If you are looking to expand your childcare skills, becoming a newborn care specialist (NCS) may be a great way to do that. The extra training required to step into this role can make you a more desirable candidate for families with new babies.

A newborn care specialist is a wonderful role for individuals that love the newborn and infant stage of life. They can help educate parents about this phase, provide tips on how to find a family routine that works, assist with feeding and sleeping schedules, and even help with overnight care.

If you’re an experienced nanny, but want to transition into a newborn care specialist role, a great first step is to complete the International Nanny Association (INA) Newborn Care Specialist Basic Skills Assessment, a 30-minute, 40-question quiz that checks to see what your basic knowledge is when it comes to newborn care and safety. This assessment is a good initial stepping stone if you are not ready to take the INA NCS Credential Exam.

You should also obtain your newborn care specialist certification, which can be completed through the Newborn Care Specialist Association (NCSA). There are also a variety of programs out there that can help train an equip you with the information and knowledge you’ll need to obtain that certification, but it’s important to research each program to ensure they have good reviews and aren’t fraudulent.

It’s also important to ensure your infant/child CPR and first aid is up to date, which is a must for any child caregiver. If you want to go above and beyond, you can consider lactation training, which is especially valuable for new parents learning how to breastfeed their baby, or sleep training.

Last, when you set out to find a job, remember that you have additional training and expertise and should be compensated accordingly. Families that are looking for an expert caregiver are usually more willing to pay a bit more for that.

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