Careers with infants: Jobs with babies: 17 great options for careers with infants and toddlers

Опубликовано: July 4, 2021 в 11:12 am

Автор: alexxlab

Категории: Miscellaneous

Jobs with babies: 17 great options for careers with infants and toddlers

If you love children and are looking for job options, here’s some great news for you: There are lots of well-paying and rewarding careers working with infants, babies and toddlers! But a desire to work with babies and a passion for the work alone won’t guarantee success.

“Infants are beautiful but demanding little people who are very curious about the world,” says Helen Adeosun, the founder and CEO of caregiver support site Care Academy. “You have to be patient and want to help babies grow at such a developmentally important time.”

Additionally, jobs with babies also require being in-the-know on the latest information and expert recommendations. “Knowledge is key when working with babies,” notes Michelle LaRowe, lead educator at NannyTraining.com and author of “Nanny to the Rescue!” “Recommendations evolve over time, so what was done years ago, like putting babies to sleep on their stomachs, is no longer best practice. ”

According to LaRowe, before looking into jobs that deal with babies, you should familiarize yourself with current recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), as well as evaluate your ability to provide safe care. Are you active enough to chase a mobile toddler around the house? Can you carry a 20-pound baby up and down the stairs safely? And above all, you need to determine if you have the fortitude and knowledge required to provide quality care.

“Jobs with babies are about more than cuddling infants,” LaRowe says. “They’re about supporting the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of the young child.”

Got what it takes? Here are 17 jobs working with babies.

1. Nanny

Nannies care for babies and children in their own home or in the family’s home. Though most of their time is spent with babies and children, they may also prepare meals, do light housework and run errands.

Experience and/or schooling required: Most families will ask their nannies to take and pass a child and infant CPR class. Some families may prefer nannies with additional child care training or several years of caregiving experience. According to LaRowe, additional certifications nannies should consider are first-aid certification, child passenger safety training and water safety training.

Average pay: Salary for a nanny will vary by location, schooling and experience, the number of children you watch and other factors. But the average weekly salary for a nanny in 2021 was $694 per week for caring for one child.

Find a nanny job

2. Child care center owner or worker

You can get lots of hands-on baby time by opening or working at a child care center.

Experience and/or schooling required: Education and training requirements depend on your state and employer. Research your state to find out what training and licensing requirements you will need to meet in order to own or work in a child care center.

Average pay: Pay for a child care worker will vary by location and experience, but the average pay is just under $13. 22 per hour for entry level. If you own your own child care center, your take home pay will depend upon how many children attend your center and how much you charge per child. If you own the child care center, you will also be responsible for paying your other workers, state fees and any other additional costs so you should factor those items into your budget.

Find a child care center job

3. Children’s gym owner or teacher

A fun way to work with babies and kids is to open a children’s gym or become an infant teacher at one of them. Businesses such as the Little Gym, My Gym and Gymboree Play & Music offer franchise opportunities.

Experience and/or schooling required: Each state has different educational and training requirements for owning or working in a children’s gym. If you are interested in opening your own gym, be sure to check with your state and local government offices for any licensing and training requirements.

Average pay: Depending on what you teach at a children’s gym, your salary could range from $14 to $16 per hour. If you decide to open your own children’s gym, your pay will depend upon how many children enroll and how much you charge per child. You will also be responsible for paying the staff, purchasing and maintaining equipment and for paying any required government fees.

4. Pediatrician

A pediatrician is a physician who cares for babies and children. Pediatricians perform wellness checks, diagnose and treat illnesses and more. They also provide newborn care after a baby’s birth.

Experience and/or schooling required: Pediatricians must hold medical degrees. You will also need to complete a three-year residency or internship after earning your medical degree.

Average pay: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, a pediatrician can expect to earn an average salary of $198,420 per year.

5. Pediatric nurse

A pediatric nurse is a nurse who works within the pediatric field of medical care whether that is in a general pediatrics office, a pediatric specialist’s office or in the children’s ward in a hospital. These nurses work with children from the time they’re born through their teenage years. Pediatric nurses can be registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or nursing assistants.

Experience and/or schooling required: RNs must have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in nursing or complete an approved nursing program and be licensed. LPNs, who work under RNs, must complete a state-approved educational program and be licensed. Nursing assistants must complete a state-approved educational program and pass their state’s competency exam. Most pediatric nurses will also complete a residency, internship or fellowship after they receive their license.

Average pay: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the average salary for an RN is $77,600 per year, with nurse practitioners who specialize in a field such as pediatrics often making closer to $118,040 per year. An LPN will average a salary of $48,070 per year and a nursing assistant will bring home an average of $30,290 per year.

6. Pediatric nurse practitioner

A nurse practitioner is an RN with additional advanced training who is qualified to serve as a primary and specialty health care provider in lieu of a pediatrician. Most work alongside a pediatrician, but some do maintain their own practices.

Experience and/or schooling required: Nurse practitioners are expected to complete their degrees to become an RN first. Following their RN degree, candidates must go on to complete a master’s degree in nursing in an accredited program. Most are also expected to complete one to two years of a nursing residency or internship.

Average pay: The average salary for a nurse practitioner will vary by location, but ranges anywhere from $118,040 to $123,780 per year.

7. Neonatal nurse

A neonatal nurse is an LPN or RN who cares for babies — many of them preemies — in a hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Experience and/or schooling required: A neonatal nurse must complete the training required for an RN or LPN and must also obtain a certification in Neonatal Resuscitation and/or Neonatal Intensive Care. Most nurses in this specialty will also be expected to complete one to three years of clinical on-the-job training.

Average pay: Average salary for this position can depend on location and experience, but the range falls between $77,600 to $120,680.

8. Labor and delivery nurse

Labor and delivery nurses are RNs who help women during childbirth. They also monitor the mother and baby and provide postpartum care.

Experience and/or schooling required: Labor and delivery nurses must complete the requirements for an RN and complete on-the-job training in a Labor and Delivery clinical setting, such as a hospital. Some may choose to continue their training to become a nurse practitioner or a certified midwife.

Average pay: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the average salary for an RN is $77,600 per year, with nurses who have training in a specialized field, or who are nurse practitioners, often making more, particularly if they’re in a high-paying area. For instance, in New Jersey, a labor and delivery nurse averages $121,423.

9. Birth or postpartum doula

A birth doula supports an expectant mother during labor via aromatherapy, massage and more. Doulas work with the medical team to ensure the parents’ wishes are met, and they also help with newborn care. Postpartum doulas focus on the family’s needs after baby’s birth. “From latch to feeding patterns, we all have basic newborn feeding knowledge,” says Simone Toomer, a certified birth and postpartum doula and lactation consultant in New York City. “But we also focus on education for parents and at times taking care of the infant while mom and dad rest. The goal is to leave a home after a visit with nerves settled and more rested parents.”

Experience and/or schooling required: While a formal degree is not required to become a doula, most families will want their doula to have undergone specific training and to have received certification. Organizations like DONA International provide widely-accepted professional training for all types of doulas.

Average pay: The average pay for a doula depends on the type of services provided and on location. Birth doulas charge anywhere from $600 to $2,000 per birth (depending on location). Postpartum doula services are generally charged by the hour and range from $25-565, depending on location.

10. Obstetrician

An obstetrician is a physician who cares for pregnant women and delivers babies.

Experience and/or schooling required: Obstetricians must hold medical degrees. They will also need to complete a three-year residency or internship after earning a medical degree.

Average pay: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, an obstetrician can expect to earn an average salary of $296,210 per year.

11. Midwife

Nurse-midwives and lay midwives care for pregnant women and deliver babies.

Experience and/or schooling required: Both nurse and lay midwives require specialized training in delivering babies, but a nurse midwife also needs nursing credentials. All midwives are expected to complete graduate-level programs that culminate in receiving CNM (certified nurse midwives) or CM (certified midwives) credentials.

Average pay: The salary earned by a midwife will vary by location and are higher for CNMs, but they average anywhere from $72,262 to $114,210 per year.

12. Lactation consultant

Lactation consultants help new mothers learn how to successfully breastfeed their babies. They help mothers increase their milk supply, help babies latch properly and will assist new mothers in tracking their babies weight gain and overall health.

Experience and/or schooling required: Lactation consultants must complete breastfeeding coursework and pass a certification exam. Most families will expect their lactation consultant to be a IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant)-certified.

Average pay: Salaries for lactation consultants will vary by location and are also dependent upon whether you work in or outside of a hospital, but on average, the range is $51,491-$78,542.

13. Infant massage therapist

An infant massage therapist helps premature babies develop their muscle strength and functionality.

Experience and/or schooling required: To become an infant massage therapist, you must complete an infant massage therapy program and become licensed. Two programs to try are Loving Touch and Liddle Kidz Foundation.

Average pay: Pay will vary by location, but the average salary earned by a certified infant massage therapist is around $23.46 per hour.

14. Pediatric physical therapist

A pediatric physical therapist helps babies and kids with disabilities, illnesses or injuries improve their movement and manage their pain via massage and manipulation — and a lot of the time, they need to figure out how to make it fun. “Play is work for kids,” says Michelle Lee, a pediatric physical therapist who works in Early Intervention at The Arc of Union County in New Jersey. “I try to let the kids lead and turn whatever we need to work with into a game or toy. I also always keep the goals and expectations for each session flexible.”

Experience and/or schooling required: All states require physical therapists to obtain a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and a state license.

Average pay: Salary for a pediatric physical therapist can vary depending upon if you are working out of a hospital or not, but the average salary is $95,620 per year.

15. Newborn and baby photographer

Many professional photographers specialize in photographing babies, which involves posing them and getting them to smile.

Experience and/or schooling required: While portrait photographers don’t need specific degrees, many take classes to improve their technical skills.

Average pay: How much you make as a newborn and baby photographer depends on how many clients you book and how much you charge, but the average take home is around $63,962 a year.

16. Babysitter

Of course, the first job of many people who enjoy working with babies is a babysitting job. Babysitters are part-time caregivers, who may care for babies on a regular schedule or provide date-night or occasional care. For more, see our advice on writing a babysitter resume, setting out reasonable babysitter responsibilities, or to check out the competition, you can browse the profiles of other babysitters near you.

Experience and/or schooling required: No special degree or education is required for a babysitting job, but getting your infant and child CPR certification is always a good idea.

Average pay: Babysitting rates can vary by location, the number of children and by how much experience you have. Consult our Babysitting Rates Calculator to get an idea of how much babysitters in your area are charging.

Find a babysitting job

17. Newborn Care Specialist

Newborn Care Specialists (NCS) assist families either during the night or around the clock during baby’s early weeks. Their main goal is to help families with baby sleep and feeding schedules.

Experience and/or schooling required: In order to become a Newborn Care Specialist, a NCS certification is required, which can be done through the Newborn Care Specialist Association (NCSA).

Average pay: The pay rate for Newborn Care Specialists depends on experience and location, but generally, they can make anywhere from $200-450+ per day or $20-40 per hour, depending on the market.

20 Awesome Jobs Working With Babies – Zippia

High-Paying Jobs Working With Babies
Entry-Level Jobs Working With Babies
Work From Home Jobs Working With Babies
Other Jobs Working With Babies
Final Thoughts
Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

If you simply love babies and your dream is to spend your life working with them and caring for them, then you’re in luck. There are a lot of jobs that focus on the physical, psychological, and emotional needs of little humans.

Even the healthiest babies need caring and nurturing to stay that way. So, if you have a heart that simply loves little ones, then we’ve got some job options that you can turn into a rewarding career.

