As a mom of two sets of twins, who had been blessed to have both a Newborn Care Specialist and a Nanny, I take immense pleasure in being able to provide this support and service to other families through Infant Bliss. We truly believe that an infant’s bliss is a parent’s serenity.
When I was pregnant with my first two children, I was nervous and scared about how things would go. Would my baby boys be premature? Would they be healthy? Could they have other complications that I was completely unequipped to handle? I thought to myself, even if they were healthy - what did I know about having a child, let alone two at the same time?
My mind flooded with questions, and they just kept coming; How would I be able to handle everything? Would my husband be as readily involved as he said he would be? Will he get up with me in the middle of the night to feed the babies – would it take all night long? When would I sleep, when would he sleep, and would it affect his work? Would all the novel changes affect our marriage and other relationships? What if I had postpartum depression; and how would I handle that and take care of my new babies? Countless questions and a rampant river of anxiety filled my soul. So, I began to investigate Newborn Care Specialists.
At that time, these specialists were called baby nurses and there was not a wealth of testimonials or even a complete list of the services or benefits to enlisting one. However, I was fortunate enough to have been given a recommendation from a friend of mine. Once she found out I was expecting twins, she shared her secret to successfully welcoming her own set of twins. She had found a wonderful baby nurse and without hesitation recommended her.
My friend told us all about her experience with their baby nurse, that it was a Godsend, and the best decision they made. She implored me to do the same and told me I would not be sorry. She credited her and her husband’s sanity for the help they received and proclaimed it was essential! It was not easy to talk my husband into this service given the high cost, but thankfully he agreed to hire her for the two weeks following their birth. I cannot say exactly what I expected in anticipation of her arrival...a bit less stress and anxiety and an extra pair of hands but nothing compared to the serenity that consumed me during her time with us.
I remember feeling amazed and in awe of all that she could do. I felt immediate relief and calm; from the minute she walked through my front door, a sense of content. Within her first hour with us, she made me comfortable on the couch while she helped me to feed both babies, all the while, keeping my nutrition and health in mind by preparing me a delicious smoothie. Her support was boundless and evident in all aspects of our families' lives; my baby boys and I felt held, both physically and emotionally.
Due to the physical limitations associated with my C-section, it was important for me to restrain myself from overdoing things. I could not go up and down our stairs or even lift anything beyond just a few pounds. Although her physical assistance was necessary and significant, I found her emotional support to be invaluable. She eased my anxiety and answered every question I ever had - most importantly, she had an answer for all the “what – if” questions that came to mind. She educated me throughout the process, guiding me as I evolved as a new mother.
She provided me with insider knowledge gained in her experiences and training – this was the knowledge every mother reaches for in her times of worry and anxiety. She taught me about “full feedings;” this requires keeping a child awake to get a full feeding when all they really want to do is sleep. She taught me effective techniques for burping my boys, which proved to be vital in the prevention of gastrointestinal side effects.
She also educated me in the importance of creating a sleep schedule - which we applied based on the “Eat, Play, Sleep” theory. She walked us through giving the boys their first bathes and taught us how to care for the umbilical cords. She showed us how to trim their nails without nicking them which isn’t always easy and quite honestly, very nerve wracking.
Throughout our time together, she guided me with instruction and imparted her knowledge gained over years of experience. This gave me confidence that I was making educated and good choices when making decisions regarding diapers, diaper genies, bottles, formulas, bathing products, safe toys, safe bedding, monitoring systems, noise machines, humidifiers, baby skincare products, just to name a few. In addition, she cautioned me about various allergens and potential medical complications to look out for.
During her time with us, she created and recorded logs of everything the babies did. This provided us with a reference to how much they were eating, the amount of sleep they were getting, and an effective system to track their bowel movements and any adverse side effects they experienced. This insight was paramount in deciphering how well their bodies were responding to their schedules and even more so when evaluating the cause of my child’s distress.
Throughout the night she monitored the babies and came to wake me for their feedings. Overnight, she helped me feed and burp the babies, which often took longer than the feedings themselves. She aided me in getting the babies to latch on correctly. She suggested methods and techniques on how to keep them awake while eating to get a full feed. She even eased the pain I experienced with my milk coming in with warm washcloths. When the time was right, she encouraged me to pump after my feedings to have breast milk available long after I had physically stopped breastfeeding.
Those two weeks went seamlessly and much to quickly. Before I knew it, she was preparing to leave us. I was terrified but really committed to trying to get by without her, especially after my failed attempts at convincing my husband to allow her to stay longer. Our first night without her was rough, to say the least; and the first thing my husband did the following morning was to call her, pleading for her to come back to us. She did not seem to be surprised by his call as this was something she had experienced many times before. We were excited to have her return with her guidance and expertise in all things baby. With her help, my husband and I were able to really enjoy those first few weeks with our new baby boys and appreciated every precious moment of it.
Family members and friends would come for visits and without fail, each visitor marveled at us, shocked at the peaceful, calm environment they found themselves in upon entering our home. During these weeks, our hearts and our house were filled with joy and love. Many shared stories as they reminisced about their own experiences, emphasizing the striking differences. Not everyone had as wonderful an experience, even those with only one child. So enchanted by our story and experience, a friend proclaimed she would be hiring a Newborn Care Specialist when her children had babies, as a gift.
Looking back, I think that may have been the first time I considered the possibility of creating Infant Bliss. I felt so at ease; with no stress or anxiety during my son’s newborn stage. I wanted to share that experience. I wished and hoped that other mothers could enjoy such bliss!
Later, when I became pregnant with my second set of twins, I realized I would need a lot of help. With two toddler sons and two newborn daughters on the way, I would undoubtedly need a Newborn Care Specialist and a nanny! It was then that I was blessed with, yet another woman sent from God, Mim. She told me she was capable of doing both jobs. I was skeptical but it did not take me long to realize how exceptional she was and that she probably could do it all, and after the birth of my twin girls, she proved me right.
Together, we applied all the same newborn care techniques I learned through my first set of twins, and the baby girls thrived. Amazingly, Mim was also able to take care of the boys at the same time. Intuitively, she knew the importance of integrating the boys throughout the day; she focused on involving them in helping with the girls, making them feel needed. She made sure they were never neglected, avoiding any perception of whether the babies were more important than them. The love and devotion she shared with all my children was remarkable.
She worked endlessly to ensure each of our four children was cared for and loved, and she catered to each in their own unique way. Another blessing was that Mim was willing to stay with our family and continue to work for us, even as the girls surpassed the infant stage. It was not long before Mim and her husband became part of our family; both later vowed to assume the role of Godparents of the girls, committing to guiding them through spiritual development. Mim worked for us for a total of 8 years, and we were deeply saddened by her departure.
As much as we were sorry to see her go, we understood that her intentions had always been to care for newborns and younger children. And although she no longer worked for us, she remained present in our lives. Even during times when our families lived in different states, they would always come back to spend the holidays with us and to see our children whenever they could. Eventually Mim decided that while she loved taking care of all young children, her real passion was caring for newborns (and their families). With a steadfast mindset she was determined to work towards going into business for herself – to focus on supporting families through the first few months of a child’s life. Her goal was to provide care and her newborn expertise to several children – and she wondered how she would go about that.
Meanwhile, I would discuss with her my anxiety and fears associated with all my kids getting older and how I had dedicated the last 18 years of my life to my children. I mean - what would I do when they were gone? I graduated with a Master’s in Business Administration and although I was not actively working in the field, I maintained up-to-date knowledge in the Business world throughout the years. Even so, it had been so long since I had worked full-time in the field – who would want me? And then the day came, taking us by surprise.
One afternoon, while discussing our future goals and dreams, Mim and I said – “why don’t we start a business together.” Just like that, the business was born. The next thing I knew, we had outlined 26 pages of plans and ideas related to our business. We knew that Mim would provide the newborn care - this was her goal. And just as I was seeking the answers to the questions about my future, I knew this was meant to be! With my knowledge and business acumen, I could handle the business affairs while Mim focused on taking care of the precious babies. And there it was, our own little bundle of joy, Infant Bliss.
Our mission is to provide a premium, custom, newborn care service that supports the entire family. We want everyone to enjoy the first few months with a newborn - without anxiety, stress, or confusion. We believe your family will enjoy a sense of serenity that will fill your home and lives with love and joy, as you journey through these most precious moments of newborn life.
If you or a family you know is looking for infant care services, please reach out to us!