Frequently Asked Questions.
Where are you located?
Moonlit Cradles is based in Chicago, Illinois. We are available to provide care anywhere in the country or world, and travel with families regularly.
What Service Plans are Available?
Service plans are flexible!
Here are some examples of commonly used service plans;
Live-Out Care
12 hours overnight, 5 nights per week
10 hours overnight, 6 nights per week
Live-In Care
16 hours per day, 5 days per week
18 hours per day, 6 days per week
24 hours per day, 5 days per week
If you would like live-in or overnight care 7 days per week, we will provide you with two rotating NCS Caregivers to ensure our professionals get the rest they need to provide quality care.
Do you guarantee 12 hours of sleep by 12 weeks?
We do not guarantee that the babies and children we care for will sleep for an uninterrupted 12 hours each night. Every baby is different, and some have greater will power than others! We have a wide variety of techniques that are customized for every baby we work with, but sometimes there are factors outside of our control, therefore we cannot make guarantees.
What sleep conditioning techniques or methods do you use?
We care for newborns with an age-appropriate routine beginning the day they are born, and use gentle methods and cues to regulate a baby’s sleep without making them dependent on an adult to fall asleep. We do not use cry it out methods, and do not allow newborns to cry for longer than 2 minutes without going to assist them, until they are over 3 months old and learn to self-soothe.
What if I need more than one caregiver?
It is sometimes desired to hire a team of care specialists for the newborn(s) and in these cases, we are happy to provide multiple professionals who will work together on a team for congruent care.
What other responsibilities are you comfortable with?
Other than sleep training and caring for the newborn(s), we manage nursery inventory and can be responsible for ordering all of the supplies that the baby will need while under our care, including purchasing clothing and toys. We keep the nursery and the baby’s items very tidy, clean, and organized. Housework and deep cleaning are not a part of our services.
What are your fees and requirements?
The rate for newborn care services begins at $40.00/hour for singleton care, when no travel is required.
Please Note - Newborn Care Specialist providers are paid at a much higher rate than nannies due to their expertise, long hours, overnight work, and because we work contractually via 1099s and do not require the hiring family to pay via a W2 or provide any benefits.
When living-in with a family, we generally require the family to provide…
A meal stipend or meals provided
All travel expenses
Typically, A vehicle for use during time off if located outside of caregiver’s home state
A private room and bathroom for personal items and rest time
A flat surface to lay on in the nursery
How many weeks do you contract for?
Contract lengths are customizable. Typical contracts run 12 to 16 weeks, and begin on or before the baby’s first day home, and begin no later than the baby’s fourth week of life. Contracts can be shorter than 12 weeks with the understanding that sleep training will not be fully completed in under 12 weeks.