is an experienced nanny with very
extensive training in newborn care skills; she has knowledge of
how and when to put the babies on a schedule - usually by 6 to
8 weeks babies start sleeping better and your Baby Nurse will
know when to start baby(ies) on a bedtime routine so he/she can
sleep 10-12 hours a night. Your Baby Nurse will organize the nursery;
she is familiar with an apnea monitor, feeding systems and other
medical equipment. She can discern problems in like jaundice and
reflux and bring them to your attention. If the baby has problems
with colic and has fussy periods, she knows the techniques for
reducing baby discomfort and getting her/him calm; she supports
breastfeeding and bottle feeding. She will get up for nighttime
feedings while the new mother gets her much needed rest. If the
baby is breast feeding, the nurse will get up with the new mother,
help position the baby and carry him back and forth.
A Baby Nurse will do the baby's laundry every day and help with
light housekeeping and snacks. She will teach you to change diapers,
bathe and feed the baby, or she will do it all for you. She will
hold the baby throughout the day, providing security and affection
when you need a break. She will keep you company or disappear
when you want to be alone with your new family.
When interviewing a potential Baby Nurse, tell her of your expectations.
One friend who stops pregnant women on the street to recommend
her Baby Nurse said she wanted to feel like a Victorian lady.
She wanted the baby taken away and to be changed and brought back
in a fresh, new outfit.
Baby
Nurses take a tremendous burden off of new fathers who may not
feel capable of providing the nurturing a new baby and recovering
wife needs. If a husband can't take time off from work, he knows
that he is not leaving his wife to fend for herself.
The Cost:
A nurse typically stays with a family two to six weeks. I found
that after 14 days I was feeling better, completely comfortable
to care for my baby and ready to try all that I had learned like
how to swaddle, bathe, respond to the meaning of different cries,
methods to calm and soothe my baby. Before my nurse left she helped
me develop a 24-hour schedule that worked for me and the family
which was good because I have 2 older children. It was a joy to
see my baby go to sleep at naptime and nighttime without crying.
According to my nurse, clients often ask her to stay longer than
originally planned. Keep a nurse as long as you need to; if you
can afford the average fee of $200 to $450 or more per day, depending
on the care of a singleton, twins or multiples.
If this fee is too steep, try finding a nurse who will come for night feedings and leave in the morning. If you prefer, find one who will stay for the day and leave in the evening. If you or your husband have a flexible spending account at work, find out if a Baby Nurse's fee is covered. If it is and you are not contributing, you should start. We paid our nurse $2,100, submitted her bill and social security number and flexible spending reimbursed us the entire amount.
The
Benefits:
With so much change occuring, Postpartum Care can help ease the
transition with non-judgmental, supportive information about newborn
care and breast feeding, or by simply preparing you a cup of tea
and giving you a chance to talk about your new mothering concerns.
Baby Nurse Qualifications:
Our Baby Nurses are experienced, sensitive women, knowledgeable
about breast feeding and the early postpartum period. Each is
CPR trained. To become a Baby Nurse a person must take classes
in the following subject areas:
- Child Development
- Health and Nutrition
- Child Safety and Accident Prevention
- Universal Precautions
- Breast and Bottle Feeding
- Car Seat Safety
- Crying and Colic
- Homemaking Skills
- Infant CPR
