What Does a Maternity Nurse Do, and When Might You Need One?

A maternity nurse supports a family through the first weeks or months after a baby arrives. Families often hear the term without knowing exactly what the role involves, what qualifications to expect, or how it differs from a nanny, a night nanny or a doula. Whether a maternity nurse is the right fit depends on your family’s circumstances, your support network and your preferences. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

This is a general overview. It doesn’t replace advice from your midwife, paediatrician or doctor.

Key points:

• A maternity nurse is a newborn care specialist who supports parents in the first weeks or months after birth. They usually live in the family home and take responsibility for the baby around the clock or overnight.
• The role focuses on feeding support, sleep routines, everyday baby care, the nursery, and helping parents build confidence. It doesn’t replace your midwife, paediatrician or doctor.
• Despite the title, not every maternity nurse is a registered nurse. Some are, and many others come from professional childcare with specialist newborn training and hands-on experience. It’s always worth asking about actual qualifications and experience.
• Families commonly consider one for a first baby, twins or multiples, recovery from a caesarean, a premature baby, or when family support is far away.
• Maternity nurses are often booked well in advance, with a flexible start date around the due date, for anything from two weeks to three months or more.

What is a maternity nurse?

A maternity nurse is a childcare professional who specialises in newborn care and in supporting parents through the first weeks at home. They typically join the family when the baby comes home and stay for an agreed period, commonly between two weeks and three months.

The role generally has two purposes. The first is to care for the baby expertly while the mother recovers and both parents rest. The second is to pass on knowledge, so that by the time the maternity nurse leaves, the parents feel confident with feeding, sleep, bathing and the everyday reality of life with a newborn.

In international households, the term is often used interchangeably with newborn care specialist. In Spain, you may also hear enfermera de maternidad or puericultora. These words can mean slightly different things in the Spanish system, which is one reason to agree the role in detail rather than relying on the title.

Is a maternity nurse a qualified nurse?

Not necessarily, and this is one of the most important points for families to understand.

In the private childcare sector, “maternity nurse” describes a role rather than a regulated medical profession. Some maternity nurses are registered nurses, midwives or paediatric nurses. Many others come from professional childcare, with specialist newborn training and years of hands-on experience with young babies, but no medical registration.

In Spain, enfermera (nurse) and matrona (midwife) are regulated healthcare professions, and practitioners are generally required to be registered with the relevant professional body. A maternity nurse working privately in your home isn’t providing medical care in that sense, whatever their background. They shouldn’t replace the midwife, paediatrician and health centre checks that you and your baby receive through your healthcare provider.

When speaking to candidates, it helps to ask plainly: what are your qualifications, where were they obtained, and are you currently registered as a nurse or midwife anywhere?

What does a maternity nurse do day to day?

The exact scope depends on the family, but the work generally covers the following areas.

Feeding support

A maternity nurse supports whichever feeding approach the family has chosen: breastfeeding, bottle feeding, expressed milk or a combination. That can include help with positioning, bringing the baby to the mother for night feeds, preparing and sterilising bottles, and keeping a record of feeds. If there are persistent feeding difficulties, a good maternity nurse will generally suggest involving a qualified lactation consultant or your paediatrician, rather than managing it alone.

Sleep and routine

In the first weeks, newborns sleep and feed on demand. A maternity nurse can help the baby and parents move gradually towards a gentle, predictable rhythm, in line with the family’s preferred approach and current safe sleep guidance, such as placing babies on their backs to sleep in a clear cot. It’s worth asking each candidate to explain their approach to sleep, and checking that it fits yours.

Everyday baby care

Bathing, nappy changes, umbilical cord care, dressing, soothing, winding and tummy time are all generally part of the role. A maternity nurse may also notice signs that call for medical advice, such as feeding refusal, fewer wet nappies, fever or worsening jaundice, and let you know so you can contact your healthcare provider.

The nursery

Maternity nurses usually look after the baby’s laundry, keep the nursery organised and stocked, and look after baby equipment. Many also help parents prepare the nursery before the birth.

Teaching and building confidence

For many families, one of the most useful parts of the role is learning. A good maternity nurse explains what they’re doing and why, involves the parents at every step, and gradually hands over responsibility.

Support for the mother

A maternity nurse creates space for the mother to rest and recover, which may include bringing a drink or a light snack at feeds. Medical postnatal care remains the responsibility of your midwife and doctor.

What a maternity nurse does not usually do

Clarity at the start helps prevent misunderstandings. A maternity nurse usually doesn’t:

• Carry out general housework or family cooking
• Look after older children, unless this is specifically agreed
• Provide medical treatment or diagnose conditions
• Work without rest. Even a 24-hour role needs proper breaks and time off

If your household needs support with older children, a nanny working alongside the maternity nurse is often a good solution. You can read more about our professional childcare arrangements.

