Are you a new parent or getting ready to welcome a newborn into your home and wondering if you’ll give your new baby the best care? In this post you’ll learn some helpful tips from a newborn care specialist.
I’ll never forget leaving the hospital with our first child in disbelief that we had to go home and figure everything out on our own. It was overwhelming and a bit scary. I wanted to protect my child and do everything right, but I wasn’t sure if I knew how.
If you can relate to these thoughts and emotions then I would love for you to meet Jessica Rector.
Jessica is a Newborn Care Specialist who is a CACHE certified NCS and CAPPA trained Postpartum Doula. She started her business, Babyboss, as a way of becoming more independent and separate from her extensive nanny experience. She has worked in this role for over 10 years!
I asked Jessica if she would be willing to share some helpful tips as she works with newborns and their families everyday and has a lot of wonderful wisdom and experience to offer.
What is a Newborn Care Specialist?
An individual who has done extensive newborn specific training, research and maintaining up to date knowledge of the baby world. I have over 40,000 hours of specific newborn care including twins, triplets and special needs infants.
What are the top 3-5 products you recommend every new mom have on hand to treat a sick or uncomfortable baby (ideally clean, organic products if they work)?
OHHHH MAN!
1. Velcro Swaddles. I call these bad boys “Parent proof”. They are much easier to demonstrate to a parent and a light in the night for a tired parent who wants to go back to sleep.
2. Lansinoh brand bottles. These are great for parents who are doing a mix of chest feeding and bottle feeding. It has a “close to nature” design to the nipple and has worked well with babies in avoiding nipple confusion.
3. Beaba X Shnuggle baby bath tub. OMG I love this bath tub. This allows you to bathe your infant at a level that is comfortable to you. When they are older this is great for water play and just relaxing activity! You can even fill it up and bond with your baby while you take a shower.
What are normal sleep patterns for infants and is it important to get them on a sleep schedule?
So, I have never really liked the term “sleep training”. You can form a habit for sleeping with your infant, but I like to take the baby-led approach. Just learning and educating parents on baby cues and cries. Every child is different and our bodies have different needs. I feel like there are too many “The Perfect Schedule For Your 4 Month Old” out there and it really takes away from encouraging individuality from a young age. That being said, providing a consistent, safe and relaxing sleep environment can help teach your baby night time from daytime, and if you listen, they fall into their own routine.
When is it time to call the doctor for rash, fever…?
I encourage parents to take care of their worries. If you are worried, or if it would benefit your mental health, go. Call, send pictures to your doctor, don’t google the answer. Ask your medical professional. The time to call a doctor is anytime you feel something is wrong.
What are common signs of sleep deprivation and postpartum depression? Where would you suggest a mom go to for help?
PPD has many forms. I have seen it well hidden, I have seen it require hospitalization and I have witnessed families near their breaking point. The first thing to remember is BOTH parents can suffer postpartum. Everyone handles new things, trauma and the birth of a new life in different ways. Some of the more common signs that I have seen are being withdrawn, angry, impulse decision making, other medical issues arising due to lack of personal care, etc. I tell all of my clients upfront that Postpartum Depression, Mood Disorder, all of it, is something I take very seriously. I always ask for a relative or close friend’s contact that I can have incase I feel both parents are in denial, or I feel there is something wrong. Also, I have a resource list that I individualize for each family. This includes doctors, support groups and mental health counselors that specialize in areas that are specific to the family.
What is one important piece of advice you would like to share with expecting or first time moms?
Don’t be afraid to hand your baby to someone and just take a minute. Even if it’s to use the bathroom alone, or shower. There is beauty in bonding with your baby and caring for them. Self care, the effort you put into YOURSELF, is also caring for your baby.
Is there anything else you would like to share about what you do?
I provide virtual Lactation counseling, Sleep Habit Creating, traveling, and I change the world, one diaper at a time.
If you enjoyed these helpful tips from a newborn care specialist and would like to learn how Jessica can assist your family with your newborn, follow her on Instagram at @bossbabynyc.
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