The best thing is that, at Zippia, we have our finger on the pulse of what jobs are trending, what ones are becoming extinct, what ones pay the best, and what jobs you can do from the comfort of your own home. We know jobs because it’s what we do. So, if you’re looking for a job working with children, then these jobs are for you.

High-Paying Jobs Working With Babies

Babies are just so full of wonder and joy. You know that a career with them as the center of your professional life is what you want. But you also know you want to make a decent living.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of jobs that have to do with children and babies that don’t pay very well, but that isn’t the case here. These are great paying jobs that involve working with babies.

Pediatrician or Obstetrician
Average Annual Salary: $169,000

A doctor to babies and their moms. Seems like the perfect fit if you desire to help children and you’re interested in making a decent living. You’re going to need a lot of education to reach this point, but once you do, you’ll be living the life you want.

Find Pediatrician jobs near me
Pediatric or Neonatal nurse
Average Annual Salary: $68,000

Yes, you certainly won’t make what the pediatrician makes, but the pay for baby nurses is really good, and what a cute group of patients you’ll have. Years of education and training will still be necessary, but it’s a rewarding job.

It’s not many careers that let you give your patients a good-bye hug and kiss before you send them home.

Find Neonatal nurse jobs near me
Speech Language Pathologist
Average Annual Salary: $68,000

No, most babies don’t have difficulties speaking which makes this job title a little confusing. But when an infant has trouble swallowing, a speech-language pathologist is the expert who comes in to help.

These professionals can also work with older children and sometimes adults, but they do provide care to babies.

Find Speech language pathologist jobs near me
Doula
Average Annual Salary: $61,797

This is an interesting job because it doesn’t require a lot of training and what is required can easily be completed in a few months.

Part of your training is to attend a few births, so you’ll have experience when you start. It’s not quite entry-level but you certainly don’t need another job to gain experience before you start, nor do you need a lengthy college experience.

Doulas are there to help mothers prepare for birth, they are there during the birth, and they assist them after birth. They are not delivering babies like midwives, they’re purely there for support and to provide informed advice.

Find Doula jobs near me
Talent Agent
Average Annual Salary: $49,000

Hey, guess what, even the babies in TV shows and movies have agents. If you’re great with babies, and maybe even better with their parents, this can be a very well-paying career. You get to find the next baby for their break-out role and work with or represent them on set so they can be a star.

Find Talent agent jobs near me

Entry-Level Jobs Working With Babies

Why waste time doing other jobs when you know what you want to do? You’re truly captivated by newborns and children and working with them is your dream. Then you can start today with these entry-level jobs working with children.

Day Care Teacher
Average Annual Salary: $35,000

Daycare is one of those fields that is constantly looking for new workers. It seems like there are always more openings than there are applicants, so if this is where you want to start your professional journey, you’re in luck.

Many of them will train you, but some might require you already have some early development education and certifications.

Find Day care teacher jobs near me
Baby Sitter
Average Annual Salary: $20,000

Not quite ready to be a daycare teacher, maybe your best bet is to start as a babysitter. This is a job that teens often do.

You’ll also find that many communities offer certification programs to better prepare them for the work. What a great way to start a career working with babies and get some experience at a young age.

Find Baby sitter jobs near me
Nanny/Au pair
Average Annual Salary: $24,651

This job is a lot like babysitting but on a bigger level. Many nannies live in the homes of their employers, making them almost full-time, round-the-clock caregivers for the children.

You may start when the child is born and work with them until they no longer need you. If you’re in a good situation, you may find that you start with one child and end up raising all of their siblings, too. Experience helps but isn’t necessary for this job.

Find Au pair jobs near me
Swim Instructor
Average Annual Salary: $23,000

Many local pools offer a mommy and me swimming program for mothers and their infants. It’s less about teaching a newborn how to swim and more about getting them used to the water. Many find it a completely natural and soothing environment. It doesn’t take much training to learn the lessons and teach a class.

Find Swim instructor jobs near me
Nursery Worker
Average Annual Salary: $25,000

You might find this job in hospitals, churches, schools, and sometimes even in grocery stores. Nursery assistants watch over infants, typically for a very short period to several hours. They might be in charge of diaper changes, feedings, and cuddling. Sometimes you’ll have the same children to care for, other settings will have different babies coming and going.

Find Nursery worker jobs near me

Work From Home Jobs Working With Babies

How about a life where you get to work within the comfort of your own home, and you can surround yourself with delightful little babies? For some people, it doesn’t get better than this. If this is your idea of the perfect work/life balance, then check out these jobs to see if one of them is for you.

Daycare Owner/Operator
Average Annual Salary: $25,173

Put your maternal instincts to work by filling your home with babies. There are specific rules for each state about being an in-home childcare provider, so you’ll have to research those rules before starting your business.

Once you’ve worked all of that out, you’re ready to start your business. This is sure to be a huge benefit to you, the parents who are looking for childcare, and the little ones you will rely on your love during the day.

Find Daycare owner jobs near me
Newborn/Birth photographer/Artist
Average Annual Salary: $72,000

If you’re handy with a camera or a skilled artist, you can turn your talents toward capturing the first moments or years of a child’s life. If babies are your passion and photography or art is your talent, this is the ideal career for you.

Find Artist jobs near me
Clothes Designer
Average Annual Salary: $52,000

You might think no one can make a living focusing on just making and designing baby clothing – you’d be wrong. There are typically a few big occasions in an infant’s life, and they’ll need special clothing, specifically, a christening or baptism gown, but other events happen.

Not only that – people love spoiling their children, and having custom-made baby clothing is a hot and trendy way to showcase a new baby.

Find Clothes designer jobs near me
Massage Therapist
Average Annual Salary: $45,000

Babies can have birth issues or injuries. And, just like adults, they can benefit from massage therapy and the toning and releasing of muscles. Being a massage therapist for infants is very specialized but it might allow you to open your own business from within your home.

Find Massage therapist jobs near me
Blogger/Social media
Average Annual Salary: $41,048

If you’re blogging about your baby, then you get to stay home and write about the daily ins and outs of having a child. If you are social media savvy, you can skip the blog and head right over to TikTok or Insta.

People love seeing babies doing cute things. Why not turn your experience as a new parent into a money-making venture.

Find Blogger jobs near me

Other Jobs Working With Babies

Not all jobs fit into nice, neat categories, especially when you’re dealing with children. These are a few other options of jobs working with babies that you might find appealing.

Nurse Midwife
Average Annual Salary: $83,570

Both nurse-midwives and lay midwives can make a pretty good living and they are a critical part of the birth process and the immediate care of infants. They often help train new mothers on breastfeeding as well.

The trick is that each state has differing levels of midwife education requirements. Some let you work in homes, some in hospitals, it all depends on where you live.

Find Nurse Midwife jobs near me
Lactation Consultant
Average Annual Salary: $68,118

You need to have a way with mothers and babies to do this job well. Lactation consultants help new mothers learn to breastfeed their children. It’s not as natural or as easy as one might think, especially if the baby is having a difficult time figure out what it’s supposed to do.

This is why a nurturing and sympathetic lactation consultant is so important in the first few days to help the baby gain weight and stay healthy.

Find Lactation consultant jobs near me
Pediatric Physical Therapist
Average Annual Salary: $74,000

Unfortunately, even babies can have physical issues they need to overcome or adapt to. Whether the child was born with a disability, illness, or injury, or they developed it shortly after their birth, pediatric physician therapists are a blessing.

The earlier a child can overcome and adapt, the better prepared they’ll be for the world around them.

Find Pediatric physical therapist jobs near me
Childcare Specialist
Average Annual Salary: $27,811

Not every family needs or wants a newborn care specialist, but it’s a growing field and this position might become more popular. Newborn Care Specialists are like nannies, but they’re more specialized and trained (there is a certification process) in the care and needs of newborns.

It’s perfect for a newborn with a few issues who needs round-the-clock special care the first few months. It’s also a fantastic break for all parents with a new baby who really values their sleep.

Find Childcare specialist jobs near me
Social Worker
Average Annual Salary: $51,000

If you’re concerned about the welfare of babies, children, and their families, then a career in social work can be your way to make a difference. It’s not going to be an easy job. Sometimes you’ll see the worst in people.

But you’ll have those breakthrough moments where you know that your help was exactly what made a difference.

Find Social worker jobs near me

Final Thoughts

It’s probably no surprise that a lot of jobs that focus on infants focus on healthcare. There are so many healthcare needs that a newborn has that are specialized. If you have a desire to care for babies and an aptitude for science, then healthcare with a focus on infants is probably the ideal choice for you.

If you’re looking to start a career working with babies but aren’t really interested in medicine, then childcare often is the best place to start. This can lead to great jobs working in facilities or working from your home.

Just know that working with babies requires a lot of love and care. It’s a stressful job at times but it’s one of the most valuable and noble professional passions there is.

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11 Rewarding Careers (Emotionally & Financially)

Each of us has their skills and talents, and it’s clear that every person has its destined career.

Some people are great when it comes to working with babies.

Working with babies is for sure a rewarding career, even if not in a financial way.

If you’re looking for jobs with babies and want to work closely with babies, you should know that there is a whole bunch of career options.

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Best Careers that Involve Working with Babies

This article contains a list of the most popular job options for those who want working with babies.

Most of these careers are offered by clinics and hospitals.

In fact, there is a constant demand in such specialists which means that it can be easy to wind a job.

As you understand, the number of variants vary significantly.

Some of them are really peaceful and calm while others are absolutely challenging.

It means that the time you may spend on your training significantly depends on the type of career you are interested in.

So, let’s learn about some of the most popular career options.

If you are thinking of entering the field, you should get as much info as you can about it.

Labor and Delivery Nurse

Speaking of the jobs related to newborns, you should start with the career that deals with the birth of a baby.

A labor and delivery nurse is a great option for those who are interested in jobs related to babies.

Usually, these nurses assist obstetricians and help mothers through the delivery of a baby.

In fact, labor and delivery nurse career requires some training but it can take rather less time than such options as obstetricians.

Just keep in mind that you need to pass an exam to start your career.

Nevertheless, it is enough to get an associate’s degree to start your career.

As soon as your training is completed, you can enter the field and help mothers and babies during the delivery process.

Also, after obtaining your certification, you can look into some specializations.

For example, you can take the voluntary certification or look for other numerous options.

Being a vocational nurse, you could also be assisting labor and delivery nurses doing their job, if you’re looking for a career with fewer years of training.

Pediatric Physical Therapist

Most adults know who is physical therapists and what they do.

Nevertheless, in most cases, we don’t often think about the fact that babies may also need a physical therapist’s support and help.

Just keep in mind that such specialists are mainly obliged to work with disabled babies.

Sometimes, premature babies also need physical therapy.

The main responsibility of these specialists is to provide help to injured and disabled babies.

Also, they often work with ill babies who have problems with movements because of some disease.

Moreover, physical therapists help babies to deal with the pain they may experience because of their movement issues.

It means that this career can be especially hard as you need to be able to stay calm so you can support babies that are in pain.

If you want to help such babies, you should know lots of things such as specific movements that help reduce the pain, various massage techniques, and proper ways to manipulate babies’ musculus.

This career is absolutely rewarding not only in a financial way as it is always amazing to see a baby that gets rid of pain and can move freely.

Nevertheless, you should know that if you want to become a physical therapist, you need to obtain lots of training.

In fact, it requires a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree as well as a state certification.

