What is the Difference Between a Postpartum Doula and A Baby Nurse?
While preparing to welcome your new baby into your family is an exciting time, it can also be quite overwhelming. That’s why many families plan ahead by enlisting the help of a postpartum doula, or a newborn care specialist, (commonly referred to as a “baby nurse”). When researching these terms, it can quickly become confusing. We’ve spelled out the differences between each profession and the tasks performed here to help get you started.
What is a Postpartum Doula?
Postpartum doulas provide mothers and partners with emotional, physical, and information support following the birth of the newborn baby. These doulas support birthing parents, partners, the new baby, and the baby’s siblings through the newborn transition. Families typically meet with and hire a postpartum doula during pregnancy, though some source one after the baby is born. The doula usually comes to the home a few hours during the day or overnight during the first few months following the baby’s birth. Some families work with postpartum doulas on a short term basis, and others for a long term basis.
Baby Caravan postpartum doula Margot Simmons adds, “The postpartum doula takes a multidisciplinary approach to assisting a family during the newborn period. She is a coach, a counselor, a friend, a teacher and a cheerleader depending on the needs of the parent at any given moment. Postpartum doulas are inherently problem solvers and listen to the needs of the family and troubleshoot as things arise from a physical and emotional standpoint.”
A postpartum doula is dedicated to the care of the mother and whole family. They provides evidenced based information on topics such as:
Assistance with breastfeeding, pumping, and breast milk or formula bottle feeding
Assist in breastfeeding education and support
Support for emotional and physical recovery from birth
Support parents bonding with their baby
Tips and tricks for infant soothing
Run errands
Light house cleaning, tidying up and organizing
Meal prep and assistance ordering groceries
Sibling care
Suggest local resources and support groups as needed
Screen for perinatal mood disorders
Help you achieve your short term and long term parenting goals
What is a Newborn Care Specialist?
Newborn care specialists, sometimes called “baby nurses”* provide infant care solely. They are trained professionals who work with new parents to understand newborn issues and development. Newborn care specialists can live with the family for a few weeks or even a few months following the baby’s birth. The newborn care specialist cares for the infant’s needs to give new parents plenty of rest time knowing their baby is being well cared for. Some specialists are also available to live out of the family’s home and come into the home to work overnight only.
Newborn care specialists care for just the baby. General responsibilities include:
Care of baby
Bottle feeding baby
Establishing a routine and eating schedule
Provide overnight care
Help organize nursery
Can help detect jaundice, reflux, colic, and other common newborn issues that might need medical attention
Bathing, diapering
Bottle cleaning and sterilization
Sleep training
This can be very helpful for moms with medical needs, or for parents who need to return to work fairly quickly.
To decide which model is best for you and your family, you may want to consider your goals and what you primarily need assistance with. Do you want guidance and confidence-boosting while learning how to care for your newborn? Or do you want someone to care exclusively for your baby?
A postpartum doula might be a great fit for families who want to be very hands-on with their new baby but would like the education, guidance, and support as they learn new skills. Postpartum Doulas are able to help with baby care overnight, and may even help with laundry and meal prep while they are there.
For clients who plan to breastfeed, Margot suggests families invest in hiring a newborn care specialist when, “your baby is 3-4 weeks of age. At that point you’ve had 3-4 week to establish breastfeeding, and have had the opportunity to really get to know your baby. Also at this time you can certainly benefit from the overnight help and ability to sleep while the baby is cared for.”
If your primary goal is to have a professional tend to the needs of your new baby, help you establish a schedule, and eventually sleep train your baby, then a long term baby nurse would most likely be the best fit.
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*A note to clarify- while you will hear the terms “baby nurse” and “newborn care specialist” used interchangeably, especially in New York City, it’s advised that “baby nurse” should only refer to an individual who is an RN or LPN. We place “baby nurse” in parentheses to help avoid confusion for those who are used to seeing that term refer to what newborn care specialist do. Because there are no regulations placed on this profession, many individuals refer to themselves as “baby nurses” regardless of whether or not they were medically trained.
More resources for your pregnancy journey:
What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag