Newborn
Taking Care of Your Infant This Fall
Even if your little ones are not going back to school they can still get sick this fall. 
Here are a few things you can do to prevent an illness in your newborn.
1. Flu shots: everyone in your household over the age of 6 months should get a flu shot. This will minimize the risk that your infant will get sick, since we cannot give the shot to children under 6 months.
2. Whooping cough shots: there is currently an epidemic of whooping cough in some areas of the US. While mostly annoying it sometimes can be debilitating to older children and adults with several weeks of a relentless cough, but to an infant it can be fatal. Most of us have been immunized as children, but immunity wears off over the following decades. The vast majority of cases in infants come from parents. Everyone over 10 years including parents, grandparents, caregivers and anyone else in contact with your infant should get the booster shot now. Your family doctor or pediatrician, an urgent care or clinic can give it.
3. Clean hands: Wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Also, ask anyone who comes in contact with your infant to clean their hands first. Stopping the spreading of germs is one of the best ways to keep you baby healthy this Fall.
TLC for Kids Newborn Specialists are available to take care of your little one’s this Fall. Our Specialists are trained to give the highest quality care to newborns. They are also available to help teach newborn care to the parents.
Please visit our website for more information on our Newborn Services.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Become a Certified Newborn Care Specialist
- What is an NCS and how is that different from a Doula, Night Nanny or Traditional Nanny. define/explain
- Doula: Define/explain similarities and differences..
- Night Nanny: Define/explain similarities and differences.
- Traditional Nanny: Define/explain similarities and differences.
- Basic Newborn Care
- Building a Nursery
- Special needs of preemies
- Caring for Multiples
- Caring for and building up a post-partum mom: One of the most important jobs of a NCS and why.
- Signs of Post-partum depression and what to do: Covering the major symptoms of post-partum depression and how to handle it (before baby even comes home).
- Recognizing signs of various feeding issues: Reflux, tests, treatment and options. Tongue tie, to clip or not to clip, pyloric stenosis – what is it and what can be done, how to feed a baby with a cleft palate.
- Recognizing signs of food allergies and intolerance’s in infants
- Major Methods of sleep training: Sharing the most common methods of sleep training and how they differ from one another.
- Getting your NCS Business off the ground: Do I need to be “certified” and if so, how do I get it? What are my first steps?
- How can I get more experience so clients will hire me? What legal issues/insurance issues do I need to address? Do I need a resume’? What should be on it? Do I need a contract with clients? How do I get paid? What if a client cancels? What if I get the babies sleeping through the night early and the client wants to terminate my contract early? My client bounced a check, now what? My client forgot to pay me, now what? How do I explain to clients on the phone what I do without spending all day on the phone and without giving away all my talents?
- Tax Overview: What are my tax obligations? Does my client pay taxes on me? My client wants to pay me with a business check?
- Contracts with clients: What needs to be in it? Do I really need it? The client doesn’t want one.
- Liability insurance: Do I need it? Why? Where can I get it?
- Educating Agencies about what I do: Do I need to work with agencies? What do they need to know about what I do in order to “sell” my services to the client?
- Green Practices: My new client wants to use eco-friendly products. What does that mean exactly, do they really work and how do I help her set up a green nursery?
TLC is hiring Newborn Care Specialists and Night Nannies. Connect with us to learn more!
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The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Newborn Nannies Needed
TLC for Kids is having a baby boom! Our families in Saint Louis are having babies and they need nannies.
We have full time nanny jobs in Clayton, Webster Groves, Chesterfield, the Central West End, and Holly Hills. We even have families with newborn twins! If you are looking for a new rewarding job in 2019 apply with us today!
Newborn Care Specialist Training
Interested in becoming a Certified NCS or advancing your skills as an NCS? Newborn Care Solutions is bringing their popular Foundational training to West Palm Beach, September 22-23 and you can take advantage of this training!
TOPICS COVERED:
- What is an NCS and how is that different from a Doula, Night Nanny or Traditional Nanny. define/explain
- Doula: Define/explain similarities and differences..
- Night Nanny: Define/explain similarities and differences.
- Traditional Nanny: Define/explain similarities and differences.
- Basic Newborn Care
- Building a Nursery
- Special needs of preemies
- Caring for Multiples
- Caring for and building up a post-partum mom: One of the most important jobs of a NCS and why.
- Signs of Post-partum depression and what to do: Covering the major symptoms of post-partum depression and how to handle it (before baby even comes home).