Infant Massage Therapist

An infant massage therapist differs significantly from a pediatric physical therapist.

In most cases, infant massage therapists work with premature babies.

The main duty of an infant massage therapist is to help premature babies to develop musculus strength as the lack of it can lead to the movements’ issues.

In other words, these specialists work to help premature babies to grow properly and become stronger.

Also, such specialists are really important when it comes to the development of babies that were born early.

If you want to enroll in this career, you’ll be glad to know that it doesn’t require a doctoral degree.

It is enough to complete a special training program and get a certification.

Newborn Hearing Screener

Hearing is one of the first things that is checked as soon as a baby is born.

A newborn hearing screener is an absolutely important career.

These specialists are also called as newborn screening technicians and they work in neonatal units.

The responsibility of such specialists is to make sure that all required testings are done after a baby is born.

Neonatal hearing screeners perform some of these tests.

They prepare and maintain the equipment used for a hearing test and make sure that baby’s hearing is on the proper level.

After completing some basic tests, neonatal hearing screeners decide whether some extra tests are needed.

Also, if it is necessary, they discuss with parents the actions that should be taken to resolve some problems.

In most cases, neonatal hearing screeners don’t work with each baby for a long period of time but sometimes you may need to work with a few babies from day to day for a certain period of time.

Baby Sign Language Instructor

Sign language instructors that work with babies, don’t usually work in clinics or hospitals.

Nevertheless, in most cases, such specialists are recommended by medical facilities workers.

When a baby has problems with hearing, it means that they may need to learn how to use sign language to be able to communicate.

Considering the fact that in such a situation sign language can be the only baby’s option to communicate, this career is really rewarding.

If you want to enroll in this career, first of all, you need to learn American Sign Language.

There is a variety of courses that should be completed in order to start this career.

In most cases, it’s enough to take courses on your own to start your career as an Independent Certified Instructor.

You can find a bunch of programs that are focused on sign language for toddlers and babies.

If you are interested in communication, this career is a great option for you as you can help lots of babies to be able to ‘speak’.

NICU Volunteer

If you are interested in a part-time job, volunteering is a great option for you.

Even without payment, taking care of babies and toddlers is a rewarding occupation itself.

You should know that numerous hospitals are looking for volunteers that can help in neonatal units.

In most cases. volunteers are needed when there is a necessity to hold babies in a hospital.

Usually, babies are held in hospitals in order to benefit their health and sometimes their parents cannot stay with their kids.

According to the researches, holding a baby is really important for their health and emotional state.

You don’t need any specific training to perform this job, especially considering the fact it’s a volunteer position.

Nevertheless, each hospital has its own requirements for volunteers who want to occupy this position.

The most common requirements are a certain period of volunteering in a medical facility and some basic training.

Also, your background will be checked for sure.

If you want to take care of newborns and help them feel better, you should know that this job is for sure a rewarding option for you.

Phlebotomist

Phlebotomists are responsible for drawing blood samples and they work with various patients constantly.

Often, it happens that they need to work with newborns and babies.

Of course, there aren’t many cases when lots f blood samples are drawn from babies and in most cases, a finger prick technique is used.

Nevertheless, on some occasions, much more blood tests may be required.

As a phlebotomist, you are going to use almost the same procedures you use with adults when it comes to babies.

Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that the location of the puncture differs as from babies, blood is drawn from the heel of the foot.

Also, it is important to be able to work with other team members and parents as you may need their help to perform your duties.

If you want to work as a phlebotomist, you need to complete a specialized training program.

You aren’t obliged to obtain a certification or a college degree but it can help you to improve your career prospects.

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, read more about phlebotomists training here.

Pediatrician

Pediatricians work with newborns and are responsible for their health until they are teens and even adults.

As a pediatrician, you can work in clinics and hospitals, and even start your own practice.

If you decide to enroll in this career, you should now that you are going to work with lots of kids every day.

As we’ve already said, pediatricians are responsible for the healthy state of babies, toddlers, and teens.

It means that they are responsible for health examination and treatment of various diseases and illnesses including injuries.

To be able to work as a pediatrician, you need to complete a medical school.

It will give you a possibility to obtain all the required knowledge and skills.

Midwife

In most cases, midwives support mothers during the delivery process.

Nevertheless, it’s not the only responsibility of these specialists as also they are important for the babies’ wellbeing.

It should be mentioned that midwives not only support mothers as lots of women give preference to a midwife instead of an obstetrician.

Midwives are usually asked to help when it comes to home birth.

If you want to enroll in this career, you don’t need a medical degree which means that it’s a great option for anyone who wants to work with pregnant women and babies.

To be able to start your career, you only need to complete a specialized training program.

Also, you can start working as a midwife nurse as this specialist has almost the same responsibilities.

Just keep in mind that you need to have some nursing credentials to apply for this job.

Midwives are often compared with doulas but these two careers differ significantly.

A midwife – it is a healthcare provider and doulas have nothing to do with the baby delivery process.

In fact, doulas are responsible for mothers’ health and their needs.

Normally, doulas provide coaching for future mothers to help them feel better physically and emotionally during pregnancy and after it.

Also, they may take part in home births but also they support mothers during the delivery process in a hospital.

Nevertheless, instead of midwives, doulas cannot deliver babies as they don’t have medical education.

Newborn Specialist

If you want to become a newborn specialist, you should know that they don’t usually work in hospitals.

They support parents during a few first months of a baby’s life, visiting them at home.

Newborn specialists have a whole bunch of various duties including such points as:

Changing, cleaning, and dressing the baby;
Preparing bottles for feeding;
Caring for the baby overnight so parents can get some sleep;
Helping mothers with breastfeeding and latching.

Of course, there are lots of reasons why parents hire a newborn specialist.

Sometimes, parents just need some extra help especially when it is their first baby.

Also, a newborn specialist is required when one of the parents cannot take care of the baby because of some reasons.

Moreover, these specialists can help women who have postpartum depression.

If you want to enroll in this career, you need to complete an accredited program and obtain a certification as well as CPR certification.

Just keep in mind that you need a certain set of skills to be able to work as a newborn specialist.

The list of skills includes such points as:

Knowledge of baby basics;
Housekeeping skills;
Highly organized;
Patience and compassion;
Communication skills.

Being an intimate career, it requires lots of time that you will be obliged to spend one-on-one with parents and babies.

Also, you need to be really patient as you need a good reputation to be able to succeed in this career.

Nanny or Nursery Workers

When it comes to careers that are dealing with babies that are out of the hospital, nannies and nursery workers should be mentioned.

Usually, such specialists are hired by parents themselves and some specific facilities.

If you work as a nanny, you can live the family that hired you so you can take of a baby all the time.

Also, nannies can be hired only for a certain period of a day.

When it comes to nursery workers, usually they take care of babies when parents are at work.

In fact, both these career options require certain skills related to the ability to take care of a baby.

To get a job, in most cases, you should only have some experience and complete a background check.

Nevertheless, some parents and agencies give preference to those workers who have some training or a degree as well as CPR certification and medical experience.

You should know that usually, such specialists work with children of various ages.

It means that if you are good at your work and have good relations with the family you work at, you can work with the same child or children for many years.

It’s considered to be one of the best careers for those looking for jobs with babies.

How to Get a Job Working with Babies?

As you understand, there are lots of various career options for those who are looking for jobs with babies.

Those careers, related to the medical sphere, are usually the most rewarding and you don’t need to spend ages for your training.

In fact, rather often, it’s enough to get some minimal training, to get a career related to babies in the medical sphere.

If you aren’t interested in a medical career, you should know that there are lots of other options.

All of them are really important for both mothers and babies.

Even volunteering options are really important and can be beneficial for babies and parents.

We really hope that this article was helpful to you.

All these careers are absolutely rewarding and most of them can provide you with an excellent salary.

Usually, hospitals require some qualified and experienced specialists for these positions.

Of course, it can be really hard and challenging to work with babies but if you are passionate about it, any of these careers will be a great choice for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of nurse takes care of newborn babies?

Neonatal nurses take care of newborn babies, healthy or in ICU, and are often registered nurses with training or certification in the neonatal area.

Duties include basic care of newborn babies, assisting doctors in the treatment of those babies, as well as communicating with parents.

Can you get paid to hold babies?

You can get paid to hold a baby by becoming a professional cuddler.

There are companies that offer this service, and you could get a job with them or start your own business.

Many hospitals want volunteer coddlers, but these are not paid positions.

It is important to find out whether the job is paid or on a voluntary basis.

How do I become a baby cuddler?

Most baby coddlers start as volunteers with a hospital.

To do this, you must fill out an application to be a volunteer, and how this works out can vary among hospitals.

There is training involved and you must have all your shots.

If you want to become a professional, you must get certified by the company hiring you.

What does a baby cuddler do?

A baby cuddler holds a baby and the work is essential to the health of the baby.

Babies generally are in trauma after coming out of their mother’s body and need a lot of touching to be soothed.

When the parent cannot be there, a cuddler can help the baby feel safe and less traumatized.

The skin-on-skin contact, hearing your heartbeat give the baby a secure feeling.

What qualifications do I need to work with babies?

Hospitals that take on volunteer baby coddlers have a training program those wishing to volunteer must go through.

You must undergo a background check and be up to date on all shots.

You usually must also commit to a certain amount of time and have the time available to do the cuddling you are scheduled to do.

Do hospitals need baby cuddlers?

Hospitals always need baby coddlers for a variety of reasons.

There are times when a parent cannot be there with the baby, and cuddling will be needed.

Hospitals always need volunteers and usually have a list of the kinds of volunteers they need either at the hospital or online.

Cuddlers at hospitals are normally volunteer positions.

What kind of nurse takes care of babies in the nursery?

Neonatal nurses take care of babies, and they are also called nursery nurses.

Babies need a lot of care when they are born, and they are moved to a nursery soon after they are born if they do not go home with their mother almost immediately.

There are well-baby nurseries that most hospitals have for those that do not need special care.

Careers Working With Babies

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Are you ready to find your fit?

Careers that involve working with babies span multiple industries, including childcare, education, healthcare, and social services. Child development specialists, neonatal dieticians, pediatricians, and child and family social workers all work with babies on a daily basis. Other professionals who work with babies include childcare workers, neonatal nurses, developmental psychologists, and childcare center directors.

This guide introduces several careers that involve working with babies and young children. It also includes information on common degrees, career and salary outlooks, and scholarship opportunities for students seeking careers working with babies.

FAQ

Careers in childcare often require at least an associate degree, as do many nursing careers. Other roles, such as pediatrician, require a graduate degree.

Several types of nurses care for babies, including neonatal nurses and pediatric nurses. Nurse practitioners may also specialize in infant care.

A child development degree prepares graduates for careers as childcare workers, preschool directors, and child development specialists. The degree also leads to opportunities in social services.

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Why Get a Degree Working with Babies?

Pursuing a degree that leads to careers working with babies offers several personal and professional benefits. The following list outlines several of these benefits.

Variety of Career Paths: Careers working with babies span many industries, including healthcare, education, social services, and psychology.
Fulfilling Work: Caregivers, nurses, and social workers all work with babies in different ways. For many professionals, working with babies represents a fulfilling and rewarding career path.
High-Demand Careers: Many careers that involve working with babies report strong projected job growth. For example, the BLS projects jobs for social workers to grow much faster than average between 2019-2029.
Undergraduate and Graduate Options: Some careers that involve working with babies require an associate degree or bachelor’s degree, while others require a doctorate.
Specializations: Many specializations lead to careers working with babies. Nurses, doctors, educators, social workers, and psychologists can all choose a baby-focused specialization within their field.

