Let Mommy Sleep Blog - Overnight Infant Care + Resources

Introducing the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas

August 20, 2024

When Let Mommy Sleep opened 14 years ago, we solely hired Certified Nursing Assistants, Medical Technicians, Nurses and other clinically licensed professionals. This is because licensed individuals are governed by their state’s Board of Nursing. So in addition to acting as a high-level vetting tool, licensure means accountability. As time went on however, we realized that recruiting needed to include wonderful newborn nannies, infant-room daycare providers, twins experts and postpartum doulas. These caregivers have great experience with baby care, but don’t always have formal training. In 2015 we were awarded a local government contract to teach evidence-based newborn care, and can now introduce the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas.

National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas seal

What is the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas?

The NAPS Registry is a public listing of caregivers who have successfully completed a minimum of:

Newborn and Postpartum Care class
Cribs for Kids Safe Sleep Course
Breastfeeding Basics class
Vaccine attestation
Attestation of age and experience
CPR/First Aide
Current Background Check

Parents and professionals alike can verify experience and academic training by visiting the National NAPS Registry. While Postpartum Doulas certainly care for the newborn and parents, they also typically help families through the day; performing household tasks in addition to care of older children in the home. Postpartum Doulas are included in NAPS, but the Registry focuses on Night Doulas who typically support mothers, parents and the newborn through the night.

The NAPS Curriculum is based on the government-award winning contract Let Mommy Sleep held from 2015-2021 (ending during covid) and is approved and overseen by a third-party Advisory Board of clinicians and subject matter experts in these areas:

Newborn & Infant Care
Public Health
Feeding – Breast and Bottle
Postpartum Physical Health
Postpartum Mental Health Support and Resource Connection
Minimizing SIDS Risk and Safe Sleep Education

What ISN’T the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas?

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

Why did we form the NAPS Registry?

The night nanny, postpartum and newborn care industry is unregulated. In fact, there is no governance or licensure for the care of 4 or fewer children at a time.

The goal of the Newborn and Postpartum Support (NAPS) Certificate is to provide evidence-based education, accountability and verification of education for in-home newborn care providers, postpartum doulas and the families they support. A baseline of study, coupled with transparency is vital in child care. Families can also have peace of mind knowing their newborn and postpartum caregiver has received the most up to date, safest and evidence-based practices. NAPS third-party Advisory Board of subject matter experts continually reviews and approves the NAPS curriculum. Third party validation also ensures credibility or the certification.

Half Off Registration for Newborn Care Specialists

NAPS Registration is 50% off ($149) for those who have taken newborn care specialist classes We value your previous training and experience, but since we can’t verify the specifics of prior courses, all NAPS Registry members are required to complete our evidence-based classes. Please reach out to Let Mommy Sleep to receive a unique promo code. This will allow you to take our classes and join the Registry.

Half Off Registration for Seasoned Postpartum Doulas

Many of you have been working in infant care longer than all these “certifications” and classes have been around. Taking the NAPS bundle of classes is required for everyone to be listed on the national Registry. But if you have 5 or more years of experience caring for newborns, infants and twins, the course is 1/2 off for you. Contact us for your 1/2 off promo code. If this is a financial hardship for you, please contact us anyway. We will do our best to make accommodations.

Finance Night Nanny and Night Doula Care Now

August 14, 2024

The line from sleep deprivation to poor health, accidents and even postpartum depression is clear. Further, the demands of multiple children or working outside the home making this line even stronger! That’s why we’re thrilled to announce an innovative solution for new families: pay over time financing for overnight newborn care. When families finance night nanny and night doula care, high-quality postpartum care becomes more accessible…and we all benefit!

**Find your local Let Mommy Sleep to see finance options**

How Does it Work?

Let Mommy Sleep has partnered with Affirm to offer no interest/pay-over-time options for our night nanny and night nurse services. This means that every location can bring families more flexibility and access to postpartum care with packages of 7, 14 or 21 nights. Choose your Let Mommy Sleep location here. Pay over time options include 6-36 months of payments, in addition to 0% interest when you qualify. The financing process is very simple and you may already be familiar with it if you’ve used Klarna or Affirm to shop on Amazon, Wal-Mart or other major retailers. Here’s what happens:

Once you confirm night nanny care, you’ll receive a service agreement that includes payment options.
You can then click “Affirm” and choose how many nights of care you’d like.
Then click the Affirm payment option that works best for you. Checking Affirm does not affect your credit.
If you don’t see an option you like, or change your mind, that’s okay you can always hit the back button!

let mommy sleep and affirm pay over time financing

Finance Night Nanny and Night Doula Care FAQ’s

Does checking Affirm affect my credit? No it does not.