Common maternity nurse arrangements

24-hour live-in care

The maternity nurse lives in the family home and is responsible for the baby day and night, with parents or another carer covering days off. They typically sleep in or next to the nursery and bring the baby to the mother for night feeds. This offers the most support, but it’s demanding, and daytime rest needs to be built into the schedule.

Because someone is living in your home, the practical details matter as much as the spare room itself: a private space to rest, shared kitchen and living areas, privacy for everyone, and how well their way of living fits your household.

Night-only care

Sometimes called a night nanny, this arrangement covers the night hours only, so parents can sleep while the baby is fed and settled. It can suit families who are managing well during the day but need rest at night.

Weekday or shorter blocks

Some families book a maternity nurse for weekdays only, for example when a partner returns to work, or for a short, intensive period of two to four weeks before gradually taking over.

Maternity nurse, night nanny, nanny or doula: what’s the difference?

Role	What it generally means
Maternity nurse	A newborn specialist for the first weeks or months, usually live-in and often responsible for the baby around the clock
Night nanny	Overnight care only, typically for newborns and young babies
Nanny	Ongoing care for babies and children, usually for months or years, covering routines, development, play and daily life. Many families plan a handover from a maternity nurse to a nanny
Doula	Emotional and practical support for the mother during pregnancy, birth and sometimes the postpartum period. A doula focuses on the mother, while a maternity nurse focuses on the baby
Midwife (matrona)	A regulated healthcare professional responsible for the medical care of mother and baby during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period

When might a family consider a maternity nurse?

Every family is different. Some manage well without one, with support from a partner, relatives or friends. For others, a maternity nurse makes a real difference. A few situations where families commonly consider one:

• A first baby. Many first-time parents value expert guidance during a steep learning curve.
• Twins or multiples. Feeding and settling two or more babies, day and night, is demanding. Families often look for a maternity nurse with specific experience of multiples.
• Recovery from a caesarean or a difficult birth. A mother recovering from surgery may be advised against lifting or carrying for a period, and needs proper rest.
• A premature baby. Babies coming home from neonatal care may need careful feeding and monitoring. It helps to look for specific experience with premature babies, working alongside your medical team.
• Little family support nearby. International and expat families in Spain often live far from grandparents and wider family. A maternity nurse can offer experienced help that relatives might otherwise give.
• Older children at home. Some parents want time for older children while knowing the newborn is well cared for. This often works best with a nanny alongside the maternity nurse.
• A partner returning to work early, or plans to travel. Some families need cover for a partner’s absence, or support when travelling with a young baby.

When should you book a maternity nurse?

Experienced maternity nurses are often booked well ahead, so many families begin their search during the second trimester. Bookings are usually made around the expected due date, with flexibility built in, because babies rarely arrive exactly on time. It helps to agree in advance what happens if the baby is early or late, and whether the start date can move by a week or two either way.

Availability generally depends on your due date and the maternity nurse’s existing bookings, so starting early gives you more choice.

How to choose the right maternity nurse

Word of mouth is a natural place to start, and a friend’s recommendation can be a good early sign. But a maternity nurse who suited one family won’t necessarily suit another, because every household has different routines, values and expectations. If someone has been recommended to you, an agency can also help vet that specific person.

Whichever route you take, it helps to consider:

• Qualifications and training. Nursing, midwifery, childcare or newborn care specialist training, and where it was obtained.
• Recent newborn references. Speak to families they’ve worked with in the last few years, ideally in a situation similar to yours, and make sure the references are actually checked up on.
• Specific experience. Twins, premature babies, reflux, feeding difficulties or caesarean recovery, if relevant.
• Paediatric first aid. Current and recently refreshed.
• Approach to sleep and feeding. Does their philosophy fit your family’s values?
• Languages. In international households, clear communication with both parents matters.
• Temperament. A maternity nurse is with you at one of the most personal and emotional moments of family life. Calm, discretion and warmth tend to matter a great deal.
• Background checks. An appropriate background check is generally recommended for anyone working with children. International candidates may hold the equivalent documents from their own country.

Planning the handover after the maternity nurse leaves

The best placements tend to end with a gradual handover. It can help to plan the final week or two so that parents take on more nights and routines. If a nanny will be starting, allowing some overlap helps keep the baby’s routine consistent and gives the nanny a chance to learn how the baby has been fed and settled.

How The Governess & Co supports families preparing for a new baby

At The Governess & Co, we work with local, expat and international families in Marbella, across Spain and worldwide. Because one size doesn’t fit all, we start by understanding your family: your birth plans, your support network and the kind of help you’d like in the first months.

We aim to be honest about what each arrangement can realistically offer, and to focus on long-term relationships, including planning ongoing childcare once the newborn weeks are behind you.

You can explore our services, read about how we work with families, learn more about our team, or contact us to talk through your plans.