About
Olive Harris, Professional Newborn Care Specialist & Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
My passion for working with babies started at a young age which has lead me to a fulfilling 13-year career and hundreds of happy families. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than to see little ones enjoy a healthy development and seeing the satisfaction of happy, confident parents. This passion has lead me to pursue certificates and education which are not typical of a traditional baby nurse. This has equipped me to better help the families I work with with more resources and knowledge to meet their individual needs while providing the best care possible.
As a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), I have successfully completed a 45-hour training based upon the footprint of the World Health Organization/UNICEF Breastfeeding Counseling Training Course. I have successfully passed a criterion-referenced examination, and demonstrated the competencies and skills required to provide safe, evidence-based counseling for pregnant, lactating and breastfeeding women.
FAQ's
What is a Baby Nurse or Newborn Care Specialist?
A baby nurse, or newborn care specialist, is an expert in newborn care and parental education. Highly trained and experienced, a baby nurse or newborn care specialist can help care for and nurture your baby and provide you education and guidance as you learn your role as a new parent. Baby nurses can help troubleshoot issues and concerns with your baby and answer any questions you have about caring for your newborn.
A baby nurse can make your transition into your role as a parent smoother and help you ease any anxieties or worries you may have regarding the care of your newborn. A baby nurse understands the postpartum phase of pregnancy and can support a mother through this transitional period. You’ll be reassured by having someone on hand to help you care for your newborn baby, to help educate you and assist with any problems or concerns about the care of your newborn.
Will I Need a Baby Nurse or Newborn Care Specialist?
Whether your newborn baby is healthy or facing medical conditions upon discharge from the hospital, a baby nurse or newborn care specialist can provide new parents with a wealth of professional experience and knowledge. She can assist you by monitoring your baby, providing experienced and professional care and can help identify problems and ease the concerns of a first-time parent. The comfort and reassurance of having a professionally trained and knowledgeable newborn care specialist on hand can be very beneficial to a first time parent.
Read More About Hiring a Baby Nurse
What are the Responsibilities of a Baby Nurse or Newborn Care Specialist?
Our primary role as a baby nurse or newborn care specialist is to assist and provide care for the newborn baby during the first few weeks, or recovery period, of your baby’s life. A baby nurse transitions, educates and supports parents to care for the newborn and to help the family establish a practical routine that allows new parents to feel comfortable and settled into their roles.
Night time or 24 hour baby nurses generally sleep in the baby's room or in a nearby guest room to manage the baby’s care while you sleep restfully through the night. When the baby is awoken, the baby nurse will care for the baby by taking care of its needs – bringing the baby to its mother for breastfeeding or bottle feeding, and after feeding, she will take care of burping the baby and diaper changes before settling the baby to go back to sleep.
Day time care is similar to night time care in that the baby nurse or newborn specialist strives to create a friendly and nurturing environment for your baby during day time, or awake, hours.
A baby nurse or newborn care specialist is not a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). They draw on a variety of experiences and education to provide quality care for your newborn baby while helping to educate parents, establish routines and schedules for the newborn baby and allowing parents to enjoy their new family.