Before going into detail about what the differences are between a postpartum doula and a night nanny, let me first say that you can benefit from both. Both of these caring professionals are just that, they are caring. They will do their job to the best of their ability, under the confines of each profession.

Night Nannies

The sole focus of a night nanny (sometimes called an overnight nanny, night nurse, or newborn specialist) is nurturing the newborn during the night. In general, nannies partner with parents to raise physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually healthy children. Specifically at night, a night nanny can implement sleep shaping techniques with the newborn while allowing the parents to get some sleep. They often use bottles, whether formula or pumped milk, to give the baby during the night. They won’t typically sit with you to answer questions that you may think of, either because they haven’t been trained in it, or because their sole focus is on the baby and getting them back to sleep. Night nurses can, and do, give you the opportunity to sleep, allowing you to feel refreshed and ready for the next day.

Postpartum Doulas

“A postpartum doula’s primary objective should be to work herself out of a job.” 

- Nurturing the Family:The Guide for Postpartum Doulas

Postpartum doulas are not only sought out for overnight care, though the sleep gained with hiring one is a big draw. Postpartum doulas can be hired for day-time care, overnight care, or both!

A doula’s role is constantly changing; from family to family, day-to-day, even hour-to-hour, a doula assesses how they are most needed. Doulas are educators and sources of information. Doula’s can be your shoulder to cry on when things seem too overwhelming. They are trained to recognize when a family can benefit from specialized help and will offer reliable referrals when needed. A postpartum doula provides reassurance, support and believes that every parent can and will be successful in nurturing their family. They focus on the care of the whole family, and foster independence in each person. Postpartum doulas respect the rights of parents to raise their children the way they want, and will provide unbiased support.

When a postpartum doula arrives for an overnight shift, they will assess the situation they are presented with. They’ll ask how the day went and troubleshoot any issues that occurred or concerns the caregivers had during the day. They may start by putting dinner food and dishes away, helping prepare the newborn and/or older children for bedtime, or helping with feeding the newborn (breast or bottle). For breastfeeding moms, overnight doulas allow them to do as much or as little as they want during their shift, while filling in any remaining gaps so the mom can go back to sleep. Overnight postpartum doulas want to know your goals with sleep and night-time routines and they will do their best to help you get there. 

During their daytime shifts, postpartum doulas teach families tricks to get through fussy times, how to manage multiple newborns or children, and encourage and educate on the importance of routines for the healthy development of children. Unlike daytime nannies, postpartum doulas do not stay alone with children, nor do they drive children in their car, or in the family car. As always, and especially during the day when the caregiver(s) are available and more able to soak in new information, postpartum doulas help parents find their power with new knowledge ,skills, and resources.

 Both professions are different and valuable. We like to say that night nannies focus on the baby while postpartum doulas focus on the whole family.

If you are looking for caring support for your entire family, and if you not only want to get some sleep, but also build confidence in who you are as a parent, all while having the availability of quality, reliable resources, a postpartum doula is for you. Contact My KC Doula to book a consult today!

Blog written by: Annisa Foster, Postpartum Doula