Types of Nurses That Work with Babies

Caring for new life is a calling, and nurses that work with babies have a special responsibility to help their patients have the healthiest possible start in life. If you think you might like to pursue one of the nursing specialties that involves caring for babies, such as a pediatric nurse, it’s important to understand the full scope of responsibility. 

Babies and their mothers can be susceptible to a wide range of serious health issues. Of all the high-income countries, the U.S. has the highest infant and maternal mortality rates. This statistic is linked partly to the social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status. 

If you decide to become one of the nurses that work with babies, you will have an opportunity to help the nursing field address that problem.

At Concordia University Irvine’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, our nursing instructors are committed to graduating highly caring, competent, and compassionate individuals prepared to work toward becoming nurse leaders who advocate for positive change. It’s part of our philosophy and mission, rooted in Christian Lutheran values.

As you explore your pathway toward the nursing field and consider your nursing specialty options, you may wish to take a closer look at the specific nursing roles involving infant and child healthcare. These include neonatal nurses, labor and delivery nurses, and pediatric nurses. You should also consider the career requirements before deciding whether this path is right for you.

Nursing Jobs for RNs Who Enjoy Working With Babies

There are many roles to consider within the nursing field involving infant and child healthcare. From pediatric nurses to PICU nurses and beyond, take a close look at each before deciding which specialty suits you best.

Labor and Delivery Nurses

If you’re primarily interested in working with patients during labor and childbirth, then becoming a labor and delivery nurse could be the right move for you. Labor and delivery nurses monitor the progression of labor by checking fetal heart rates and contractions. Upon delivery, the nurse provides initial care for newborns, including assessing the baby’s health and identifying any issues.

They may administer medications, provide patient education and emotional support, and assist with the delivery. They also provide postpartum care.

Neonatal Nurses

Neonatal RNs specialize in caring for newborn infants. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are several neonatal care levels.

A Level I newborn nursery cares for healthy newborns. They provide well-baby care, including administering vision tests, hearing tests, and vaccinations. They bathe infants and help new parents learn how to care for them. A neonatal nurse in a Level I unit may also provide stabilization care for an ill infant until it can be transferred to a more appropriate unit.

A neonatal nurse in a Level II nursery cares for infants with medical problems who need special care. They care for prematurely born or moderately ill infants. Responsibilities include specialized feeding, oxygen therapy, and IV fluid administration.

A neonatal RN in a Level III unit is also known as a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse.

NICU Nurses

NICU nurses are specially trained to provide intensive care to very ill infants. These infants may have been born prematurely or with congenital health problems. They typically need intensive interventions, such as incubators and ventilators. 

They also need continual monitoring. In addition to caring for critically ill infants, NICU nurses must help parents understand their infant’s condition and treatments. Parents of a baby in the NICU may be emotionally distraught and need extra support.

Pediatric Nurses

Pediatric nurses can care for patients from infancy through adolescence. They focus on primary care, such as preventive health, developmental screenings, and vaccinations. Pediatric nurses may also treat young patients when they become ill or injured. They can work in hospitals, clinics, and schools.

PICU Nurses

The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) provides care to children who are critically ill or injured. These patients may have severe respiratory infections, sepsis, or traumatic injuries. PICU nurses monitor young patients around the clock, administering complex treatments and operating equipment such as mechanical ventilators and dialysis machines.

Lactation Consultants

Breastfeeding may be a natural act, but it doesn’t always come naturally. It’s common for new mothers to have trouble breastfeeding and become discouraged when they encounter challenges. Lactation consultants can help. 

Lactation consultants work with new mothers during the first few weeks of an infant’s life, helping both mother and baby learn how to navigate breastfeeding. They can also work with expecting parents during pregnancy.

Lactation consultants are trained to help their patients handle a wide range of breastfeeding-related challenges. New mothers may need help overcoming a low milk supply, dealing with nipple pain, helping the baby latch properly, and finding comfortable positions. 

They can also help mothers create a feeding schedule, interpret hunger cues, and make a plan for breastfeeding when returning to work.

Is This Type of Nursing Career Right for You?

If you attend Concordia University Irvine’s Accelerated BSN program, you’ll have opportunities to get a first-hand look at nursing specialties pertaining to infant and child healthcare. 

You’ll complete a maternal/newborn nursing clinical rotation and a pediatrics nursing clinical rotation, which complement your coursework in maternal/newborn and pediatrics nursing. These hands-on experiences can help you determine whether you should become one of the nurses that work with babies or children.

During these clinical rotations, take the opportunity to ask the experienced nurses questions about their careers. If they had to choose all over again, would they still choose their nursing specialty? What do they wish they had known when they first started in maternal, newborn, or pediatric nursing? These types of questions help shed light on what you can expect from this career.

It can also be helpful to consider the qualities and skills of effective nurses in these specialties. These include:

• Attention to detail
• Calmness under pressure
• Compassion and empathy
• Emotional intelligence
• Patience
• Patient advocacy
• Patient education

Requirements and Certifications for Nurses That Work with Babies

The career requirements for these nursing specialties vary, but you can expect to need a nursing degree, such as a BSN, and a nursing license earned by passing the NCLEX-RN. After gaining some clinical experience, you can then pursue professional certification in your specialty area. 

Some examples of relevant certifications include:

• Certified Pediatric Nurse
• Critical Care Registered Nurse—Neonatal Certification
• Critical Care Registered Nurse—Pediatrics Certification
• International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
• Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
• Neonatal Resuscitation Certification

In addition, some nurses decide to take their careers a step further by becoming advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). For example, a labor and delivery nurse can become a certified nurse midwife (CNM) by earning a graduate degree in nursing and then obtaining board certification and an APRN license.

Explore an Exciting Future in Nursing at Concordia University Irvine

Concordia University Irvine invites future nurses to explore a faster pathway toward a nursing career. With locations in Irvine and Rancho Cucamonga, California, the ABSN program allows you to earn a quality BSN in as few as 15 months. 

You can choose from online or in-person classes, both of which offer extensive hands-on experience in labs and clinical rotations. We welcome transfer students and those with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree who meet our admissions requirements.

Contact our specialized admissions counselors today to learn more about nursing education at Concordia University Irvine.