Sheila’s Services include:

 

• Initial Orientation: Upon Arrival, Sheila will discuss with you her program and methodology. She will take time to understand the parents, and ensure they understand how her program will be a game changer to caring for their newborn.

• Onsite Care: Sheila stays at your home and is accessible all day to care for the newborn, and answer any questions the parents have.

• Schedule: Sheila applies “The Starling Program” which includes getting your newborn on a schedule. The schedule allows for the parents to have predictability into when their newborn will eat, be awake, and sleep. This is a critical step into getting your newborn to sleep through the night by 12 weeks (if not, sooner).

• Newborn Expertise: Sheila is a true expert in newborns and their needs. She can quickly understand what your baby needs based on their cries, and she will teach you how to understand as well. This is critical to ensuring you can respond to your child’s needs, and not get frustrated by not being able to understand how to calm them. This expertise also includes all newborn tasks (i.e.caring for the umbilical cord, sponge and regular baths) and Sheila takes on these tasks while also teaching you how to take them on yourself.

• Breastfeeding: Sheila has a nact for working with the mother to get their child to breastfeed. She works with the mother on how to get the baby to latch on, how to ensure your child is getting enough milk from you, and how to create a schedule around breastfeeding and pumping. Many parents fear they are not able to breastfeed after leaving the hospital with lackluster results, but Sheila has been able to turn that around for these parents and allow them to be successful.

• Nighttime Feedings: Sheila works to alleviate stress for the parents, and allow them to get sleep. She takes on many of the nighttime feedings (with your preference of pumped milk or formula). All new moms know how important it is to get sleep!! If you prefer to be up and breastfeed, Sheila will happily work with you to customize the schedule based on your needs.

• General support for parents: Sheila does the laundry for your newborn, and also offers some nights where she will cook to allow for the parents to have a night off from the kitchen. She also ensures you have that much needed date night out, while she stays home to care for your newborn.

See what my clients have to say

“Hiring Sheila Starling for the birth of our third child was one of the best decisions that we have made as parents. Her calm tone and laid-back organization helped the whole family to relax, rest and enjoy getting to know our newest member. Sheila’s methods of nursing and scheduling created an easy flexible routine that was still a great help for months after she had left. Our only regret is that we did not have Sheila for our first two children!”

Kathy & Bob
Richmond, Virginia

 

“Sheila gave my husband and me two essentials for life with a newborn; knowledge and confidence. She taught us how to work with our daughter Lucy’s natural rhythm and established her schedule. Real proof that Sheila’s system worked is that Lucy was back to birth weight in a week and she began sleeping eight hour stretches at night around five or six weeks. Every doctor or lactation consultant told us to keep doing what ever we were doing, because Lucy was thriving and we were getting sleep!”

Marianne
Hanover, New Hampshire

 

The magic of Sheila! The arrival of our third child was the easiest one of all. Sheila brought an amazing amount of peace and order to our home that we didn’t know was possible with a newborn. Our daughter has been sleeping and eating well from the beginning, which has given us confidence and control in our lives. We just wish we had known Sheila earlier and that she could stay forever”.

Hank and Natalie
Richmond, Virginia

 

My son started consistently sleeping through the night at 9 weeks. What do I mean by sleeping through the night? He sleeps 12 hours (7pm-7am)! I’ve had friends claim their babies sleep through the night because they have slept from 10pm-5am. While that is good, it is just not the same. To know my son is down at 7pm allows me time with my husband at night. To know he wakes up at 7am, allows me a restful morning. It’s a game changer. And this is all due to Sheila. My husband and I see our sleeping son on the monitor and constantly praise Sheila. She was the best investment we made.

Sheila has a true gift for newborns. She got my son immediately on a schedule, allowing predicatability in when he is napping, eating, and awake. The schedule made all the difference in my sanity as a new mom. She also taught me what my son’s cries meant so I could respond to his needs. On top of that, she got my son breastfeeding successfully. I left the hospital thinking that breastfeeding would be difficult for me, but Sheila changed all that. She got my son feeding on me within the first night. I would never have been able to breastfeed without her.

I cannot say enough great things about Sheila. I recommend her to everyone I know. She is a gift that keeps giving, as I’m constantly reminded of her when I have a restful night. I’m also constantly reminded of her when I am able to make adjustments to my son’s needs, because Sheila gave me the confidence to really understand what he needs. I’m a better parent because of her. On top of all of this, she is a true pleasure to be around. I don’t just recommend her, I insist she is a must for anyone with a newborn!

Sara
Rockville, Maryland

 

When I had my second daughter, I never expected to want or need help. ‘I got this’ I told myself, ‘I’ve done this before!’ Around week 5, the physical and mental exhaustion started to wear me down. Having a baby feeding on demand meant that I never knew when I’d be able to cook for my family, take a shower or even eat.

Sheila came the next week. I was still unsure if I wanted the help. I wanted so badly to be able to figure it out on my own and believed that the struggles ofraising an infant (and breastfeeding) were part of a rite of passage.