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The role of the Registered Nurse or Newborn Care Provider is to feed, soothe, bathe, change & provide all other gentle care to baby through the night.

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Surgeon General’s Advisory: Parenting is a Health Issue

updated: Sept 2, 2025

In 2024, the Surgeon General issued a warning that parenting is a health issue and it sounded like a turning point. Finally, the government acknowledged what parents live every day. But here we are over a year later and little has changed. No new advisories, no sweeping legislation and federal family leave remains unpaid. A few states have expanded their programs, but the reality is most of us are still on our own.

Meanwhile, studies show maternal mental health has dropped sharply, one in three families are still dealing with post-pandemic stress, and nearly 30% of parents in the State of Parenting 2025 survey admitted they’d considered self-harm because the pressure feels unbearable. The system hasn’t caught up, so it’s up to us to protect our health.

That doesn’t mean “self-care” in the Instagram sense, it means doing the things research shows actually work:

  • Building a small but reliable support network—neighbors, a parent group, or even one trusted friend—helps buffer against burnout.
  • Protecting your sleep and taking real recovery time, whether that’s a nap, a walk, or even zoning out with a hobby, has been shown to make us more patient and nurturing with our kids.
  • If you have a partner, getting clear about roles and responsibilities.

These strategies aren’t flashy, but they’re evidence-based and they work. Until policy catches up, the best thing we can do is take our own health seriously and try to put real supports in place.

Parenting is a Health Issue

Parenting is a Health Issue: Quick Stats

  • In 2023, 33% of parents reported high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults.
  • 41% of parents say that most days they are so stressed they cannot function
  • 66% of parents report feeling consumed by worries regarding money compared to 39% of other adults in 2023.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy whose also a Dad of 2 notes that parents experience unique pressures as shown in the numbers above. Stressors related to raising children, such as financial strain, time demands, concerns about children’s health and safety, isolation, and challenges with technology and social media ae very real.

Additionally, some parents and caregivers are disproportionately affected by mental health conditions, especially those dealing with family or community violence, poverty, or discrimination. Supporting parents is crucial for the well-being of both children and society, and requires policy changes and expanded community programs to provide paid leave, affordable childcare, and other essential resources.

We know the problem, what’s the Answer?

In response to these pressures, the Surgeon General’s Advisory urges a cultural, policy, and programmatic shift to support the well-being of parents and caregivers. It emphasizes the need to change societal norms to value and empower them, addressing the stressors impacting their mental health. This means:

  1. companies expanding paid family leave
  2. improving early childhood education
  3. investing in mental health care and access
  4. providing recommendations for governments, employers, and communities to reduce stress and better support parents and caregivers

Achieving each of these 4 goals will be an ongoing effort within our communities, health systems and the private sector. FOr now the Advisory serves as a call to action. As the website states, Surgeon General’s Advisories are public statements that call the American people’s attention to a critical public health issue.

Like many in the maternal health sector, Let Mommy Sleep continues to advocate for new parents and their health. Our 501c3 Mission Sleep provides free newborn care to parents whose partners are deployed, wounded or deceased. We will also continue to strive for sensible health insurance and postpartum visits. In the meantime these resources might be a help your family:

Crisis Text Line for mental health support: text BRAVE to 741741

Medicaid’s Paid Caregiver Program: If someone with a disability already receives Medicaid, their state may allow a family member or friend to become a paid caregiver.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) – Monthly cash assistance payments to low-income families with children, as well as additional services.

Introducing the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas

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.

NAPS Night Doula classroom

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.

NAPS Registry for Night Doulas

Finance Night Nanny and Night Doula Care Now

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!

Night Nanny entering home, you can Finance Night Nanny and Night Doula Care Now

Why Financing Matters

Sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s a health need. Professional overnight care helps prevent burnout, supports breastfeeding and protects parents’ physical and mental health during the most demanding weeks of newborn life. Let Mommy Sleep’s registered nurses and postpartum doulas have supported thousands of families since 2010 so we have personally seen the evidence between sleep and better health outcomes.

Our goal has always been to normalize postpartum care and, now with pay-over-time options, to make it attainable for more parents.

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:

  1. Once you confirm night nanny care, you’ll receive a service agreement that includes payment options.
  2. You can then click “Affirm” and choose how many nights of care you’d like.
  3. Then click the Affirm payment option that works best for you. Checking Affirm does not affect your credit.
  4. 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

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

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. Affirm does require a 10% service fee on refunds, which we must include .in the return process.

Can I gift these packages? Sure, so long as they are in a Let Mommy Sleep service area. Overnight newborn care is a meaningful, practical gift for new parents.

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!

Besides financing, how else can families pay for night nanny or night doula care? Along with Affirm financing, families often use baby registry funds or employer wellness benefits to offset postpartum care costs. Some insurance plans will cover newborn or postpartum doula services with documentation from a healthcare provider. Learn more in How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula.

As the only nationwide service with an RN Advisory Board and certified postpartum doulas, Let Mommy Sleep remains committed to improving maternal health outcomes. We will never stop fighting to normalize postpartum care and making overnight newborn care accessible to as many people as possible.

If you’re expecting, visit our companion resource, Your First Week Home with Baby: Ultimate Q&A, newborn and postpartum support guide!

