Baby Nurse Job Description

Baby nurses work with families in their homes to help take care of a newborn baby, educate parents about newborn care, and help create a smooth transition to parenthood. They are trained, non-medical newborn specialists, and they work around the clock taking care of the new baby (or babies). Baby nurses perform a variety of tasks and can make this exciting time of life less stressful for parents.

Newborn Care

• Baby nurses are specialists in all aspects of the daily tasks in caring for newborn babies. They assist with and educate parents in diapering, feeding, bathing, caring for umbilical cords and circumcisions, burping, swaddling, and more. They help take care of the baby 24 hours a day and will allow parents much needed rest at night. For breastfeeding moms, the baby nurse wakes up with the baby, prepares him/her for the mother's feeding, and then changes, burps, and puts the baby back to sleep.

Organization

• While baby nurses do not do housekeeping, they help parents organize the nursery and keep track of necessary supplies. They will do the baby's laundry and keep clothing, blankets, towels, and burp cloths neat and organized. They may also assist with pumping breast milk and teach parents how to sterilize bottles.

Duration of Stay

• Baby nurses typically come home with the family as soon as the baby is born and stay a minimum of 10 to 14 days. They may stay as much as a month, or up to six or nine months, depending on the family's needs and desires.

Multiples and Special Needs

• Baby nurses are trained in caring for twins or triplets and provide a much appreciated extra set of hands for parents of multiples. Bringing home twins or triplets from the hospital can be overwhelming for parents, and a baby nurse can greatly reduce stress and ease the transition. Baby nurses also have experience in working with breathing machines, premature babies, high-risk pregnancies, and other special needs.

What Baby Nurses Are Not

• Baby nurses are not registered nurses or medical professionals. They are not doulas, who may help take care of the mother, or housekeepers. They do not do dishes or laundry other than the baby's. Their primary focus is on caring for the baby and educating parents in how to care for the baby.