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Specializations for Working with Babies

Careers in healthcare and education offer many opportunities to care for newborns, infants, and toddlers. For example, both neonatal nurses and childcare workers spend their days caring for babies.

Some careers working with babies require an associate degree or bachelor’s degree, while other career paths require a graduate degree. For example, pediatricians and child psychologists need a doctorate.

This section introduces common specializations, also known as concentrations or tracks, for careers that involve working with babies. Many other specializations, including social work and dietetics, also lead to child-focused careers.

Neonatal Nurse

Neonatal nurses care for newborns that need medical support, including premature babies in the NICU. They often work in a hospital setting where they take care of newborns experiencing illnesses or other medical problems.

Neonatal nurses must train as registered nurses and complete clinical rotations in neonatal care settings. They can also pursue a bachelor’s degree to move into specialized roles. Some neonatal nurses earn a master’s degree to work as neonatal nurse practitioners.

Childcare Center Worker

Childcare workers care for infants and young children in childcare facilities and private homes. They feed and diaper babies, put infants and toddlers down for naps, and introduce play-based activities to foster development. Childcare workers also monitor children for developmental issues and keep records about each child’s schedule and interests.

With experience, childcare workers can move into supervisory roles, like childcare center director. Directors oversee staff and manage facilities, like preschools.

Pediatrician

Pediatricians care for babies and children with medical conditions or injuries. As a medical specialty, pediatricians complete medical school and spend several years in a pediatrics residency program. Pediatricians also need board certification from the American Board of Pediatrics.

During medical school, pediatricians complete clinical rotations in different settings where they work with newborn babies, infants, and young children. Pediatricians earn a median salary of over $177,000 per year.

Common Degrees for Working with Babies

The most common degrees that lead to careers working with babies include healthcare, social science, and education. For example, nursing students, early childhood education majors, and social work majors often pursue careers working with babies. This section introduces common degrees that lead to jobs caring for babies.

Pre-Med

A pre-med degree prepares college graduates for medical school. Most colleges do not offer a formal pre-med major. Instead, undergrads choose majors that meet the prerequisite requirements for med school, completing coursework in areas like biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and statistics. A social science or humanities degree also prepares graduates for med school.

After earning an undergraduate degree, prospective doctors must take the MCAT and apply to medical school. In medical school, they complete specialized training for roles like pediatrician and pediatric surgeon.

Nursing

Neonatal and pediatric nurses work with babies. Nurses can specialize their training during an undergraduate nursing degree. Nursing programs incorporate clinical rotations in different settings to prepare nurses for jobs working with babies. Graduate nursing programs prepare nurses to move into advanced practice roles that lead to working with babies, such as nurse midwife, pediatric nurse practitioner, and family nurse practitioner.

In addition to earning a nursing degree, registered nurses must apply for a license from their state and pass the NCLEX-RN exam.

Early Childhood Education

An early childhood education degree prepares graduates for jobs working with babies and children, including childcare worker, preschool teacher, and preschool director. During an early childhood education degree, learners explore educational practices, developmental milestones, and early childhood curriculum development. Many programs emphasize a play-based learning approach where educators incorporate basic skills in playtime activities.

In addition to coursework, early childhood education majors complete practicum hours to gain hands-on experience working with babies.

Psychology

A psychology degree emphasizes research, analytical, and critical thinking skills. During a psychology degree, majors take courses on topics like abnormal psychology, psychology research, experimental psychology, and statistics.

About 57% of graduates with a bachelor’s in psychology enter the workforce immediately after graduation, while the rest pursue a graduate degree. Psychology careers that involve working with babies include child psychologist and developmental psychologist, both of which require a doctorate. Other potential career paths include child development specialist, case worker, and childcare worker.

Career and Salary Outlook for Working with Babies

Professionals may interact with infants and care for young children in many fields, including education, childcare, social services, and healthcare. Salaries vary by factors like industry, role, experience, and education. This section introduces career and salary data for common careers that involve working with babies.

Preschool and Childcare Center Directors

Preschool and childcare center directors manage childcare workers and oversee daily operations at childcare facilities. They create educational plans, manage budgets, and hire staff members. Preschool and childcare center directors also set policies, monitor standards, and communicate with parents.

Social Workers

Social workers help families manage various issues and challenges in their lives. Child and family social workers may investigate suspected neglect and abuse to protect young children. They may also help families find childcare and housing, arrange adoptions, and work closely with foster families.

Physicians and Surgeons

Physicians and surgeons who specialize in family medicine or pediatrics care for babies. Pediatricians, for instance, care for newborns, infants, and young children. They diagnose medical conditions, recommend treatments, and educate parents on caring for babies. Pediatric surgeons treat neonatal and infant disorders and diseases. These careers require a medical degree.

Psychologists

Psychologists diagnose and treat mental health issues. Several psychology specializations involve working with infants and young children, including child psychology, clinical psychology, and developmental psychology. For example, developmental psychologists research psychological development from birth through old age, with some focusing on babies. Psychologists typically need a doctorate and a state-issued license to practice.

Career	Median Annual Salary	Projected Growth Rate (2019-2029)
Preschool and Childcare Center Directors	$48,210	1%
Social Workers	$50, 470	13%
Physicians and Surgeons	$208,000	4%
Psychologists	$80,370	3%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Certifications and Licensure for Working with Babies

Many organizations offer certifications and licenses for professionals in jobs that involve working with babies. For example, neonatal nurses, childcare workers, and social workers can pursue professional credentials to demonstrate their skills and training. Most certifications set minimum education requirements and include a certification exam.

This certification recognizes experienced nurses who work in NICUs, cardiac care units, ICUs, and other settings. Candidates must hold an RN license and 1,750 hours of direct experience with neonatal patients during a two-year period or at least 2,000 hours in a five-year period.

The CCCW credential recognizes experienced childcare workers. Candidates need formal training or work experience in childcare. They must also pass an exam that covers topics like developmental issues, children’s basic needs, and child safety. With the credential, childcare workers can care for children in preschools, childcare centers, and private homes.

The Red Cross offers a training course in child and baby first aid, including CPR. The course includes simulations and interactive experiences that prepare people to recognize and respond to emergencies. The Red Cross also offers a pediatric first aid course.

Scholarships for Students Working with Babies

Students pursuing degrees that lead to careers working with babies can take advantage of scholarships to lower the cost of their degree. Professional associations, private foundations, and government agencies all support degree-seekers interested in careers working with babies. The following list outlines several scholarship opportunities for students seeking careers that involve working with babies.


Scholarship	Amount	Who Can Apply
Dietetic Internship/Pre-Professional Scholarship	$1,000	The Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group offers a pre-professional scholarship to learners studying to become pediatric nutritionists. Applicants must hold a minimum 3.3 GPA.
T.E. A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship	Varies	This program supports childcare workers pursuing training. The program works with recipients’ current employer to provide financial support for school.
ANN Ingrid Josefin Ridky Academic Scholarship	$1,000	The Academy of Neonatal Nursing offers a scholarship for neonatal nurses earning a bachelor’s or graduate degree. Applicants must hold a minimum 3.0 GPA and currently work as a neonatal nurse.

Degrees and Careers Working with Babies

Genevieve Carlton

Genevieve Carlton holds a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University and earned tenure as a history professor at the University of Louisville. An award-winning historian and writer, Genevieve has published multiple scholarly articles and a book with the University of Chicago Press. She currently works as a freelance writer and consultant.

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Medical Careers Dealing With Babies | Work

By Danielle Smyth Updated June 21, 2022

Working with babies or children is one of the most fulfilling things you can do. It takes a special kind of person, but there are many careers in the medical field that work with babies. These careers range from doctors and nurses to various types of therapists and specialists. When reading about careers dealing with babies and pregnancy, especially in the medical field, knowing the details can help you choose the right one for you. Alternatively, you may want to find one of the many careers in child development and medicine that deal with older children.

Careers in the Medical Field That Work With Babies

One of the best jobs in the medical field with babies and children is that of a pediatrician, but it is also one of the most difficult to achieve. Pediatricians are doctors who treat babies, children and teenagers. You can work in a sub-specialty with babies exclusively. To become a pediatrician, you’ll need to attend college, medical school, an internship and a residency.

Many fields of nursing involve working with babies. In terms of pay, the nurses that work with babies salary ranges are typically equal to other nurses with the same types of experience in the same medical centers. According to the experts at Healthline, some of those areas of nursing that work with children and babies are:

Pediatric registered nurse, which is a more general specialty
Neonatal nurse who works with healthy newborn babies
NICU nurse who works in the neonatal intensive care unit
PICU nurse who works in the pediatric intensive care unit

Finally, other fields of medicine sometimes treat babies as well. Some of the most common include physical therapists, lactation consultants, occupational therapists and more.

Other Careers Dealing with Babies and Pregnancy

If your passion is supporting families as they bring their newest members into the world, there are many other careers in the medical field to pursue. As a doctor, you could also consider becoming an obstetrician who sees women through pregnancy and delivers babies. Family practitioners see children and their parents as outpatients.

The writers at Understood.org provide a list of some other types of nurses that work with new families. Some nurses specialize in prenatal care as well as labor and delivery. Developmental disability nurses, as well as therapists, also work with babies with conditions like Down syndrome. Many endocrinology nurses work with expectant mothers dealing with blood sugar issues or babies with diabetes.

If you like working with expectant mothers, you can also consider becoming a doula or midwife. Unlike a midwife, a doula doesn’t deliver babies. Instead, they provide professional support and coaching through your pregnancy, delivery and early parenthood.

Careers in Child Development

If you love working with children and families, there are many other roles outside and inside the medical field where you can play an essential role. For example, you can consider working in education; some preschool teachers work in infant or toddler classrooms. Alternatively, you can become an elementary school teacher.

If you want to help young children and new families through difficulties adjusting to change and other challenges, consider becoming a social worker or child psychologist. Some children and babies need extra help with some of their gross motor skills and senses. Audiologists work with kids who suffer from hearing issues and vision specialists help them utilize their sight. Many toddlers and young children have trouble learning to speak, and that’s where speech pathologists come in handy. Nutritionists help kids with feeding issues and kids with severe food allergies.

Finally, one of the best ways to impact babies and children is through parenting or being a role model. Even if you don’t have children of your own, you can volunteer with organizations to play a critical part in a child’s life.

References

Healthline: Nurses for Babies and Children
Understood.org: Specialists Who Work With Babies and Toddlers

Writer Bio

Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from upstate New York. She has been writing on business-related topics for nearly 10 years. She owns her own content marketing agency, <a href=”https://www.wordsmythcontent.com/”>Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing</a>, and she works with a number of small businesses to develop B2B content for their websites, social media accounts, and marketing materials. In addition to this content, she has written business-related articles for sites like <a href=”https://www. sweetfrivolity.com/”>Sweet Frivolity</a>, Alliance Worldwide Investigative Group, Bloom Co and Spent.

Top 10 Nursing Jobs Caring for Babies

You love babies. For you, there is nothing more rewarding than watching a newborn’s cry turn into a smile. One of the main reasons you went into nursing in the first place is to work with infants. You’ll go above and beyond just to know the little bundle of joy is healthy and able to grow up and enjoy the best of what life has to offer.

Does that sound like you? In that case, you should consider looking for a job that allows you to put your love for toddlers into practice. Luckily, there are many types of careers for nurses who want to take care of babies.