What happens if I don’t use all the nights in my package? As always, we’ll be happy to refund any unused nights. You should be aware that Affirm requires a 10% service fee on refunds, so we have to include their fee in a refund.

Can I gift these packages? Sure, so long as they are in a Let Mommy Sleep service area.

Can I decide to pay over time even though I’m already a client? Sure! We are here to help you do what is easiest and most helpful for your family!

We will never stop fighting to normalize postpartum care and equally important, making overnight newborn care accessible to as many people as possible. The pay over time initiative for financing night nanny and night doula services therefore represents this commitment. Improving the mental and physical health of new parents is non-negotiable…but now payment options are!

Finance Night Nanny and Night Doula Care with Let Mommy Sleep

Why You Want a Birthing Friendly Hospital

July 11, 2024

In June 2022 the White House unveiled the Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which aims for better birth outcomes. Successes of the blueprint include expanded Medicaid postpartum coverage and increased access to care. One of the most powerful improvements however, is the Birthing-Friendly Hospital designation. This blog, Why You Want a Birthing Friendly Hospital delves into what Birthing-Friendly means and why it’s beneficial.

Why You Want a Birthing Friendly Hospital – the Facts

Over 80% of pregnancy deaths are preventable. And the rates of death for Black women are significantly higher than rates for White and Hispanic women. (CDC) To help address this, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has implemented the Birthing Friendly Hospital designation.

In short, from the CMS website: “Birthing-Friendly” is the first-ever CMS designation to describe high-quality maternity care. To earn the designation, hospitals and health systems:

Participated in a statewide or national perinatal quality improvement collaborative program; and
Implemented evidence-based quality interventions in hospital settings to improve maternal health.

Hospitals and health systems also continually report their progress the the CMS Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program.

Further, the designation as a Birthing Friendly Hospital involves meeting certain criteria that focus on patient-centered care, evidence-based practices, and equity. As CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure says: As maternal health inequities persist across the nation, the designation offers a tangible marker of the evidence-based practices that hospitals and health systems can pursue to close these gaps and ultimately provide the kind of care all expectant parents deserve.

Evidence-Based Practices: Hospitals must implement evidence-based protocols for labor and delivery, including practices that are known to improve maternal outcomes and reduce complications.
Equitable Care: Addressing disparities in maternal health outcomes by providing equitable access to care, particularly for marginalized and underserved communities. Additionally, this includes respectful and culturally competent care
Continuous Improvement: Committing to ongoing quality improvement initiatives that monitor outcomes, address any disparities or issues identified, and strive for excellence in maternal health care delivery.
Delivery Rooms: Fully stocked with life saving equipment for use during labor, delivery and postpartum. (VP Harris, July 10, 2024)

Click the Map to find a Birthing Friendly Hospital

Click to find a Birthing-Friendly Hospital or Health System

Postpartum Doulas and Newborn Care at Home

For help once parents arrive home with their newborns, postpartum check-ups are now covered by Medicaid in 44 states. On the other hand, families that do not participate in Medicaid, postpartum care is typically an out-of-pocket expense. However, there are options to make the cost of a night nanny or postpartum doula more manageable.

There is still more work to be done for better birth and postpartum outcomes, but expanded access and life-saving interventions are steps in the right direction. These are the reasons Why You Want a Birthing Friendly Hospital.

How to Get Insurance to Cover my Night Nanny

July 6, 2024

The newborn and postpartum care industry is unregulated but growing. There are many reasons why your family might need overnight care, so understanding payment options becomes crucial. How to Get Insurance to Cover my Night Nanny explores insurance coverage for postpartum doula and night nurse care.

The Role of a Night Nurse or Nanny for Newborns

A night nanny, also known as a newborn care provider or postpartum doula plays a vital role in providing specialized care during the nighttime hours. Responsibilities typically include:

Feeding and Nutrition: Whether through breastfeeding assistance or bottle feeding.
Healthy Sleep: Supporting healthy sleep patterns and routines for the newborns, twins and parents.
Monitoring and Documentation: Keeping track of the newborn’s feeding patterns, diapers and overall health.
Support for New Parents: Evidence-based education and reassurance to new parents on infant care.
Medical Need: Infants with medical conditions require specialized care and monitoring.

It’s important to pause here and note that the term “nurse” is still used coloquially, but is a legally protected term. It’s correct to refer to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) or Registered Nurses (RN) as “baby nurses” or “night nurses” . When insurance coverage includes Night Nurse care, care must be executed by a clinically licensed Nurse.

