Overnight rest, matched with intention.

A Newborn Care Specialist is a household-recovery professional who covers overnight and daytime newborn logistics, sleep shaping support, and parent handoff notes. A night nurse is a licensed RN or LPN. Families often use “night nurse” as shorthand for overnight coverage; Cradleside places specialists, not a medical or midwifery practice. If a newborn needs clinical oversight, we redirect you to the attending clinician or emergency services.

Every specialist confirms US work authorization, current CPR and first aid, a background check, and three or more years of relevant household work. We review references, driving records when logistics are in play, and training credentials such as DONA, CAPPA, or NCSA. Matching stays on a small represented roster rather than an open marketplace.

It depends on the service family. For NCS and postpartum doulas, Option A is a $2,500.00 placement fee with the family paying the specialist directly at $33.75 daytime and $41.25 overnight. Option B bills Cradleside at $45.00 and $55.00 so the agency keeps its 25% margin. For elite nannies, Option A is a 15% placement fee on projected annual salary; the family then employs the nanny as a household employee. Option B is a flat $45.00/hr through the agency, with the nanny receiving $25.00 to $33.75/hr. Birth, sibling, IBCLC, and sleep families are package-based with a locked 75/25 split — the calculator still shows both cards, but Best Value only appears when the two family totals actually differ.

Yes. Shift holes and uncovered overnights are treated as operational stops. When your assigned specialist cannot work, the matching desk coordinates backup from the represented roster and stays on the handoff until coverage is restored. Birth and sibling packages that include guaranteed backup name that coverage in the selected tier. IBCLC and sleep consulting packages follow the visit window of the selected tier rather than overnight shift backup.