Because there are so many specialties revolving around nurses and newborns, it may get challenging to choose a career path. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the best nursing positions that will fulfill your calling: working and caring for babies.

Read on to learn more about the different types of nurses who work with babies and how you can become one of them.

Types of Nurses Who Work With Babies

Jobs that involve babies are some of the most demanding. There’s a lot more to caring for infants than cuddling and showering them with affection. During this developmentally crucial time, babies need all the support they can get to fortify their physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth. As a professional nurse caring for toddlers, you have to make sure you have the knowledge, the skill set, the curiosity, the drive, and even the physical strength to provide quality care to the little ones.

If you are ready to rise to the challenge, here’s our list of baby nursing jobs. It’s time to find the best one for you:

Certified Nurse Midwife

Job description: Certified Nurse Midwives are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who generally provide care to women. The care includes gynecological exams, help with family planning, and prenatal care. However, their duties and responsibilities don’t stop at assisting the mother before birth. CNMs also deliver babies and, if the need arises, they can provide surgical assistance to doctors during cesarean deliveries. Their advanced education prepares them to handle emergencies during labor and repair lacerations. Generally, midwives will also provide care to the baby and the mother for the first few weeks after birth. If the idea of bringing new life into the world excites you, then the CNM path is definitely worthy of your consideration.

Salary prospects: Certified Nurse Midwives are some of the top earners in the nursing field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they take home an average salary of $115,540.

Education and training requirements: Because it is an APRN role, to become a Certified Nurse Midwife you need to have at least a Master’s Degree in the specialty area. Most advanced practice programs, midwifery included, give preference to candidates who have a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. So, it’s easier to get your CNM license with a BSN degree under your belt. Although to a lesser extent, some bridge programs still allow ADN or diploma holders to pursue midwifery.

After completing the program, in order to become licensed as a Nurse Midwife, most states require national certification. The American Midwifery Certification Board is the accrediting body that offers the Certified Nurse-Midwife credential.

Pediatric Registered Nurse

Job description: Pediatric Registered Nurses invest their knowledge and skills in working with children. Their patient base can be quite vast – starting from infants all the way to adolescents, although they can also choose to narrow down their specialization and care mostly for newborns. Among the things that Pediatric RNs do on a daily basis are performing physical examinations, measuring vitals, ordering diagnostic tests. It’s also common for Pediatric Nurses to be responsible for immunizing their little patients.

Salary prospects: Per ZipRecruiter estimations, the national average salary for Pediatric Registered Nurses is $76,848.

Education and training requirements: Although the minimum requirement for this specialty is RN licensure, for the most part, Pediatric Nurses get their BSN before starting their pediatric nursing practice. They do that either by pursuing a traditional four-year BSN program or enrolling in an RN-to-BSN bridge program, allowing them to get their degree faster.

Although not mandatory for this specialty, nurses can also choose to get certified. Certification is a great way to improve your skills, validate your qualifications, and move ahead in your career. The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board offers Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) certification, a valuable addition to the resume of an RN who wants to work with toddlers and children.

Neonatal Registered Nurse

Job description: Neonatal RNs direct all their care and attention to babies born sick and/or premature. They mainly deal with babies who require Level II care. Infants who are born prematurely, with certain congenital disabilities or cardiac malformations fall into this category. The Neonatal Nurse’s job requires them to feed, observe, monitor, and care for sick newborns for weeks, or even months, helping the babies recover and get stronger. A Neonatal Nurse will care for the infant from birth to when they can finally go home as healthy babies.

Salary prospects: The salary prospects are bright for Neonatal Nurses. According to ZipRecruiter, they earn on average $100,945 annually.

Education and training requirements: If you intend to work as a Neonatal Nurse, you must first get your Registered Nurse License. A two-year ADN degree, or the more commonly preferred BSN, will do the trick.

NICU Registered Nurse

Job description: The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse, or NICU Nurse, is often confused with the Neonatal Nurse. A closer look at each job description shows that the jobs are slightly different, even though they have a lot in common. Essentially, NICU Nurses are a subdivision of Neonatal Nursing. They care for Level III care babies – newborns whose critical illnesses are so severe they have to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The babies who go to the NICU were usually born before 32 weeks, have critical illnesses and suffer from serious life concerns. These babies require an additional layer of care because they are placed on ventilators, must be tube-fed, and are isolated as they are much more prone to infections.

Salary prospects: For helping the acutely ill newborns have a new chance at life, NICU Nurses earn a mean salary of $99,711.

Education and training requirements: The first step to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nursing career is becoming an RN by getting your Associate’s Degree in Nursing or Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Both options are viable, but hospitals and other healthcare employers prioritize BSN nurses over their ADN counterparts. Getting Neonatal Resuscitation Certification and/or Critical Care Registered Nurse-Neonatal Certification will help you a long way in providing direct care to critically ill babies.

PICU Registered Nurse

Job description: If you love working with newborns but would like to extend your scope of practice to include slightly older children, then becoming a PICU RN could be a fulfilling career path for you. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurses generally care for patients aged from a few hours old to 17-years old. You will work with young babies on occasion, but not exclusively.

PICU Nurses work with young patients suffering from life-threatening or highly critical conditions. Because the children who end up in the PICU unit require constant monitoring and the nurse’s practically undivided attention, the Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse usually provides care for 1 to 3 young patients at a time. The effectiveness of the treatment and the patient’s chances to recover or even survive is dependent on this high nurse-to-patient ratio.

Salary prospects: This specialization that comes with its unique set of challenges, also comes with a reasonably high paycheck. PICU Nurses earn about $94,000 every year.

Education and training requirements: If you want to work in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, then what you have to do in the first place is get your RN License. Further, to improve your chances of securing the job you really want and becoming a better PICU nurse, you can pursue Critical Care Registered Nurse – Pediatrics (CCRN-P) Certification. It is offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and is the gold standard of PICU certification.

Labor and Delivery Nurse

Job description: Sometimes, you see a nursing job title, and you wonder what the nursing specialty is responsible for. That’s not the case with Labor and Delivery Nurses. Their job description perfectly matches their name: Registered Nurses who specialize in L&D help deliver babies and ensure that the mother goes through the labor process safely. Their duties will include monitoring the baby’s and mother’s vitals, timing contractions, helping to administer certain medications or epidurals. Coaching the mother through the delivery process and constantly encouraging and comforting her throughout the birthing is also part of the job. It’s a career that will always be in demand.

Salary prospects: Bringing life into the world, one of the most rewarding careers of all, also brings in a $99,083 annual salary for the Delivery Nurse.

Education and training requirements: Before choosing Labor and Delivery for your nursing specialization, you have to obtain your Registered Nurse license. Once you pass the NCLEX-RN and become licensed, you can seek employment in hospitals, birthing centers, or clinics. Nurses who deliver babies can also choose to advance and validate their skill set by seeking certification. Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) are pretty standard credentials to get. Also, you can opt for the Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB) certification offered by the National Certification Corporation. This particular credential is an excellent addition to a L&D Nurse’s resume as it validates their knowledge on best practices during a cesarean birth to electronic fetal monitoring, and much more.

Perinatal Registered Nurse

Job description: In medical jargon, the prefix “peri” means “around.” So, the Perinatal Nurses are the professionals who take care of both the expecting mother and baby around the time of birth. That includes the prenatal period, birth, and postpartum period. Educating the pregnant woman on prenatal health and helping her navigate the first few days after giving birth are also part of the Perinatal Registered Nurse’s duties. Perinatal Nurses work closely with other physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and sometimes they may oversee CNAs.

Salary prospects: This type of job with mothers and newborns will bring in an average salary of $83,322.

Education and training requirements: A career in Perinatal nursing starts with obtaining your RN license. Both an ADN Degree or a BSN degree will get you there. The first option takes around two years, while the Bachelor’s degree takes about four years to complete. Next, after you gain some experience working as a Perinatal Registered Nurse, you can choose to advance your career by earning certifications in Inpatient Obstetric Nursing or in Maternal Newborn Nursing. The National Certification Corporation offers these credentials. It might be a good idea to pursue them as many of the more advanced perinatal positions require or have a strong preference for Certified Nurses.

Lactation Consultant

Job description: A Lactation Consultant is a specialist who specializes in the clinical management of lactation and breastfeeding. It’s a wonderful career track for nurses who want to be involved with the mothers as much as with the newborns. The main duty of the Lactation Consultant is educating and training the mom on how to breastfeed her baby. Most of the job happens immediately after birth, although sometimes consultation can even begin during pregnancy. Especially new moms may have concerns about breastfeeding or may encounter problems with breastfeeding their babies, and Lactation Consultants are there to help every step along the way.

Salary prospects: Lactation Consultants earn around $76,787 yearly.

Education and training requirements: First off, it’s worth mentioning that you don’t necessarily have to be a healthcare professional to become a Lactation Consultant. But it is much easier for nurses to pursue this career. Also, their nursing experience will not only set them apart from the competition but will prove invaluable as they will be better equipped to tackle any question or concern the young mother may have. If you’re interested in a Lactation Consultant job, you must get certified in the field. The most well-regarded certification is the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. This involves 14 exhaustive health science courses. As a nurse, you will most likely be exempt from these requirements, making it easier and faster to become a Lactation Consultant.

Developmental Disability Registered Nurse

Job description: Developmental Disability RNs, sometimes also known as Special Needs Nurses, have a very important and sensitive nursing role. They work with patients from newborns to adults who have specific developmental disabilities. These nurses are well versed in caring for young patients with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, spina bifida, and other developmental disorders. Much skill, knowledge, and, most importantly, empathy and compassion are needed to work as a Developmental Disability Registered Nurse. After all, it takes a special kind of person to take care of a baby or a child with special needs. But at the same time, a child with special needs will inspire you to become a special kind of person.

Salary prospects: According to ZipRecruiter, the national average paycheck Developmental Disability Nurses take home is around $52,603.

Education and training requirements: A Registered Nurse License is required for pursuing this career. After you become licensed by passing the NCLEX examination, you need to work for a few years with patients who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. Once you gain this valuable hands-on experience, you can seek certification through Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA). Getting this credential demonstrates your commitment to your professional development. Moreover, it shows your incredible dedication to the patients you support, from the newborns to the older ones.

Pediatric Endocrinology Registered Nurse

Job description: Pediatric Endocrinology Nurses are specialists working with babies, toddlers, and children who suffer from endocrine disorders. Some of the most common include diabetes mellitus, pituitary problems, childhood obesity, and many other conditions. There are many endocrine disorders, but many are uniquely relevant to newborns and infants in the perinatal and neonatal periods. That’s why specialized endocrinological care may be required from an early age. Endocrine disorders often affect the patient’s growth and development. So, Pediatric Endocrinology RNs, as part of a larger healthcare team, help the little patients and their families how to manage or treat the disorders.

Salary prospects: The average pay for a Pediatric Endocrinology Registered Nurse is $94,807 a year.

Education and training requirements: This type of pediatric nursing requires at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Although there is no distinctive certification combining pediatrics and endocrinology available for Registered Nurses, there are still options for specialists who want to propel their careers forward. One such option is getting the Certified Diabetic Educator credential, administered by the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education.

Ready to Start Following Your Calling?

Is working with infants from their very first seconds on earth your greatest wish? Can you imagine no greater professional satisfaction than doing everything in your power to help newborns get the healthy and happy lives they so deserve? It sounds like you found your calling.

