How to choose a baby name?
Having a baby is so exciting and emotional. One of the first things parents think about are what to name their unborn baby. It is one of the hardest things to decide on. Choosing a name that your child will have for the rest of its life is a huge decision. Will people...
What are the responsibilities of a Newborn Care Specialist?
There are many responsibilities you will encounter as an NCS. Each family is different in what they may expect or want from their NCS. Each job will look a little different depending on the client’s needs. The most important responsibility of an NCS is to make sure...
When should I swaddle a baby and when should I stop swaddling?
Swaddling is a technique used to calm babies by wrapping them tightly to mimic that of them inside the womb. The tightness and confinement are supposed to comfort them. There are many guidelines to follow when swaddling to keep baby safe. There are a few different...
What are Dr. Karp’s Five S’s?
New parents often ask what do we do for a fussy baby? How can we calm them? As an NCS it is our job to not only soothe a fussy baby, but also educate parents how to soothe their baby when it is crying. The Five S’s are tips for calming a fussy baby in which Dr. Karp...
When and how should I burp a baby?
It is important to notice burping cues from both breastfed and bottle-fed babies. Both breastfed and bottle-fed babies will swallow air from their feedings which causes gas. If a baby begins to fuss, squirm, or push the nipple out of their mouth, stop and try to burp...
How do I know baby is getting enough milk?
Every baby’s feed will look different, but it is important that a breast/chestfed baby is nursing 8-12 times per 24 hours. Many times, during a nursing session the parent or baby will fall asleep and the feed will take longer than usual. It is important to notice if...
What are healthy sleep habits for a newborn?
There are many healthy sleep habits to be knowledgeable in for newborns. These sleep habits will carry over into their infant stage of life. It is important for caregivers and parents to be on the same page and that these healthy sleep habits are followed so that baby...
What is breast/chestfeeding?
Breast/chestfeeding is when parent decides to feed the baby from the breast or chest. The AAP believes breast/chestfeeding is the optimal source of nutrition through the first year of life. Breastfeeding can be easy to some new parents and incredibly stressful for...
How much should a baby eat and how often?
A common question asked when bringing a new baby home from the hospital is "how much should it be eating and how often?" New parents worry their baby is not getting enough to eat for a few reasons. One reason a parent may worry their baby is not getting enough to eat...
Making the jump to a Newborn Care Specialist!
Have you ever thought about a career change? I was a preschool teacher for 5 years until I made the decision to switch my career to a Newborn Care Specialist (NCS). I was working two jobs before making the switch. I taught full-time at a small preschool and worked 3...
COVID Tips For Caregivers
During this time of COVID, everyone has had to figure out their "new normal". Whether you had to leave an office and work from home, got furloughed, lost your job, or things at your job have had to develop new routines and policies there is a lot to figure out. If...
How to Support a Breastfeeding Mother: Being Useful When You May Feel Useless
When a mom decides to breastfeed, she is making a choice to have to put herself second most of the time. She will need to be readily available to breastfeed her baby whenever that baby needs to eat. This could mean every 2-3 hrs, or at times, every hour or more during...
Discounts and Lower Payment Plan Options Available During These Uncertain Times!
We at Newborn Care Training Academy know what it can be like during uncertain times. Some of you may be losing your contracts, or at least told to stay home while we all navigate through social distancing from each other. At NCTA, we wanted to be able to offer some of...
Umbilical Cord Care in Newborns: The Do’s and Don’ts
There are many things during those first few weeks of a newborn that you have to figure out. How to feed them, bathe them, and figure out how to care for them. Umbilical cord care is one of the things a lot of new parents question how to do. There is a lot of old...
Is What My Newborn Doing Normal? – Learning About Newborn Reflexes
One of the most questions asked when having a newborn is "Is that normal?" Newborns have a lot of involuntary movements, what we call reflexes. There are many normal reflexes present during the newborn stage. Let's dive in to learn about them. One of the most common...
Baby Wearing: So Many Options! What Is Right For Me?
As a newborn care specialist or a new (or repeat!) parents, you may be seeing a lot of people talk about baby wearing. You may have even tried it your self here or there or want to try it out. There are many options that can feel overwhelming, especially since it is...
Understanding the APGAR Score in a Newborn Post Birth
Every time a baby is born he or she is looked over and given an test score. Doctors call this the APGAR test, which was designed by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952. APGAR is short for: AppearanceSkin color is checked for blue or pink tonesPulseBest score is a heart rate...
Pregnancy And Infant Loss: Supporting Someone Through It
This month happens to be October. It can be a beautiful month in some parts of the world with leaves changing and beautiful scenery. It also happens to be pregnancy and infant loss awareness month. Throughout the month of October, some of those who have lost a...