Setting the Standard in Newborn and Postpartum Support
The newborn and postpartum care field is deeply personal, yet it remains largely unregulated. Titles such as night nanny, newborn care specialist and postpartum doula are used interchangeably, often without any consistent standards for training or accountability. The case for that standardization is formally documented in The State of Newborn Care, a workforce policy paper published on SSRN in 2026 by Let Mommy Sleep founder Denise Iacona Stern. Read the paper.
The mission of Newborn Care Certified, a division of Let Mommy Sleep, is to bring clarity, safety, and professionalism to this vital work through the Newborn and Postpartum Support (NAPS) Night Doula Certification.
Why a Night Doula Registry?
The NAPS Night Doula Certification was created to provide evidence-based education and accountability for in-home newborn care providers, postpartum doulas, and the families they serve. Unlike licensed healthcare professions, where state nursing boards investigate complaints, suspend credentials and mandate remediation, in-home newborn care has no equivalent oversight body. Families who receive unsafe or negligent care have no formal complaint process and no mechanism to prevent that caregiver from working with another family the next day. Caregivers in turn have no defense if they are unfairly or incorrectly accused of unsafe care. The NAPS Night Doula Registry was built as a first step toward the accountability the industry needs.
By establishing a baseline of high-level education and transparency, we elevate caregivers and help families feel secure knowing their postpartum care provider is trained in the most current, safest, and evidence-based practices.
To ensure integrity and ongoing relevance, a third-party Advisory Board of subject matter experts continually reviews and approves the NAPS curriculum. This outside validation ensures that the certification remains credible, comprehensive, and aligned with current best practices in newborn care and maternal health.
The National Night Doula Registry
The NAPS curriculum is based on the newborn and postpartum training program originally written by Let Mommy Sleep’s clinical team, which was awarded a state-level government contract from 2015–2021. The program concluded only when in-person classes were halted during the pandemic.
Since then, the curriculum has been continually updated and has been used by nanny agencies, pediatrician offices and families across the country. It has also been referenced by INOVA Health, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and local health departments.
In an industry where the standards of care are not regulated, it’s vital that newborn caregivers and postpartum doulas adhere to the highest standards of infant safety, safe sleep and postpartum care. At the same time families should have access to the same evidence-based education and expectations.
Who Oversees the Certification
NAPS Certification is administered by Newborn Care Certified, the educational division of Let Mommy Sleep. You can learn more in Introducing the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas.
Let Mommy Sleep is a team of Registered Nurses (RN/LPN) and Newborn Care Providers (NCP) who have been supporting newborns and parents across the United States since 2010. The company is recognized as the industry leader in evidence-based postpartum and overnight care and is frequently called upon by media outlets and professional organizations for expert commentary.
Every Let Mommy Sleep caregiver, with the exception of hospital-based Registered Nurses in Mother Baby Care, must successfully complete the NAPS Certification as part of their onboarding. Learn more about newborn care specialist certification standards at Let Mommy Sleep.
The curriculum is continually reviewed by a third-party Advisory Board of Nurses, Lactation Counselors, Postpartum Mental Health and Public Health Experts ensuring that the material remains medically accurate and family-centered.
About Let Mommy Sleep
Founded in 2010, Let Mommy Sleep serves newborns and their families nationwide. The organization is dedicated to the highest standards of health, safety, and family care and remains the model for ethical, evidence-based newborn support. Through Newborn Care Certified, the team extends this commitment to education, certification, and public trust, ensuring that caregivers and families alike benefit from the same high level of expertise and accountability.
Whether you are a newborn caregiver seeking a recognized credential, a family looking for verified postpartum care, or an agency building a professional team, the NAPS Night Doula Certificate and National Night Doula Registry can help.
Enroll in the NAPS certificate | Book a Night Doula | Meet the Advisory Board
