What is a Newborn Care Specialist?
   
     A Newborn Care Specialist is someone with extensive training and experience in the care of Newborns.  Other terms to describe a similar position are Baby Nurse or Night Nanny.  A Baby Nurse is sometimes what an RN or LPN call themselves when they care for babies but is not a legal term in most states.  A Night Nanny cares for Newborns at night but generally has limited experience.

What is Newborn Boot Camp?

Newborn Boot Camp is the best decision you can make for you and your baby.  I will come into your home and tend to the Newborns needs during the day or night.  This can also be a 24 hour position.  In my opinion the most valuable lesson that will be taught during this period is self soothing which will eventually lead to sleeping through the night.  Using my methods your newborn will be sleep trained by 12 weeks.  I will also be educating the parents on newborn issues as they arise.  I have experience with Preemies, Multiples ( Twins and Triplets ), Feeding Tubes, Feeding Issues ( Breast milk and Formula ), Reflux, Colic, Cleft Palates, Jaundice, Diaper Issues ( Cloth and Disposable ), Scheduling, Nursery Preparation and more.

Why do you call it Newborn Boot Camp?

I use the name in the most affectionate sense.  During one of my contracts as a Newborn Care Specialist the mother would jokingly say that the babies "stood at attention" when I came into the house because they behaved so well after learning my methods.  My time with each family is usually 12 weeks or less and there's a lot to teach in a short amount of time hence the term "Newborn Boot Camp".

Who is Jennifer Cook?

I was born and raised in Northern California, "The Bay Area", with a 1 1/2 year stay in Oregon when I was 8.  I was born to be around babies.  As a young child I remember playing Little People, Dolls, and House all day long.  I couldn’t wait to start a family. 

I began to babysit at the age of 9 and felt as though I could handle it all.  I continued to babysit every chance I could get even through high school when all of my friends were at parties etc.  I began concurrent enrollment in my local community college when I was a sophomore in high school to take Child Psychology and Early Childhood Education courses.  I just knew it was the career path for me and I just had to get a jump start on it! 

After my high school graduation I obtained my first “Nanny” position.  I had that same feeling I did when I babysat for the first time, I was thrilled.  I was now officially following my dream, my passion.  I must also mention that I was still babysitting for that first family that I began with so long ago, the ones who “gave me my start in the business”.  Soon after I married my High School sweetheart.  He knew my passion for children and we couldn’t wait to start a family of our own.  My first Nanny position went so well I was referred over and over from friend to friend and before I knew it my client base was huge.  I was working from morning until late at night daily and I had regular “shifts” with each family every week.  I couldn’t have been happier. 

Because of a job transfer for my husband in April 1999 we had to move to Phoenix, AZ.  I was devastated.  I wanted this perfect career I’d created to continue and I knew I’d miss all of those kiddos, most of which I’d taken care of since they were born.  The move turned out to be a blessing as I became pregnant with our first child.  After over 5 years of marriage our first son was born.  I took a break from my career since I wanted to be at home with my baby as long as I could.  I still flew out to CA to take care of the children from my first Nanny position whenever they needed me.  I got to take my son so it all worked out. 

When my first son was one I got pregnant again.  This time it was an even bigger blessing – triplets!  Our triplet boys were born when my oldest was 20 months old.  I was sitting on top of the world.  As a little girl I remember playing and pretending I had triplets!  This was truly a dream come true.  Much of their babyhood was a blur, it went by so fast.  We made it through without a hitch and I’d do it over again in a heartbeat. 

When our triplets were 7 months old I began taking care of 2 month old twins – 5 babies “not a problem”.  I absolutely loved the challenge that brought.  I even took them all out.  When we were at the zoo I’d put one of the triplets in the front pack, 2 of the triplets in the quad stroller and the twins in the quad stroller while our toddler walked along side the stroller holding my hand.  No task seemed to be too much, I enjoyed the challenge. 

When our triplets were 2 and our oldest was 3 I had to go back to work full time.  I knew I “had” to continue with my passion, newborns so I began to investigate what I could do.  I came across the career of taking care of Newborns at night.  I knew right then that would be the perfect fit for me!  I could be with my kids during the day and work with babies at night!  I obtained my first “night” position in 2003 taking care of newborn triplets!  I was “right at home”.  Not only was I doing what I loved, I was getting paid for it! 

That is how I got into “the business” and I’m so glad I did!  I stay in touch with nearly every family whose children I have taken care of and that itself is a wonderful reward seeing them grow up before my eyes.