Elevating the Standard of Postpartum & Newborn Care Worldwide
Our rigorous, accredited board certification will ensure competence, integrity, and accountability among care providers.
Who We Are
The International Board of Newborn Care Specialist Examiners (IBNCSE) is a mission-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization developing the first independent, accredited board certification for postpartum and newborn care providers: The International Board Certified Newborn Care Specialist (IBCNCS) credential.
A Fragmented, Unregulated Industry
Despite caring for infants during their most vulnerable period, postpartum and newborn care providers operate in an unregulated ecosystem.
Medicaid and Employer-sponsored benefit programs now often cover these services, but with no universal standard, families and funders can’t easily distinguish high-quality care from low-quality, unvetted offerings.
THIS HAS LED TO:A proliferation of low-quality certifications that prioritize speed over safety.
Lack of oversight, accountability, and grievance processes.
Scope creep in postpartum support, creating significant liability gaps that leave both families and providers vulnerable.
Confusion among parents and healthcare providers about who is qualified.
That’s Why We Established the IBNCSE to develop the
IBCNCS Credential
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Aligned with National Commission for Certifying Agencies and ISO/IEC 17024 standards.
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Built on medical, developmental, and caregiving best practices.
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With robust ethics oversight, grievance procedures, and recertification requirements.
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Inclusive of international caregiving traditions and multilingual access.
THE IBCNCS IS NOT JUST A CERTIFICATIONIt’s a movement to professionalize an essential but undervalued workforce
THE IBCNCS CERTIFICATION WILL ESTABLISH A NEW GOLD STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY OF POSTPARTUM AND NEWBORN CARE. Board-certified professionals not only meet foundational competencies but also possess in-depth, validated knowledge across an array of subjects:
Biology
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Infant Growth and Development
Infant Nutrition
Effective Feeding Techniques
Lactation Support and Management
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Functional understanding of oral ties
Reflux Management
Infant Social and Emotional Development
Pediatric Sleep Science.
Common newborn health concerns
Maternal physical recovery and mental well-being
Cultural awareness
In-home care of Premature and medically compromised infants once discharged from the NICU.
Safety and Safe Sleep Practices
Emergency response
Accountability Through a Grievance Policy & Procedure
The IBCNCS credential ensures professional accountability. One of the most critical features of this credential is the inclusion of a comprehensive grievance policy and procedure, which provides families, healthcare providers, and employers with a trusted mechanism to address concerns.
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Families have recourse if a care provider acts unethically or unsafely.
Employers and benefit platforms can mitigate risk through credential-backed standards.
Certified professionals are held to clear, enforceable ethical guidelines.
This level of accountability is virtually nonexistent in most postpartum and newborn care certifications, making IBCNCS a uniquely trustworthy credential in a field too often shaped by self-certification.
Why Fund IBNCSE?
YOUR INVESTMENT HELPS:Protect families by ensuring high-quality newborn care with accountability.
Create a sustainable, equitable career path for caregivers.
Replicate the proven success of the IBCLC credential for lactation consultants.
Build a diverse workforce through scholarships and global accessibility.
WE ARE SEEKING FUNDING FOR:Curriculum development and validation
Accreditation and legal trademarking
Translation and tech infrastructure
Public launch and PR
Join the Advisory Board
We invite pediatricians, lactation consultants, public health leaders, infant health experts, postpartum professionals, and maternal mental health experts to help shape this transformative credential.
Contribute to the health and safety of newborns globally
Ensure the rigor and integrity of a high-impact certification
Lend your voice to elevate a critical, overlooked workforce
A Trusted Credential for Employee Wellness
If your platform offers postpartum support, ensure your families are matched with professionals who meet a verified, accredited standard.
WHY PARTNER WITH US:Eliminate confusion between high and low quality providers
Reduce liability with a grievance-backed credential with a clear scope of practice for care, enabling appropriate professional liability insurance
Reinforce your brand’s commitment to maternal and infant well-being
Meet the Founders
Founded by pioneers in the newborn care field with decades of hands-on experience, we are guided by an advisory board of medical doctors and industry experts committed to building a gold standard in infant care worldwide.
