Babysitter
Provides custodial care, on a full or part-time basis. Many have no special training and limited experience.
Au Pair
A foreign national aged 18-26 who joins an American (host) family for up to 2 years to experience US life and culture while providing limited childcare services for up to 45 hours per week.
Parents’ Helpers
May or may not have previous experience and generally provides additional support to a parent who is home most of the time.
Nanny
Employed by a family to provide high-quality personalized care and attention to children in their private homes.
Specialty Nanny
Provides expertise in a specific area or at a specific time, often for children with differing needs.
Governess
Qualified to provide private home education. A Governess rarely performs domestic tasks and may oversee children’s extracurricular activities and schedules.
Night Nanny
Provides overnights shifts under the direct guidance and supervision of parents and can provide care for children of all ages but often with infants so parents can get adequate rest.
Co-Nanny
Two or more nannies who work together or as part of a larger team to provide childcare for the same family.
Nanny Share
One nanny who simultaneously cares for children from more than one family, in either of the employers’ homes. Benefits include socialization opportunities for the children and reduced childcare costs for families.
Nanny / Family Assistant
A Nanny who provides additional household or family-related tasks in addition to caring for the children, usually during the children’s absence while in school.
Temporary Nannies
Short-term employment. At NbN, temporary nannies can assist part-time, full-time, live in or live out, for 1-6 months.
Travel Nannies
Short or long-term live-in care to support families during travel periods throughout the year.
Newborn Care Specialist (NCS)
A person trained and skilled in the first 3 to 4 months of life. They provide expertise in newborn care, parental education, and support.
Baby Nurse / Night Nurse
Outdated terms for NCS. In most US states, it’s illegal to use the term nurse, without a nursing license. Who knew!
Multiples Specialist
A Nanny or NCS who has extensive experience caring for twins, triplets, or higher-order multiples.
Sleep Trainer
A specialist who implements an intentional plan to help an infant sleep through the night or through a specific window of time.
Doula
A doula provides care for prepartum and laboring parents, or for a postpartum family in the ‘4th trimester to offer household support, infant (and sibling childcare) and breastfeeding support. There are also bereavement doulas who work with families after a loss.
Baby Nurse or Night Nurse
A licensed nurse with 2 or more years of medical training (RN, LPN, LVN) who typically works in hospitals, NICUs or with medically fragile infants in private homes.