- Recognizing signs of various feeding issues: Reflux, tests, treatment and options. Tongue tie, to clip or not to clip, pyloric stenosis – what is it and what can be done, how to feed a baby with a cleft palate.
- Recognizing signs of food allergies and intolerance’s in infants
- Major Methods of sleep training: Sharing the most common methods of sleep training and how they differ from one another.
- Getting your NCS Business off the ground: Do I need to be “certified” and if so, how do I get it? What are my first steps?
- How can I get more experience so clients will hire me? What legal issues/insurance issues do I need to address? Do I need a resume’? What should be on it? Do I need a contract with clients? How do I get paid? What if a client cancels? What if I get the babies sleeping through the night early and the client wants to terminate my contract early? My client bounced a check, now what? My client forgot to pay me, now what? How do I explain to clients on the phone what I do without spending all day on the phone and without giving away all my talents?
- Tax Overview: What are my tax obligations? Does my client pay taxes on me? My client wants to pay me with a business check?
- Contracts with clients: What needs to be in it? Do I really need it? The client doesn’t want one.
- Liability insurance: Do I need it? Why? Where can I get it?
- Educating Agencies about what I do: Do I need to work with agencies? What do they need to know about what I do in order to “sell” my services to the client?
- Green Practices: My new client wants to use eco-friendly products. What does that mean exactly, do they really work and how do I help her set up a green nursery?
‘Tully’ Through the Eyes of a Newborn Care Specialist
I spent a lovely afternoon at the movies in South Miami watching “Tully” with TLC Miami’s most loved and requested Newborn Care Specialist Patricia Demerite. Even though reviews have been mixed we really enjoyed the movie.
Tully spoke to each of us in so many ways. As a parent of 2 and owner of TLC, I could relate to the chaos and sleep deprivation of a Postpartum mom and the demands of a special needs child while managing a household. Patricia, who has helped over a dozen families over the last 5 years navigate the demands of adding a new baby to a family could relate to the the sensitive nature of working in an intimate family environment. Throughout the movie Pat would lean over to me saying things like “she should wash her hands when she walks in the house,” “she shouldn’t be wearing that midriff,” and “she needs to give the mom more personal space.” When things get weird in the movie and she brings Tully to the bedroom we both look at each other like ‘ok, now this is really weird.’ At the end of the movie we discovered the reason for a lot of the immature oversharing behavior and took a sigh of relief.
After the movie Pat and I discussed Marlo’s (mom) lack of support. We both questioned why Marlo was not willing to take the gift of the night nanny when offered. Why is there a stigma that women have to do it all? Had Marlo accepted help or at least engaged the support of her husband and family she might not have ended up where she did. ***I don’t want to give away any spoilers!***
Postpartum depression and manic behavior require professional help. Hiring a Newborn Care Specialist will not treat postpartum depression. But Patricia and I both feel that the help would have given Marlo support and perhaps directed her to the right professional. Like Marlo, many moms suffer sleep deprivation and loss of identity aftee the birth of a baby. This is because they feel they like they have no support and help. Hiring a Newborn Care Specialist can help moms get on track to feel like themselves again.
Reach out to Chrissy Wheelington, TLC’s Newborn Care Director, to learn more about the different newborn services TLC offers.
Written by Sharon Graff-Radell owner of TLC Family Care.
The Art of Swaddling
As the Newborn Care Director for TLC in St. Louis and Miami, I love to share articles about caring for newborns and their families. Many parents are looking for information about keeping their newborn safe and secure. TLC is partnering with Parenting Resources to train postpartum doulas, newborn care specialists and baby nurses so that they can assist new parents.
This article by a mom talks about the benefits of swaddling. Swaddling is the art of snugly wrapping a baby in a blanket for warmth and security. It can keep your baby from being disturbed by his or her own startle reflex, and it can help keep the baby warm for the first few days of life. Do you remember trying to swaddle your babies once you came home from the hospital?
“Swaddling is an art, really, and through two children, I never mastered it. Both of my babes were happy and content in the hospital, when they were wrapped like little burritos by those capable nurses in the postpartum unit. That all went downhill once we got home. I tried to re-create those magical bundles, but no matter what I did, within minutes their arms had busted out, and they were anything but calm. It was my first mom fail.”
Click here to read the full article and get the step-step-by step instructions on how to swaddle like a pro!
