Baby Nurse or Postpartum Doula?

Baby Nurse or Postpartum Doula?

A question we get all the time... " What is the difference between a baby nurse and postpartum doula? I noticed in the Philadelphia area there a few different options for help after having a baby."

I thought I would answer this question today!

A baby nurse(also called a newborn care specialist, NCS) is a non-medically trained person, who is hired by the family to care for the needs of the newborn after birth. They feed baby, bathe baby, change diapers, do the baby's laundry and care for the baby's room.Often they do overnights or live with the family.

A postpartum doula is hired to care for the entire family and is specifically trained in being able to attend to the needs of the mother, as well as the baby, nurturing the the entire family and helping them through the transition their bodies are going through as well as the needs of a new baby. They focus on educating and encouraging as well as the more practical side of things. They encourage the mother, providing emotional support which enables her to more easily care for her baby. They are trained in breastfeeding support, pumping and bottle feeding.They help create a relaxing atmosphere by making delicious meals and tending to light house work including both the baby and entire family's home. They also do overnights or live with the family, as well as work day time hours.

Philadelphia Doulas Prenatal Series: It Takes a Village Baby Consultants


Calling all Philadelphia New and Expectant Parents, It Takes a Village Baby Consultants™ would like to help you prepare for your little bundle of joy. It Takes a Village  Baby Consultants™ is a hands-on baby- consulting firm located in Philadelphia.

What is a baby consultant? They offer specialty services for new and expectant parents either in the comfort of your home or in an intimate group setting. Their services include but are not limited to, sleep consulting, infant massage, basic baby care, nutrition, and developmental guidance.


I met this mother-daughter team who work in the fields of health care and early childhood education while at the Expectant Parents Bootcamp at Please Touch Museum this past fall.

Joanna said,
"our primary goal of It Takes a Village Baby Consultants is to educate and support growing families. We want to be there to help parents to trust their instincts and be active participants of the care and development of their child.” According to their website, this mother –daughter team understands that “It takes a village to raise a child” and that with the changing climate of our society, we are losing the “village”.

Philly parenting services, It Takes a Village
They want to be there for families first as a resource then as a member of their “village”- professionals that they can go to with all parenting questions related to their newborn up to age three. If you would like, they can come to “your village” to do a workshop on any topic related to children under age three. Check out their website, www.villagebabyconsultants.com or give them a call at 215 460-8096

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Philadelphia Doulas Lending Library

Main Line Doulas maintains a lending library covering topics from conception to pregnancy to birth to postpartum to the early childhood years.
This library is available free of charge for all of the Main Line Doulas and our clients. 
Here is a partial list of what is available. Please ask your doula if you would like to borrow one of these books.

Pregnancy, Childbirth and The Newborn by Simkin, Whalley and Keppler
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
Ina Mays Guide to Breastfeeding
Your Baby and Child by Penelope Leach
Your Amazing Newborn by Klaus and Klaus
Expecting Miracles by Chana Weisberg
The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine
Breastfeeding Made Simple  Mahrbacher Kendall-Tackett
Dr. Mom's Guide to Breastfeeding

Hypnobirthing The Mongon Method by Marie Mongan
The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger
Nutrition for a Health Pregnancy by Elizabeth Sumer
For a Blissful Baby by Reddy mullins
Natural Health After Birth by Avviva Romm
Mothering the new Mother, Women feelings and Needs after Childbirth Sally Placksin
Strategies for the C-Section Mom Knight
The Essential C-Section Guide

Sacred Pregnancy Ann Daulter
The Aware Baby Solter
The No-Cry Nap Solution, Elizabeth Pantly
The Baby Name Survey Book, Lanksy
1,2,3 Magic
Loving without Spoiling Samalin
Birthing from Within, Pam Elngland
Your Baby's First Year, AAP

The First Twelve Months of Life Frank Caplan
Super Baby Food, Ruth Yaron
The Fussy Baby Book, Sears
Baby Minds, Linda Acredolo
Kid Cooperation, Pantly
Parenting is Heart Work, Turaksny and Miller
Spiritual Mothering, Hunt

The Mother of all Toddler Books, Ann Douglas
Conquering Postpartum Depression, Rosenberg
Vaccines, Avviva Romm,
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, Tracy Hogg
Awakening your Child's Natural Genius, Armstrong
Oops! We Forgot the kids, Doyle Roth
I'm Not in the Mood, Judith Reichman, MD

Child of Mine, Feeding with Love and Good Sense Satter
The Art of Roughhousing, Cohen
The Preschool Years Galinsky
Your Three Year old, Ames
How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk, Adele Faber
Connection Parenting, Pam Leo
Siblings without Rivalry Adele Faber
Healthy Child, Whole Child, Stuart Ditchek
The Big Book of Happy, Michelle Kennedy

The Pocket Parent, Reichlin
I Love You Rituals, Becky Baily
The Secret of Parenting Wolf
How to get your kid to eat, but not too much,  Satter
The Birth Partner, Simkin
The Nursing Mothers Companion, Higgins
Your Week by Week Pregnancy
Becoming Attached
The Joy of Signing