Become a Certified Newborn Care Specialist CNCS®

Finding and Evaluating Academic Sources Video Lecture
Watch now.

Bonding and attachment (Infant Mental Health)

Introduction to infant mental health by First Three Years - $20

Early Brain Development Attachment and Bonding by First Three Years - $20

Perinatal Mood Disorders
Postpartum Support International PSI
Free Webinar on Maternal Mental Health
(or a similar course taught by a qualified expert)

How to work with a preemie [**only required IF you haven't worked with one families that have a moderately preterm baby born before 32 weeks gestation
Navigating the NICU by The NICU Translator

Diversity Equity and Inclusion

Diversity Equity and Inclusion in Early Childhood  by first three years - $20

You will need to copy and paste the brief summary into the application. *Questions on this will also be part of the exam

NCSA Certified Newborn Care Specialists should be familiar with and work only up to their highest level of Lactation Qualification’s scope of practice:

•  WIC or La lech league peer counselor
• Certified Lactation Educator
• Certified Lactation Counselor
• Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
• International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

If you have not yet obtained a lactation training you are required to take either the Lactation Education Resources course below or another similar course taught by a qualified expert in lactation.

Lactation Education Resources
Basics of Lactation Management $65

Please upload a copy of your background check obtained within the last year. 

**Each state has its own requirements for a background check. Please check with the state in which you live or will be working.

The NCSA recommends the use of Trustline for parents, agencies, and Newborn Care Specialists where applicable. Other forms of background checks are acceptable – but Trustline not only conducts a thorough background criminal check – they do ongoing screening.

Other suitable companies to use for a background check include eNannySource, and GoodHireWatch to run a personal background check on yourself.

The 60 hours of continuing education must be in at least 6 different subjects.

• Training should be in-depth, 3+ hours long, certifications where available and taught by a qualified expert in such as Breastfeeding Lactation certification (CBE, CBS, CLC, IBCLC etc), Perinatal Mood Disorders (PMH-C), Sleep, Infant Development, Reflux, Child Passenger Safety, Oral Ties, Infant Development, Neuroscience, Infant Allergies, Infant Sensory Processing, and Safety (safe sleep, CPR, risk management, infectious disease). **The above list of videos count towards the 60 hours of continuing education, so does an advanced NCS training or CLC training, for example. 

Show that you have given back to the NCS community through activities such as mentoring newer NCSs in our industry independently or through the NCSA mentorship program, giving your time working on an NCSA Committee, writing multiple educational blog posts, or heading a support group for NCSs. [must send proof via email]

Verifiable hours must be caring for newborns 0-16 weeks (adjusted) as an NCS.

• Must include at least 12 families
• Must include 500 hours of daytime care (between 8am-8pm)
• Must include 500 hours of overnight care (between 8pm-8am)
• Must include a minimum of six families who breast/chest-fed
• Must include six families who bottle-fed formula
• Must include a minimum of three families with multiples
• Must include a minimum of two families with a moderately preterm baby born between 32 and 34 weeks gestation
• Must include one family with a very preterm baby, born at less than 32 weeks gestation OR take a course on how to work with a preemie. 
• Must include a minimum of six families who each experienced a different specific challenge such as tongue-tie, reflux, medical condition, single parent, surrogacy etc.

  **The NCSA provides a form that needs to be filled out with contact info for each family you provided care for. You will receive this form by email as part of the application process.

Upload an article of around 2,500 words or a presentation of 30 minutes on a subject relating to newborn care which is evidence-based such as a discussion of current research where you analyze the findings. This can be written, video or a voice recording. We feel it is important as we advance as NCSs that we can express/reflect on our experience and knowledge and that sharing knowledge without fear of judgment is important for our industry and needs to become more normalized. [must send proof via email]

Below is a list of requirements that you will need to have ready to upload into the application. 

• Answer several questions
• Upload proof of CPR Certification
• Upload a background check (completed within the last year)
• Upload proof of current liability insurance
• Upload proof of 60 hours of continuing education 
• Upload an essay, case study, or personal statement.
• Upload proof that you given have given back to the NCSA community.
• Upload an article of around 2,500 words or a presentation of 30 minutes on a subject relating to newborn care which is evidence-based such as a discussion of current research where you analyze the findings.  
• Upload document of verified hours *we will provide the document for you to fill out

**The application will allow you to save your progress and return back to it later on.