Finance Night Nanny and Night Doula Care with Let Mommy Sleep

Why You Want a Birthing Friendly Hospital

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

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.

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:

  1. Participated in a statewide or national perinatal quality improvement collaborative program; and
  2. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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.
  4. 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

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 or Doula

Last updated, November 10, 2025 – In-home newborn care is not usually covered by traditional health insurance but it is becoming a more recognized service. There are many reasons why your family might need overnight care however, so understanding payment options night nannies and postpartum doulas becomes crucial. How to Get Insurance to Cover my Night Nanny or Doula explores insurance coverage for overnight doula and night nanny care. And if you’re not sure exactly what a night nanny, night nurse or postpartum doula does, start with our guide: What is a Night Nanny?

When Will Health Insurance Cover a Night Nanny or Postpartum Doula?

Insurance coverage for night nanny care is still not the norm, but is becoming more common. It typically requires clear medical necessity and strong documentation from your doctor. The three most common pathways are:

1. Pre-Existing Condition in Parent or Baby

  • Newborn with medical need: If your newborn (especially twins or multiples) requires medical care, insurance will almost always cover a clinically licensed nurse in the home. In these cases a referral to a pediatric home health agency is given. If there is no home health agency in your area, or you prefer to use Let Mommy Sleep, we will pair you with a Licensed Nursing Team and provide an invoice on a weekly basis. You will then communicate with the insurance company for reimbursement.
  • Parent with a medical condition: If a parent has a condition made worse by lack of sleep, and a referral from their physician, insurance may approve overnight doula or nurse care as part of treatment. Real life examples of when we have seen insurance cover night nanny care are when a parent has epilepsy or multiple sclerosis. These are conditions which are exacerbated by lack of sleep.

2. Doctor-Directed Care After Birth

  • If a parent has a documented history of postpartum depression, anxiety or psychosis a doctor may prescribe postpartum doula or night nurse care.
  • If a parent has a documented physical condition known to .be made worse by lack of sleep, they may direct care
  • Doctor advocacy is often the deciding factor in whether coverage is granted.

3. Your Private Insurer Covers Birth and Postpartum Doula Visits

As doula services become more accepted by private insurance, many states now cover birth and night doula care through Medicaid. For example, United Health offers up to 48 fifteen-minute units at any time from first prenatal visit to 12 months postpartum for postpartum doula services in Ohio.

When a newborn has medical need, health insurance overwhelmingly covers the cost of pediatric night nurse care. When a parent has medical need however, more research and self-advocacy might be needed.

Steps to Increase Your Chances of Insurance Coverage

  • Talk with your Primary Care Provider early – especially if you have a pre-existing condition.
  • Contact your insurer – ask if they cover postpartum services under taxonomy code 374J00000X (doula), 99501 (home visit for postnatal care, initial) or 99502 (subsequent visits).
  • Clarify caregiver requirements – Some insurers will only reimburse if care is provided by a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). For birth or postpartum care, doula certification is required.

Can Employee Benefits Cover a Night Nanny or Doula?

Yes. Even if your health insurance won’t cover care, employer-sponsored benefits sometimes do:

  • Carrot – Covers fertility, birth doulas, and postpartum doula care during the first 6 weeks. Let Mommy Sleep doulas are Carrot-approved and can be verified through the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas.
  • Maven – Offers maternity and family benefits from preconception through postpartum. Let Mommy Sleep staff are Maven-approved.
  • FSA/HSA Accounts – Check with your provider to see if postpartum night doula services qualify as an eligible expense.
  • Corporate Care – Businesses can add professional night nanny or postpartum visits as an employee benefit.
Get Insurance to Cover my Night Nanny or Doula

Insurance & Benefit Coverage Options at a Glance

Coverage TypeWho QualifiesExamplesNotes
Health InsuranceParent or baby with medical needParent with epilepsy or medically fragile babyNeeds Doctor Referral
Employer BenefitsEmployees with HR benefit
programs such as Carrot or Maven		Carrot, Maven, Employer SponsoredCheck HR or benefits portal
HSA/FSAParents using medical savingsPostpartum doula careEach HSA has different coverage
Insurance & Benefit Coverage Options at a Glance

The Role of a Night Nurse or Night Doula

A night nanny, also called a newborn care specialist or postpartum doula plays a vital role in providing specialized care during the nighttime hours. To see if insurance coverage is appropriate, first you can see if the role fits into your needs.

Responsibilities of the Night Nurse or Night Doula typically include:

  1. Breastfeeding assistance or bottle feeding support and education.
  2. Supporting healthy sleep and soothing for the newborns and twins
  3. Keeping track of the newborn’s feeding patterns, diapers and overall health.
  4. Allowing parents to receive deep, restorative blocks of sleep to aid recuperation, strengthen the immune system and receive better mental health outcomes.
  5. Ensuring the home is ready for the day; tidy nursery, prepared bottles or pump and a calm, clean baby.
  6. Support families with newborn twins by providing education or helping the infants get on the same schedule.

If you’re considering night doula care, you can talk with a potential caregiver and use the questions in What Should I ask a Night Nurse?

If insurance still does not cover your night nanny, you can try to offset the cost by financing, accepting gift certificates from loved ones or using a baby registry such as BabyList. If you have more questions about how to get insurance to cover my night nanny or doula, please contact us.

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