We hope our guide shone some light on the different types of nurses who work with babies. Regardless of which career track you take – pediatrics, labor and delivery, midwifery; regardless if you want to work with babies in a hospital or birthing center, as long as you’re fulfilling your calling, you’ll be a great baby nurse.

It’s time to take the first step today. A baby nursing career starts with a BSN degree. So, what are you waiting for?

Enroll today in our BSN degree program and be one step closer to your dream job. And if you’re already a Registered Nurses and want to advance your education, Nightingale College’s RN-to-BSN program is your way to a rewarding career.

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parents – about how life has changed after the birth of children

According to

Third Way Research

in the US, children increase their father’s earnings by an average of 6%. But for women, the opposite is true: they receive 4% less for each child.

Another study – from Washington University in St. Louis – proves that in order to minimize financial losses, it is best for working women to give birth to their first child after 30 years. After all, the earlier children appear, the more their mother’s salary suffers: if women give birth before the age of 25, they lose about 2 to 2.5 years of work and income.

The correlation between income decline and age is easy to explain. A professional with experience or a middle manager is more valuable to the company than a novice. And the birth of a child slows down a career: a break of 2–3 years “throws” a specialist to the same level as university graduates.

But parents do not regret the lost time. We asked successful fathers and mothers how they combine children and career and what it gives them.

Professional parents are traditionally perceived as more mature, responsible and reliable people focused on the result. And usually it really is.

“For me, life after the birth of children has changed dramatically. The first thing that appeared was a feeling of guilt and endless anxiety. With the first child, all events happen for the first time, and the fear of making a mistake is very strong,” said Tatyana Arkharova, leader of the Women and Tech project, mother of three children. — An understanding of long-term responsibility, emotional intelligence comes. The theory of management finds practical application. An understanding of the imperfection of oneself comes, and the value of the team grows. With my second child, time management, delegation and prioritization came to the fore. All life is pure agile. The third child and work is the ability to invest time very precisely. The Pareto principle: 20% of effort gives 80% of results. With the third baby comes understanding and pleasure from the process, and not just from the result.

What else is the advantage of professionals with children over their “free” colleagues?

Justification of ambition: the desire for promotion is justified by the desire to provide the family with a higher standard of living.
Development of soft skills: the ability to prioritize, time management, the ability to recognize the emotions of other people – from a beloved child or the head physician of a clinic to a dissatisfied client.
Involvement in work. Often, women admit that they desperately miss work at home, and they do it with great joy, dedication and excellent results. An employee with children will appreciate the current job more and will not exchange for dubious offers. After all, changing jobs is a financial risk for his family.
Ability to plan work. It is rare for a professional to be enthusiastic about midnight reports or weekend work. He will try to make every effort to complete all tasks and calmly go home on time.

With the birth of children, responsibility increases many times, and it forces one to be careful. For some, such restrictions will benefit, the director of the Remarka group of companies and the founder of the MadCats project, father of many children, Dmitry Shakhov, is sure: “Responsibility has definitely grown. There was a desire not to restrain oneself if some opportunities open up for children: this, of course, motivates them to make great efforts in business. On the other hand, you are forced to work under this pressure, take less risks, try to allocate more time to communicate with children and help your spouse. Sometimes this is very deterrent, although someone will benefit from such deterrence. Children are difficult: it’s a change in the daily routine, unplanned expenses, adding a lot of new items to the to-do list, like control and compliance with the rules. These are new communications that are not so much needed in adult life: communication with educators, teachers, doctors. Children are, in fact, a separate project that must be managed in such a way that everyone is happy: both the children and you. Therefore, it is interesting and important, for me, for sure. Children are, first of all, your personal development, the development and improvement of your family, and not motivation and not a compensatory mechanism in the material part. If you grow, then the business will grow. And perhaps, on the contrary, priorities will change.

If you want to combine a child and work, then you will have to make a lot of effort. The preparation will have three stages.

Elena Sotnikova, mother of two children, shares her experience, until December 2016 she was the editor-in-chief of Elle magazine: “For me, my personal life and the interests of loved ones have always stood above workers. It is clear that after 20 years of work as the editor-in-chief of Elle and with the rapid development of communication tools, I could afford much more than before: work remotely, skip events, not go on all business trips in a row. I have a huge accumulated experience, so I work and make decisions much faster, there is no need to constantly be in the office. (…) I’ve been in this business too long for a missed dinner to be a hindrance to developing a relationship with a brand or a particular person. I will always find another time to fill in the gap: stop by for coffee, write a letter, send a magazine. Still, of course, the position of my management was important, which was loyal to the planning of my working time and always tried to see the main thing – the result. And how long it takes me to achieve it – I decide this question myself.

Yulia Pokrovskaya, Senior Financial Business Partner, Yota, says: “Life with the advent of a child is, on the one hand, regime and discipline, on the other, chaos and endless changes. In order to minimize difficulties and reduce the risk of despair, I recommend:

make sure that your child is ready to be without you for a long time;
find a reliable support and assistant – a nanny, a grandmother, a neighbor – who will be ready to adapt to your needs and take on some of the household chores;
very clearly distinguish between working time / time for the family and not deviate from the approved regime.

The last point is the most difficult, but it is he who is the basis of harmony. The family must definitely spend time together, sharing each other’s happiness and giving each other positive emotions. And the endless stream of tasks and letters waiting for a response will not go anywhere and can sometimes wait.

The moment of returning to work or entering a new one is always a negotiation process. The employer wants to see a partner position and a mature approach, but instead they often hear:

Well, these are children, you know …
The child goes to kindergarten for three days, let’s see how it goes.
I am categorically against business trips (delays at work, training on weekends).

Before the meeting, build a potential plan for different cases: illness of the child, business trip, dismissal of the nanny. Some companies are offering young parents reduced hours, part-time work opportunities, and even corporate childcare. But for this, it is important to maintain your “professional tone”: write articles, speak at conferences, lead projects and consult, and not completely turn off the process during the holidays.

Let’s look at an example. Tatyana, project manager and mother of a one and a half year old baby, decided to return to the company. The 40-hour work week and the period of adaptation in the kindergarten caused concern. Tatyana decided to have a frank conversation with the manager: how does he look at her starting to work from home, and coming to the office 2 times a week – for planning meetings and meetings with clients? The company went forward, and for the third month Tatyana has been working according to this scheme. She assumes that in six months the baby will fully adapt and she will be able to return to the office walls full-time. What allowed her to agree on the resumption of cooperation on her terms?

Understanding the specifics of the company: the portfolio of projects is growing, there are not enough hands.
Established relationships with the team. Tatyana handed over the projects with high quality and remained a consultant both within the walls of the maternity hospital and with the baby in her arms.
Proven performance at work. If before pregnancy she mediocrely performed work duties, such a dialogue would not have happened.
Continue learning online. As a mother, Tatiana received two Coursera certificates and wrote several articles for specialized sites.
Willingness to act. Tatyana acted according to the principle: “I won’t try, I won’t know.”

A child can become an assistant in career development: it requires parents to be organized, flexible, able to communicate and manage. Although working on two fronts is not easy, how good it is to become an example not only for colleagues, but also for your own child!

Back to work after maternity leave
How to pass an interview
Motivation: how Russian companies inspire employees

How children influence a mother’s career – News – IQ Research and Education Portal – National Research University Higher School of Economics

RESEARCH AUTHOR:

Alina Pishnyak , Head of the HSE Center for Income and Living Standards Analysis.

Women with three or more children do not work four times more often than mothers of one or two children, Alina Pishnyak calculated in the study Opportunities and Limitations of Women’s Employment in Moscow.

The share of unemployed mothers with many children reaches 63.6%. This category includes both unemployed women and the economically inactive – those who are not even looking for a job. Thus, the number of unemployed is 9.1%, which is much more than in other groups of women. The share of economically inactive is also a record – 54.5%. “The risk of being unemployed increases significantly with the birth of a third child,” emphasized Alina Pishnyak.

For comparison: among Muscovites with one child, only 15.8% of mothers do not enter the labor market, and with two children – 15.7% of mothers. It turns out that the employment rate almost does not change at the birth of the first and second child. Most of these mothers are economically inactive: in a family with one child, their share is 12. 4%, and with two – 14.6%. Unemployment among mothers of one child reaches 3.4%, and among women with two children it is minimal – 1.1%.

The proportion of working mothers with many children is 36.4%. More than 84% of women with one or two children work.

Figure 1. Economic activity of women with a different number of children under the age of 18 (Moscow), % of the group size.

Source: article by AI Pishnyak.

At the same time, we must take into account that mothers with three children, in most cases, the youngest child is an infant under two years old. Hence the unemployment of such mothers, the author of the study explained.

Young mothers work less often

Most often, mothers aged 20-29 do not work. Alina Pishnyak found that the appearance of a child in women of this age increases the risk of unemployment by 1.7 times compared to their childless peers: 29.8% versus 17.5%.

Among unemployed young mothers, 1. 4% are unemployed, and 28.4% are not even looking for a job. These figures are partly due to the age of the children. Young mothers have younger children. These women, for the most part, simply do not have the opportunity to work outside the home. At the same time, young mothers who do not have any vocational education can “fall out” of the labor market for a long time and get stuck in a state of unemployment (see also Young women are at higher risk of not working).

Figure 2. Economic activity of women of different ages with and without children (Moscow), % of the group size.

Source: same.

The degree of employment of Muscovites with and without children in other age categories also differs.

The number of childless women aged 30-39 who have a job is 9% more than the number of their child peers: 93.4% versus 84.4%.

In the group of 40-49 years, women with and without children differ in the share of employment by only 4 percentage points (90. 3% and 94.3%).

That is, the older women are, the less likely they are to be unemployed. This is logical: with age, the proportion of mothers with small children decreases.

Women with children are ready to work

The desire to work among women with and without children is not the same.

Among unemployed Muscovites without children under the age of 18, 65% said they wanted to have a job. Among women with children such only 47%. However, one thing is a declaration of intent, and another thing is reality. Among Muscovites with children, there were much more of those who could immediately start working: 52% versus 36% for women without children.

42% of mothers indicated that they are looking for a job or trying to start their own business. In the group of childless women, only 28% stated this. At the same time, mothers have a greater need to improve their professional knowledge than women without children. Among the former, the proportion of those who have already participated in vocational training/retraining programs is slightly larger: 14% versus 12% in the second group.

Data on the capital were collected as part of the monitoring “Moscow and Muscovites” conducted by the Institute for the Humanitarian Development of the Metropolis in 2014. The sample size was 3109respondents, including 1187 women aged 18 to 55 years. Of these, 453 women had minor children. Women on “maternity leave” were considered employed according to the ILO definition. Information on them is included in the data on working women.

Appendix 1 (DOC, 106 Kb)

See also:

Employers do not favor mothers and pregnant women

Young women are at higher risk of not working

Social stereotypes push women towards childfree

Social ties affect fertility

Text author:

Sobolevskaya Olga Vadimovna,

September 7, 2016

All materials of the author

Sociology

children

career

family

Children vs. Job. How business women find a balance between career and motherhood

Business and motherhood

The richest woman in Russia, Tatyana Bakalchuk, CEO of Wildberries, in an interview with Marie Claire noted that when she started building a business shortly after the birth of her eldest daughter, her mother retired and came to help with the child. Now Bakalchuk is 46 years old, she has seven children, twins were born last year. Covering all your needs and roles evenly, so that there is no failure anywhere, is possible only in theory, she admitted. When her daughters grew up, she sometimes regretted that she was not engaged in raising children “from and to”.

