Introducing the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas

August 20, 2024

There are so many highly skilled newborn nannies, infant-room daycare providers and postpartum doulas. These caregivers bring invaluable hands-on expertise to newborn care but may not have credentialed licensure or certification. To elevate infant caregivers, and ensure they have access to evidence-based safety and newborn care training, we created the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas, a credentialing and verification system for qualified overnight doulas and newborn and postpartum caregivers.

What are Night Nannies, Postpartum Doulas and Newborn Care Specialists?

To understand what a night nanny or other postpartum provider does, we first need to define the overlapping but distinct roles of postpartum doula, night nanny, and newborn care specialist (NCS). While titles vary, all of these professionals assist families in the weeks after a baby is born. Their core job is to combine hands-on infant care with parent support. To understand the broader role these caregivers play, see our full guide: What’s a Night Nanny?.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Diapering, feeding, soothing, and swaddling the newborn (or multiples).
• Light household tasks directly related to the baby (bottle prep, pump part cleaning, organizing baby’s space).
• Breastfeeding support and recovery care for the birth mother and partner.
• Family support such as meal prep and sibling care (often part of a postpartum doula’s role).

It’s important to know these titles are not legally protected. Outside of licensed daycare centers or registered nursing care, newborn care providers are not governed by standardized regulations. That means anyone can call themselves a postpartum doula or newborn care specialist. While many are highly skilled, training and credentials can vary widely. For families, this makes verification and transparency essential showing a need for the NAPS Registry for Night Doulas.

What is the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas?

Licensed professionals such as RNs are accountable to their state Board of Nursing. Until now, overnight newborn care providers had no equivalent system of accountability.

The Newborn and Postpartum Support (NAPS) Registry was created to fill that gap. It is:

• A national database that verifies education, training, and evidence-based practice for overnight caregivers.
• A public listing of individuals who have successfully completed the Night Doula Certificate curriculum.
• A quality assurance tool for families, employers and benefit providers who want verified, consistent standards of care.

Parents and employers can verify a caregiver’s credentials directly on the NAPS Registry for Night Doulas. While the Registry emphasizes overnight caregivers, postpartum doulas who work daytime shifts can also be included. The NAPS Curriculum is based on the government-award winning contract Let Mommy Sleep held from 2015-2021 (ending during covid). Further, it is approved and overseen by a third-party Advisory Board of clinicians and subject matter experts.

What training does the Night Doula Certificate include?

Caregivers listed on the NAPS Registry have completed coursework and verifications that meet national best practices in newborn and postpartum care, including:

• Newborn & Postpartum Care (core curriculum)
• Breastfeeding Basics
• Cribs for Kids® Safe Sleep Course
• Bereavement Doula Training
• Vaccine Attestation
• Attestation of Age & Caregiving Experience
• Infant CPR & First Aid Certification
• Current Background Check

This curriculum ensures that every caregiver on the Registry has both knowledge and accountability, allowing them to provide safe and consistent overnight baby care. You can find all of the classes and continuing education, on NewbornCareCertified.com, the educational division of Let Mommy Sleep, LLC

What the NAPS Registry is Not

The Newborn and Postpartum Support coursework does not include the study of labor and delivery. Therefore this certificate is not appropriate if you’re an aspiring labor doulas or those who wish to attend births as professional support staff.

Why the NAPS Registry for Night Doulas Matters

Currently, the newborn care, night nanny, and postpartum doula industry in the U.S. is completely unregulated. There’s no state or federal oversight for in-home caregivers responsible for fewer than four children at a time. The NAPS Registry was formed to fill that gap by providing:

• Evidence-based education – bringing consistency and professionalism to in-home newborn care.
• Standards of care and transparency – every NAPS Night Doula is trained to the same high standards.
• Peace of mind for families – parents know their caregiver is educated in safe, up-to-date practices and maintains current CPR, vaccination, and background checks.
• Employer verification – employee benefit programs can easily confirm caregiver credentials. For example, HR reps can easily confirm eligibility with the online Night Doula registry.

And for families who don’t have access to corporate benefits, the Registry is still accessible and there are flexible ways to cover the cost of care, including payment plans and baby registries. Learn more about financing night nanny and night doula care here.

The future of newborn and postpartum care

By creating the National NAPS Registry, we’re setting a new standard for accountability and professionalism in an industry that touches families at their most vulnerable time. Families deserve safe, consistent, evidence-based support and newborn and postpartum caregivers deserve recognition for their specialized skills.

The NAPS Registry is how we bring both sides together. If you’re a night doula or postpartum nurse who would like to join our team, you can apply here.