What Does A Baby Nurse Do Exactly?

Welp. The suspected due date of April 23 for Royal Baby #2 has come and gone and the anticipation is strong! On April 28, Middleton was spotted taking Prince George to a swim lesson and she and Prince William treated royal revelers who are camped outside of the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in London, where Middleton will give birth to her second child, to breakfast. The couple is undoubtedly going through a bevy of personal preparations before baby is born, and reports have been swirling that this time around Kate Middleton will employ a maternity nurse to help her care for her newborn.

Middleton and William broke away from royal tradition in 2013 when they decided to not use a baby nurse in the first few weeks after Prince George's birth, and opted to care for him all on their own. Royals, they're just like us! A source told The Daily Mail, "Kate and William loved the early weeks with Prince George but it was hard work and the sleepless nights took their toll. Kate especially was exhausted."

Hmmm, maybe they're not just like us, considering the amount of public pressure and engagements Middleton is expected to partake in which can be a lot to deal with directly after giving birth. And well, if you're got the means, why not get a little help?

As I'm sure any momma will tell you, having a toddler and a newborn at one time is quite the daunting experience. According The Daily Mail, royal aides have been making inquiries to the London-based Norland Agency and Royal Nannies since early February, and no doubt, the position will only be filled by the best of best.

So, what would the royal baby's nurse do? Well, quite a lot actually. A baby nurse comes to the home (or might be live-in in the royals' case) and essentially is a mother's right hand for caring for a newborn. A nurse would help Middleton with feeding, bathing, and scheduling sleeping for the child, laundering linens and clothing, and loads more. A baby nurse doesn't necessarily need to be a registered nurse, just a woman who has extensive experience with handling and caring for newborns. According to The Modern Baby Nurse website, many baby nurses also go on to get training as a postpartum doula and as a lactation consultant to assist the mother in breastfeeding, which can be a rough transition for many new moms.

Middleton is expected to make Amner Hall her home base with her newborn, Prince George, and the nurse while Prince William is working as an air ambulance pilot. According to ABC News, Middleton is expected to take a few months off to be with the baby and focus on the proper care with her new help and will hopefully get back to her charity work as soon as possible. Senior editor of People magazine, Nancy Jeffrey, told ABC News, "Kate is ... very hands on, she's very loving, and ... she wants to raise normal kids. She is going to face the same kind of challenges juggling two under 2 that many other moms face."

I wish her all of the luck because some tiring, yet beautiful, times are ahead!

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