According to Natalya Kasperskaya (in 2020, she entered the top 20 richest women in Russia according to Forbes), president of the InfoWatch group of companies, co-founder of Kaspersky Lab, having children does not interfere with a career and even, on the contrary, strengthens a woman’s will. She feels needed, and she has someone to work for. Kasperskaya, the mother of five children, spoke about this in an interview with the Kaspersky Club website.

Businesswomen work intensively. The results of the VTsIOM survey of women entrepreneurs in Moscow show that 75% go on business trips to other cities and work five days a week on average. Of these, 63% start their working day between 06.00 and 07.30. About 70% work from the office and spend an average of 7 hours a day at the computer. People around are often surprised how, with such a rhythm, it is possible to combine business and motherhood.

“For me, the issue of reconciliation has never been raised. Both children, and business, and personal hobbies have always been an integral and equally important part of my life, says Olga Sorokina, managing partner of O2 Consulting, who has eight children from 10 to 28 years old. Many things cannot be done at once. Therefore, priorities can change even within one day: something comes to the fore and requires more time, effort and energy, something less.”

The family helps women to build a balance in life and realize themselves in both roles. “I have always felt support from my husband and parents. This helped me not to waste a lot of energy on defending my own way of life and protecting myself from a guilt complex imposed by someone, ”says Sorokina.

fleepik.com

Vinci Agency co-founder Maria Lapuk, a mother of two aged children, is also helped by her husband. With the birth of his first child, he went on maternity leave, and Maria returned to work a couple of weeks after giving birth. Shortly before the birth of their second child, the couple hired a nanny who helped until the youngest went to kindergarten. Today, Lapuk has arranged her work schedule so that if there are urgent matters related to children, she can adjust her schedule. But at the same time raising children and doing business without the support of her husband in the first years of a child’s life would be impossible for her.

Feelings of guilt and health problems

Some businesswomen at some point have to make a choice in favor of children or, conversely, business. “This is just following the chosen priority, which gives comfort in the moment,” explains Sorokina. “I have canceled important trips or participation in significant business events many times, postponed negotiations on large-scale projects solely because I felt that at this moment it was more important to be close to my family.” There were also reverse situations when Olga could be late for a child’s birthday, miss a children’s performance at a holiday or competition due to protracted negotiations and a postponed flight.

Unpleasant consequences of combining work and motherhood can be health problems. As Anna Zemlyanukhina, a therapist at the Rassvet clinic, said, the most common complaints that working 30-40-year-old women come with are weakness, fatigue, lack of strength, drowsiness, and apathy. Sleepless nights with children, numerous flights, working late hours, lack of time to visit a doctor affect well-being. “It’s hard to stay up all night and go to an important meeting in the morning,” says Lapuk. “My husband and I had an agreement on the changing of the guard: one night I do not sleep, the second – he.” In addition to sleep, you have to adjust your schedule for feeding babies, which is not always convenient. During business trips and large events, Lapuk had to express milk in not the most comfortable conditions. One day, the only option was an ambulance on duty at a business forum. It happened because of the need to pump to leave the meeting 20 minutes early, apologizing and not explaining to anyone the reason.

But real problems begin when a woman does not allow herself to prioritize in the most comfortable way for her because of fears, social pressure, stereotypes. The most difficult thing in combining work and raising children, according to Lapuk, is social condemnation. People around often negatively perceive the fact that a woman has children, but at the same time she works a lot. Until the children were two years old, Lapuk did not tell almost anyone that she had them at all.

Build a system of priorities

In Russia, maternity leave often changes the trajectory of a woman’s career. Sandoz JSC Human Resources Director Olga Molina compares the decree on the strength of the impact on a woman’s professional path with an MBA – you never know who you will become after. Some have the opportunity not to return to work, or they find the strength to start their own business.

Doctor of Psychology, MGIMO lecturer, expert of the SkillFolio educational platform Victoria Shimanskaya draws attention to the fact that no one in the world is taught to be parents, there is no institution of parenthood where relevant experience is passed on, and in the first years of motherhood, women face a huge layer of difficulties. Anxiety about the family and the impostor syndrome that women feel when they return to work after maternity leave are becoming points of tension. At the same time, in the modern world, combining an active career and raising children has become a simple necessity, Shimanskaya believes. Being a successful woman with multiple children who leads a social life, looks good and develops a career is possible when all areas of her life are balanced.

According to Shimanskaya, the most famous practice for analyzing areas of life is the balance wheel, which covers several areas (career, family, relationships with children, social sphere, health, hobbies, self-development). When a person determines on a ten-point scale that for him a “ten” in each of these vectors, he will be able to plan an improvement in positions in each area, changing no more than two areas per month.

fleepik.com

Combining the roles of mother and leader in business, it is important to set boundaries and priorities, psychologists say. If strategic goals are set, the vector of movement for the near future is clear, a woman will not experience problems and will not replace her absence with expensive gifts or, during work, regret that she could not be with her child. If at some point there are still losses in daily communication with children, psychologists recommend practicing joint activities that unite the family. For example, a shared weekend, a hobby, or a planned vacation.

Mother of eight children and businesswoman Olga Sorokina gives the only advice to women who want to realize themselves in two areas at once: do not try to be a hero and never refuse help. “No one but yourself knows how and with what to properly fill life, what your personal balance and priorities should be. Any combination, rejection of accepted standards and rules imposed by someone outside the family is a solid foundation on which you can build almost any structure, ”Sorokina believes.

According to psychologist Viktoriya Shimanskaya, sincerity helps to combine an active career and a happy family life. “For a woman, the states of a successful leader, a happy woman and a loving mother are different in terms of physiology and at the level of emotions. She may not have the strength and time for everything, but if the work is really a sincere choice, then there will always be energy, ”Shimanskaya believes. And if a woman, when she comes home, knows how to quickly switch, then she has built a system of priorities for herself.

Are children and a career compatible?

The last time I was in the office a week before giving birth, I started writing again about three weeks after. I have no financial need to work, but I cannot live without it. I can’t help but check emails, call colleagues, come up with ideas for new articles, plan and travel. It is important for me to be able to switch, to realize myself in different areas, and within one day.

“Don’t you like to rest? Disconnect from work and completely surrender to motherhood? my mother and more conservative friends ask me.

And I answer with the words of Sergei Mikhalkov: “Different mothers are needed, all kinds of mothers are important.” Motherhood brings me incomparable joy, but I am not one of those mothers who are ready to take care of their child all day and night. “But why then have children?” – full-time moms object. I don’t blame them, I rather applaud them. But personally, I repeat, I can’t do that.

For the first three months, however, I also lived like this: apart from my husband, almost no one helped me. And then I got a nanny. It became easier, but still by the fifth month I began to have a strange feeling more and more often. It’s like I’m… losing myself. Most of my conversations with my husband in about the third minute inevitably flowed to our baby. And then for the first time I clearly wanted to return to work.

Licia Ronzulli, Member of the European Parliament. Went to work with my 7 week old daughter. September, 2010

Photo: Getty Images

Not so long ago, a photo of 35-year-old Italian MEP Licia Ronzulli and her newborn daughter Victoria, sleeping soundly with her mother in a sling when she voted in the meeting room, went around the Internet. The photo caused a mixed reaction – from indignation and accusations of bullying a baby to admiration and tenderness (the latter was more). Over the past decades, the general trend in Europe has been to reform society towards family-friendly: increase maternity leave for both mothers and fathers, create conditions for breastfeeding at the workplace (this is actively practiced in the Scandinavian countries, where most men also take maternity leave). and often bring babies to work for mothers to feed), open more nurseries, many of which are located directly at the offices. And yet, in many European countries, the norm is to go to work three to four months after giving birth. So, in particular, does the majority of French, Spanish, Italian women. (I’m generally silent about America: almost every second woman there starts working full-time in a month – yes, often, however, forcedly, since in this country maternity leave is three months after the birth of a child, but is not paid.) Many by this time, with a calm mind, stop breastfeeding and leave their babies in a nursery – in France they are called creche. True, it is difficult to get a place in them, and you need to sign up at least a year in advance. In Israel and many other countries, home kindergarten is a popular option – home kindergarten: several – usually no more than five kids – sit at home under the supervision of one or two nannies.

In Scandinavia, where there are exclusively baby-friendly laws (in Sweden, for example, parents are entitled to 480 days of paid childcare; in Norway, almost a year), many women take advantage of the state-provided opportunity not to work. A large number, however, still return to the service after a few months, leaving, as I wrote above, the children for dads.

After a few months of sitting at home, I began to feel a certain emptiness, as if my “I” had become smaller.

Lichia’s daughter is growing up. Victoria is already two years old, and she continues to go to work with her mother. February, 2012

Photo: Getty Images

I know a huge number of women who also do not have a special need to escape from the decree to work, but they still do it. Some don’t even take maternity leave. “My partners and clients didn’t even know I had a baby,” says a friend of mine, a partner in a law firm and a very wealthy woman. She even worked in a maternity hospital and also repeats like a mantra: “I can’t do it any other way. Otherwise, I have an inferior life, it’s absolutely not enough for me to be just a mother. My other friend, both of her boys (very healthy and large, by the way) went to give birth right from the negotiations. Another friend, after all three births, went to work in two weeks, even though she gave birth to all the children by caesarean section. Another one, returning to work three months later, regularly left work twice a day to breastfeed her child for the next six months. To another friend who went to work straight from the hospital, her babies (she has three of them) were brought to feed by a nanny, since the work was close to home.

I am not saying that these stories are role models. It is possible that there is something neurotic in the desire to return to the office as soon as possible. Many modern women are accustomed to feel and evaluate themselves primarily through what they do. Our work, our profession and the results we achieve there seem to merge with who we are, with our essence. That is why, it seems to me, after a few months of sitting at home, I began to feel some emptiness, as if my “I” had become smaller. The decree in this case is a good opportunity to stop, take a breath, get to know yourself better. By the way, the Norwegians told me about this – for several years I specially went to Oslo to make a report on how the women there use their almost one and a half year paid maternity leave. Many during this period are really actively engaged in self-knowledge: they go to yoga, learn languages, travel with babies, etc.

It has long been proven that children are our emotional radar, that they are surprisingly sensitive to the state of their mother. Psychologists also say that empathic care is most important for a baby, and from whom they receive it – mothers, nannies – is, oddly enough, secondary. No, the presence of their mother is, of course, the most important thing for them, but I can definitely say that, first of all, they need a happy mother. Do you agree?

How to combine career and parenthood

Reviewer

Kovtun
Tatiana
Anatolievna

6583 views

September 15, 2021

Here are two phrases:
– you can’t work, you can’t be with your child all the time
– you can’t work, you can’t be with your child all the time
Where to put a comma and is it really so simple?

Many mothers and psychologists agree: if a mother plans to build a career, then you should not immediately hang the label “a woman should stay at home with children” on her. No. If a woman wants to be more than just a mother, then you need to understand that her interests are no less valuable than the interests of the child. In this article, we have put together some tips to help you and your baby prepare for the fact that now you will communicate less during the day.

How to deal with difficulties

Do not believe the stories that it is easy to combine motherhood and work. It will take effort on your part to prioritize correctly, help the baby to experience separation more easily and prepare yourself mentally. There are no set deadlines for when you can start working. Do what you think is right.