Car Seat Crying
Our Guest post today comes from Elizabeth Pantley, The No-Cry Solution
“Trying to drive while your little one screams bloody murder is challenging to say the least. Even though it’s difficult to deal with, you must remember that you and your baby’s safety come first. No
matter how tempting it may be, never take a crying baby out of the car seat. It’s extremely dangerous and counterproductive, making it even more difficult for your child to get used to riding in her car seat. Making poor driving decisions when your baby is wailing puts everyone in the car at risk. Either pull the car over and calm your baby down, or focus on getting safely from point A to point B—don’t try to do both.”
“The good news is that a few new ideas, a little time and maturity will help your baby become a happy traveler. Any one (or more) of the following strategies may help solve your car seat dilemma. If the first one you try fails, choose another one, then another; eventually, you’ll hit upon the right solution for your baby.”
Swaddling your newborn has important benefits!
During class, I learned how to properly swaddle a baby using the “nurses swaddle” technique. My instincts and previous training about swaddling were confirmed; swaddling your baby can make a huge impact on the happiness of your baby and the amount of sleep you and your baby will get in the first few weeks and months of life. Recognizing Post-Partum Depression
Our guest post today comes from Newborn Care Solutions
Recently I had a chat with a friend that made me sad and happy all at the same time. She is a friend I have known for years and a fairly new mother—within the last year. She also took one of my 
classes to learn more about being a Newborn Care Specialist. Our Foundational NCS Training Program is quite comprehensive and covers not just the fun stuff of new babies—it also covers the hard stuff. Even the stuff people still seem reluctant to talk about, including Post-Partum Depression.
The part that made me sad was that my friend shared with me that while she has known about it for years, seen it in clients and knows it is a very real condition, she didn’t recognize the signs in herself until after she took our class. And even then, it took some time for her to realize something more than the usual exhaustion of motherhood was affecting her. She talked to her doctor and was helped to realize she was suffering from Post-Partum Depression. My heart hurt for her as it does for anyone battling any form of depression.
However, I’m not writing about this to give a dissertation on the signs and symptoms—others out there have already done an excellent job. One of my favorite sites for great information in “plain mama English” is this one. Please take some time to look it over and read it; it could help you or someone you love.
Read more at Newborn Care Solutions on how an NCS can help the entire family when presented with PPD.
To learn more about Newborn Care Solutions Foundational Program visit their website and view all their programs!
TLC For Kids, Inc. has been St. Louis’ premier nanny and babysitting agency for over 30 years. TLC For Kids’ dedicated staff is ready to assist you in finding nannies, tutors, newborn care specialists, sitters and more. Reach us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or 314-725-5660
Vacation Travel Tips with an Infant
To Grandmother’s house we go! And you’ll be in the car for five whole hours! How can you make the trip enjoyable with a baby along? 
Learn about it
There’s no question: Marathon car trips with a baby on board take a good amount of planning and organization. But it can be done ~ and yes, it can even be fun!
Planning the trip
In the hustle that precedes a trip, it can be easy to let things happen, instead of make things happen. Be proactive in making your trip decisions. Contemplating these questions, and coming up with the right answers, can help make your trip more successful:
Does your baby sleep well in the car? If yes, plan your travel time to coincide with a nap or bedtime so your baby can sleep through part of the journey. If not, plan to leave immediately after a nap or upon waking in the morning. Don’t fool yourself into thinking your baby will behave differently than usual in the car just because it’s a special occasion.
- Is it necessary to make the trip all at once, or can you break it up with stops along the way? The longer your baby is strapped in the carseat, the more likely he’ll become fussy. Planning a few breaks can keep everyone in a better frame of mind.
- When estimating an arrival time, have you factored in plenty of extra time for unplanned surprises? A diaper explosion that requires a complete change of clothes or a baby whose inconsolable crying requires an unexpected 20-minute stop are just two of the things that can easily happen.
Do you have everything you need to make the trip pleasant? Items like:
- Window shades to protect your baby from the sun and create a darker, nap-inducing atmosphere.
- A cooler for cold drinks; a bottle warmer if needed.
- Plenty of toys that are new or forgotten favorites saved just for the trip.
- Baby-friendly music on tape or CD.
- A rear-view baby mirror to keep on eye on baby (unless a second person will be sitting with your little one)
- Books to read to your baby.
Read more tips from Elizabeth Pantley on how to make the road trip more enjoyable with baby!