Here’s the thing- when a newborn has medical need, health insurance overwhelmingly covers the cost of pediatric night nurse care. When a parent has medical need however, the chance of insurance stepping in is rare. But not impossible! Here’s how to answer the question, how to get insurance to cover my night nanny:

How to Get Insurance to Cover my Night Nanny when having Twins

Situations Where Health Insurance Might Step in for Night Nanny Care:

Pre-Existing Conditions: Again, if your newborn or twins (or higher order multiples) are in need of medical care, insurance will almost always cover care provided by a licensed nurse. For you though, coverage typically hinges on medical necessity. If you have a pre-existing condition, and sleep is a necessary means to control that condition, insurance may step in. For example, the frequency of seizures in a person with certain type of epilepsy may be triggered by lack of sleep. For this reason, overnight newborn care could be “prescribed” by the parent’s physician before baby arrives.

Doctor Directed Care: Similar to if there is a pre-existing condition, postpartum doula or night nurse care may be directed by a healthcare provider after birth. An example of this is if postpartum psychosis or anxiety presents in a parent with a documented history of mental health issues. In this instance the doctor may advocate for health insurance coverage on behalf of the patient.

Both of these situations depend heavily on the parents’ doctor advocating on their behalf. The first step is to discuss your need for night nurse services with your primary care physician or obstetrician. They can provide documentation and medical justification for why such care is necessary, which is crucial for obtaining insurance approval.

What if insurance doesn’t cover postpartum help?

If insurance coverage is limited or unavailable, you can consider alternative funding options. Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) or health savings accounts (HSAs) can help. If using Let Mommy Sleep postpartum doulas, you might consider paying with Affirm, a pay over time option. Lastly, if insurance isn’t an option you can start a shared-funding account where loved ones can contribute to a monetary baby registry.

How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula

June 11, 2024

Yep, we wish postpartum care was universally covered by insurance too. We’re getting there, but the cost is still out of pocket for most parents, even though the need is there. Until newborn care is accessible to everyone through insurance, we’ve got options of How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula below.

Be Her Village

Be Her Village is a cash registry expecting parents can use to adds funds for newborn and postpartum care services. Parents-to-be add Let Mommy Sleep to their registry. Loved ones then send money directly to the new parents’ registry. Instead of a baby registry full of “stuff,” parents opt for overnight newborn care support! This is especially helpful for parents of newborn twins.

Creating your registry is free and you get your FULL gift everytime, with no fees taken out. If your family member sends you $100, you get the full $100 every single time. The beauty of Be Her Village is that you can spend the money you receive from your loved ones however you see fit.

Choose your location to start your Baby Registry here!

Boca Raton – Boise – Charlotte – Chicago – Houston – San Antonio – Washington DC – Wichita

Night Nanny and Postpartum Doula Baby Registry

Pay Over Time and Finance with Affirm

Every Let Mommy Sleep location has partnered with Affirm, the pay over time financing option for night nanny and doula services. Checking the terms of an Affirm purchase does not affect your credit score and there’s also is a 0% interest option. Families can purchase packages of nights and then use the nights however they wish or simply pay when they sign on. (You’ve probably seen or used Affirm when making an Amazon purchase!) Learn more.

How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula includes pay over time financing

Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

Our night doula and postpartum services are HSA eligible. You can use your HSA card just like a credit card when paying for services and receive the tax savings of using your HSA. On that note, our services are also eligible to be included in the child-care tax credit during tax time.

How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula – Employer Benefits

There are corporate benefit programs which pay for overnight postpartum doulas. The most widely known is called Carrot Fertility. In addition to night nanny care, Carrot helps cover fertility treatments, adoption and more. Private companies can also offer Let Mommy Sleep Night Nanny care or postpartum check-ups for a fraction of the cost it takes to implement them.

Private Insurance

While pediatric care is covered in the home when a newborn has medical need, it’s not as common for private insurers to cover night nurses for a parents medical need. However, when coverage is doctor directed, insurance must cover the cost. The parent’s physician usually needs to write a letter attesting that the parents health will be positively impacted by getting sleep.

An important note is that “night nurse” is often used as a colloquial term for “overnight caregiver.” In terms of health insurance coverage however, insurers may require that services are provided by a licensed Nurse. This means the newborn or postpartum care provider must be 1 of the following: Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). Learn more about Insurance coverage here.

Medicaid

Medicaid offers postpartum benefits varying by state. If you are eligible for Medicaid, coverage typically includes pregnancy and delivery. But you can check online if your state includes postpartum visits and breastfeeding support.

Blog