Learning to manage time. Working from home and breastfeeding baby? Adjust work tasks so that they do not overlap with the feeding schedule. Try not to combine tasks: do not try to answer calls and read work mail in parallel with your baby’s lunch. Let it be “your time for two,” even if you spend only a couple of hours a day together.
We are not afraid to ask for help. Do you feel like you are sewing up? Call your husband, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends for help. Feel free to invite a nanny if finances allow. But there is one important rule: if the work takes away from you much more resources than it gives, reconsider the need for such work in your life.
Small things appear – we do them right away. So we seem to keep the “working memory” of our brain free. The baby needs to be signed up for a massage – we make a call to a specialist immediately and are not distracted by thoughts about it during the day. Go to work with a clear conscience. And vice versa.
Don’t forget to switch. Sometimes it is useful to close the lid of the laptop and go with the child to build a model of the city in the whole room from soft toys, books and cubes. There is a chance that during the game your relaxed brain will generate a brilliant idea that will help you solve a difficult task at work.

What to do if the baby is crying and does not want to let you go

In short: let him cry. Suppress his emotions with a phrase like: “Why are you crying, I’m going to earn money to buy you toys!” – so-so idea. Parenting is about more than buying shoes, groceries, cars, and treats to satisfy a child’s desires. Parenthood is to feel the mood of the baby, be attentive to his emotions, take him by the little hand and introduce him to this amazing and multifaceted life.

Therefore, when parents go to work, this is normal.

Sit next to the baby and tell him: “You are sad because I am leaving. I understand that you will be bored. Of course I will miss you too. But we’ll meet again tonight.”

Come up with your own farewell ritual . A kiss on the nose, some secret hand gesture that only you will know or a special affectionate phrase – why not! Let the child look out the window and wave to you when you leave the house. And you too – wave and smile back. It is important that this is permanent, and you need to work out goodbyes even before you go to work. For example, on toys or by introducing it into the scenario of some kind of joint game.

Look for the most comfortable way to part. It may be easier for your baby to let you go if you allow more time for goodbye. Let him cry on your knees – tell him about what interesting activities await him in the evening when you return. But some babies do not know how to switch and are able to keep their mother for hours. In this case, it makes sense to leave quickly, warmly hugging the child, telling where you are going.

And most importantly – harmony and balance

Don’t sacrifice one area of your life for another. If you need a baby for happiness, as well as assaults with colleagues, phone calls, meetings, travels, swimming in the pool, English courses and watching your favorite TV series at least once a week – great. Excluding one thing, a person may feel unhappy. The world knows many stories in which women who have given themselves only to a career realize that they have missed a lot in their relationship with their child. This also works in reverse, when a woman realizes that she has not reached her full potential. Everything should be interconnected: you work to give more to your family, and your family charges you for productive work.

And how to come to this? Try, try, fail, find the right path and trust your heart. You undoubtedly have the right to build your life in such a way that it is interesting and rich not only for your baby, but also for you.

Reviewer
Kovtun
Tatiana
Anatolievna

Scientific adviser to PROGRESS JSC, Ph.D. Having the opportunity to build brilliant careers in leading companies, they are torn between home and work, between duty and dream. As a result, business women feel guilty towards their families for returning late from work, and housewives regret the missed opportunities for self-realization. How to make the right choice and never regret your decision?

Children as a deliberately destructive element sacrifice for the sake of a child” – all these are not the slogans of ardent childfree – supporters of a childless life. These are the headlines of articles published on Western websites dedicated to the careers of modern women. The content of such materials is no less uncompromising – readers are offered a choice – voluntary imprisonment at home, cooking borsch and knitting a sweater for her husband in the company of children, or building a career, but without a cheerful environment in diapers. Part-time work, of course, is possible, but this requires the application of completely non-female forces. It is emphasized that a working mother will sooner or later witness the collapse of her achievements. At the same time, a career does not mean a daily “time in prison” in an average company, but much more significant victories on the professional front.

Unfortunately, for many modern people, the opportunity to have children has become akin to the opportunity to purchase a very expensive living “gadget” in all respects, which will definitely require large investments, but absolutely does not guarantee their return in any future. The destruction of traditional values, the cult of egoism and narcissism are doing their job not only in the West, but already in Russia – more and more young ladies are shelving offspring or even doubting the expediency of its appearance – as you know, it negatively affects the figure, yes and a career can be shaken in the most serious way.

The later the better
According to the British newspaper The Guardian , the number of women in their forties becoming mothers has almost tripled in the last two decades in England and Wales. Scientists call this fact a record and explain a number of reasons, including the reluctance to sacrifice a career for the sake of a child, the refusal of the second half to acquire offspring, as well as the so-called protracted adolescence, which many cannot overcome even after reaching their thirties. In addition, according to a number of scientists, the higher the level of education of women, the later they decide to go to the hospital.

However, according to a study conducted in 2010 by the British Institute for Social and Economic Research , women’s desire to have children is influenced not only by the above factors. More precisely, a combination of factors plays a role here, one of which is the emotional type of a woman’s personality. According to scientists, the speed of making a vital decision is influenced by such qualities as extraversion, conformity and neuroticism. They increase women’s desire to have children. Conscientiousness and openness to others, on the contrary, take this desire to the background. In the course of the study, scientists compared the five qualities listed above and the age of the mother at which she first gave birth. The study summarized the maternal experiences of more than 16,000 British women over the past five years.

According to their data, women with higher and secondary education give birth to their first child on average two years apart. Less educated, respectively, earlier. According to the author of study Lara Tavares , the analysis of personality traits and character traits helped to explain the gap between the terms of childbirth of women with different levels of education. According to her, most modern studies have established a significant correlation between a woman’s education and the age when she gave birth to her first child. However, this dependence is still not fully understood. The main difficulty is that it can be false and not correspond to reality.

Trap
To a certain extent, women themselves have built a social trap for themselves, which now forces them to make their difficult choice, and often fight on two fronts at once – in the office and at home.

These days, young girls who make plans for life evaluate how their ambitions and personal goals relate to the role of wife and mother. At the same time, until the 1960s of the last century, their plans were more or less determined from birth and did not involve special variations – a woman was supposed to find a husband, get married and settle at home to take care of the family. Over the past 40 years, the self-determination of women in the world has been influenced by many very controversial ideas and research findings. They were asked to get an education, build a career or find another occupation to their liking. Women were told that they were capable of succeeding even in areas where men had originally dominated. As a result, the ladies began to actively revise their values and aspirations.

Women have become a powerful labor force and serious competition for men. However, the “classic” duties – caring for children and home – no one removed from them. As a result, they have to bear a tangible double burden, which inevitably leads to emotional exhaustion and overwork.

Relations with husbands also worsened – they became more tense. Now, when the mother is busy at work and gets tired in the evening, part of the family responsibilities for housekeeping and raising children is shifted to the husbands. Some popes agree to take part and cope, but some (and most of them) do not. As a result, fatigue and irritation of both parents, confusion and constant showdown.

By the end of the twentieth century, scientists presented a new portion of research, in particular, they told women that children primarily need the love and attention of their mother, and not the services of keeping them clean and full. Working women were encouraged to leave their careers and return home to work full-time as mothers.

Today, many educated and successful mothers are proud to trade their professional achievements for the opportunity to stay at home with a child. Some of them declare their readiness to return to work later, others are proud of the honorable sacrifice they made for the sake of their children. At the same time, ladies who, due to their desire and life circumstances, still leave their children with relatives and rush to the office, are often regarded as selfish and less responsible mothers.

The new norms and standards of society, which, on the one hand, require a woman to conscientiously raise children at home, and, on the other hand, to realize herself as a person and a professional, while looking great, suffer both housewives and successful business women . The former are afraid that their husbands will lose interest in them over time, the latter are tormented by feelings of guilt in front of their children and husbands. This is the hole that women dug for themselves.

Modern girls suffer from a kind of split personality and are constantly asking questions: is it worth giving up your desires and aspirations for the sake of the family? Should I take everything from life today and now, or should the fulfillment of desires be postponed until the moment when adult children leave the house?

According to psychologists, the same formula should be applied to women as to men. After all, no one forces them to make a choice – to be only fathers or only workers, they are obviously considered as “universal soldiers”. Scientists recommend applying the same scheme to women – despite the fact that they play a key role in educating young people, this should not necessarily be an obstacle to the development of their personality.

Everyone loses
And one more interesting study, which is unlikely to inspire those who consider childlessness to be the best choice. However, the news is not very good for working mothers. According to a British scientist from Lancaster University Management School , Dr. Carolyn Gaytrel , who has devoted more than six years to researching the social role of women, the sacrifice in favor of a career that a woman refuses children altogether is often perceived by superiors as a sign of coldness, callousness and detachment . Such women are often attacked, they may even be denied work – the employer considers such ladies “inhuman” and incapable of humanity. He subconsciously notes that “something is wrong” with such a lady, this makes him intuitively wary of prudent and ruthless childless ladies of Balzac age. It is unlikely that this will serve as an incentive for promotion.

Young girls also fall into the career risk group – a potential employer will think several times before hiring such girls – as you know, their plans can change at any time, and paying maternity benefits and waiting for the return of a young mother from vacation – occupation is not very profitable for the company.

According to Geitrel, a working woman generally has little chance of staying in the black. Working mothers also came under fire. They can be reproached for constantly balancing between work and home – not everyone succeeds in this trick, as a result, such a mother thinks about children in the office, and thinks about work at home.

Not all researchers support this view. Dr. Katherine Hakim of London School of Economics notes that the majority of women in high positions do not have children. However, the assertion that it is life experience that makes women give up the idea of having children is nothing more than a myth.

And some more interesting facts that research has revealed Katherine Hakim :

Surveys have shown that two-thirds of working mothers continue to regularly go to the office primarily because of necessity, and not because of their choice.

Only seven percent of new British fathers are willing to stay at home with a newborn.

Only four percent of women are ready to give up the role of the main caregiver in the first months of a child’s life in favor of the father.

54% of respondents say that men are still the main breadwinners in families, but 67% do not think that this should be the case.

More than a quarter of all university-educated women are childless by the age of forty.

What to do?
Most of our compatriots are forced to combine work and raising children. In the vast majority of cases, this is due to financial necessity. Is it possible to do this in the most harmonious way? Psychologists give several recommendations in this regard:

1. Set priorities. Is it possible to stay at home or do you need additional income? In every family, the word “necessity” means something different, and not always the need is really such. In any case, if the mother really wants to devote time only to the child, or, on the contrary, to go to work almost immediately, this is only her choice.

2. Be flexible and creative. Are there skills and abilities that will allow you to work from home, thus killing two birds with one stone? Available to work nights or weekends.

3. Do not feel guilty if you have to spend days and nights at work, leaving the child to grandmothers and nannies. Being a support is a key role of a mother, and children have a very flexible psyche. It is important to remember that when a child is small, the nights seem very long, but the years fly by very quickly. It is the quality, not the quantity, of communication that decides everything.

Unfortunately, modern society as a whole, and its male half in particular, often belittle the achievements and importance of those who nevertheless made the courageous decision to stay at home and deal exclusively with the family hearth. But everyday cooking dinner and knitting a sweater for her husband requires no less desire, skills and abilities than working in an office. Try to make it really tasty and high quality, and not on the run and from semi-finished products of dubious content, bought on the way home from work. Unfortunately, for many modern ladies, these tasks are no longer possible. And if it were, then, perhaps, there would be more order in the world. Being a mother in its purest form is a career no less difficult and thorny than the one that is being built within the office walls. The only difference is that in case of success, the “house careerist” will not receive material compensation, but an environment of people who will love her not for her impressive track record, career exploits and prospects, but simply because she is their mother.

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