What is the difference between a midwife, nanny, baby nurse, au pair, doula and governess ?
A midwife is a person who attends a woman in childbirth, but who is not a physician. Midwifery (being “with woman”) focuses on providing care to normal childbearing women and their newborns. A nanny is employed by a family (live-in or live-out) and is responsible for childcare. An au-pair is generally not a US citizen and lives with a family to experience American lifestyle and customs. The au-pair may receive a small salary in exchange for childcare or household chores. A doula is a woman who assists another woman during labor and provides support to her, the infant, and the family after childbirth. A baby nurse is a specially trained professional that may live-in or live-out and is responsible for the care of infants or young children. A governess is an educator or teacher that is employed by the family to instruct and teach children who are school-aged.
