Parenting Pointers: What to Know When Hiring a Newborn Care Specialist

Brooke Barousse

One of the great equalizers in life is how epic welcoming a baby is for parents. 

From the exhilarating moment they enter parenthood, life is under new management and the journey can sometimes be unsteady. 

The good news is that skilled, loving guides await during this precious time in the form of Newborn Care Specialists.

Support from a Newborn Care Specialist can be catered to the family. This includes sleep training, feeding, assistance in breastfeeding, and more. These specialists often have a background as nurses, medical professionals, postpartum doulas or individuals with other concentrated childcare training.

Unfortunately, these individuals don’t magically appear like Mary Poppins. It takes an experienced matchmaker. 

As the founder of Lexington Nannies & Household Staffing, we are often the ones to facilitate the magic of finding the perfect fit for families and their nanny or staff requirements.

Since 2006, my agency has been renowned throughout Southern California for a highly individualized, successful household staff placement process. 

When creating a match, I get to know both parties and only accept about 10 percent of the candidates who apply for Newborn Care Specialist positions. Our screening includes criminal background checks and reference checks.

I have an instinct for reading people, which has resulted in a high success rate for what is essentially personality matchmaking for my clients and their newly hired household staff. I can see where skills and energies mesh—and where they don’t.

Important things to know when hiring a Newborn Care Specialist:

 

· It is best to find a specialist 3-6 months into a pregnancy as quality Newborn Care Specialists book 4-6 months in advance.

· They are highly trained to help with tips and tricks when it comes to swaddling, breastfeeding, pumping, lactation, sleeping habits and more.

· They can work the night shift so parents get the rest they need. They typically work 10-12 hours a night, whether it’s a few nights a week or 7 nights a week.

· They have experience with twins and multiples, premature babies, special needs, or just those who needs a little extra tender loving care.

Pricing can vary, but an overview of the pricing structure for a Newborn Care Specialists charge between $35-60/hr, plus the agency is paid a direct fee.

 

Here are a few additional tips for landing the right Newborn Care Specialist.

Figure out your available budget, so you know how many nights/hours you want to book someone for ahead of time. You want to have a good sense of how long you want to book someone, as Newborn Care Specialists have different availability and you’ll want to have the same person the entire time.

Gifting a Newborn Care Specialist is something that many grandparents do to help their daughters or daughters-in-law during an unforgettable time in their lives.

Lexington Nannies & Household Staffing has a positive success rate with return clients and staff retention.

You’ll love the care, knowledge and experience that we bring to the table, and most families tell us they want to keep their nannies forever. 

No new parent knows what their journey will look like, but with the support of a Newborn Care Specialist, the path can be much smoother and more enjoyable for the whole family.

Brooke Barousse is the founder of Lexington Nannies, one of LA’s leading household staff placement agencies. lexingtonnannies.com