Andrea Hedley
is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the International Board of Newborn Care Specialist Examiners (IBNCSE) and Founder of the Newborn Care Specialist Association (NCSA), where she has served consecutively as President, Executive Director, and Secretary, and now sits on the NCSA’s Advisory Board. Andrea spearheaded the creation of the NCSA's industry-leading certification program and has been instrumental in establishing professional standards and recognition for newborn care specialists.
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With over 20 years of hands-on experience in newborn care, Andrea has supported hundreds of families, including many high-profile families, providing expert guidance in infant feeding, sleep education, and early developmental care. She specializes in working with multiples, premature infants, and NICU graduates, offering individualized solutions for breastfeeding challenges and formula selection, as well as practical experience supporting tongue-tie and cleft-affected feeding challenges.
Andrea holds extensive specialized training and certifications, including Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (CBS), Perinatal Mental Health certification (PMH-C) from Postpartum Support International, with advanced training in psychopharmacology in relation to breastfeeding, and a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) certification. Her professional training and expertise encompasses infant allergies, reflux and colic management, pediatric feeding disorders, tongue-tie and cleft-affected infant feeding, and infant sensory processing early interventions. She has received specialized training in oral assessment and head-to-toe infant evaluation, equipping her to detect even subtle anomalies, asymmetries, and malformations that may affect feeding or early development.
Certified in both the NBAS and NBO systems, a relationship-based framework developed by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and colleagues at Boston Children's Hospital, Andrea applies this individualized, observation-driven approach to help parents recognize and respond to their baby's unique cues, fostering stronger parent-infant bonding and confidence during the earliest, most formative weeks of life. Her holistic approach integrates evidence-based newborn care with emotional well-being, drawing on neuroscience-based tools for understanding infant behaviors, neuro-relational development principles from Zero to Three’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Series, and developmental milestone frameworks from the Harkla Sensory & Developmental program.
Andrea’s nonprofit background includes early involvement in charitable initiatives in the United Kingdom and, more recently, meaningful work with Postpartum Support International (PSI). As a Volunteer Coordinator for PSI, she supported families navigating perinatal mood and anxiety disorders by connecting parents with trained peer volunteers, coordinating community resources, and helping advance PSI’s mission to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and ensure accessible emotional support. Her work with PSI strengthened her commitment to mental health advocacy within the newborn and postpartum care space and deepened her understanding of the complex challenges families face during the critical early months after birth.
Andrea's commitment to safety extends beyond professional care. She maintains Nannyguards Security Training certification, ensuring comprehensive risk awareness and protective protocols for the families she serves.
With decades of leadership and hands-on expertise, Andrea continues to champion a global vision for excellence in newborn care, bridging evidence-based practice, professional certification, and compassionate support for families during the critical first months of life.
Stefanie Hudgins
brings over four decades of newborn care expertise and proven nonprofit leadership to her role as Co-Founder and President of the International Board of Newborn Care Specialist Examiners (IBNCSE). With a distinguished track record of building professional organizations from the ground up, Stefanie combines deep industry knowledge with exceptional organizational management skills to establish rigorous, internationally-recognized standards for postpartum and newborn care professionals.
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Nonprofit Leadership & Organizational Development
As a founding member of the Executive Board of the Newborn Care Specialist Association (NCSA), Stefanie served for five years in multiple leadership capacities, including Secretary and Treasurer. Her instrumental role in the association's development and success demonstrates her ability to build sustainable professional organizations that elevate industry standards and serve diverse stakeholder communities.
Stefanie's leadership capabilities extend beyond the childcare sector. During her decade-long service with the Civil Air Patrol, she rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel while holding progressively responsible command positions at local, state, and national levels. As Colorado Wing Safety Officer, she managed comprehensive safety operations for over 2,000 members and a fleet of 15 aircraft. Her appointment as Cadet Commander for the Air Force Academy Cadet Squadron saw her leading more than 100 cadets while developing leadership programming and maintaining operational excellence.
Stefanie's crisis management and strategic planning abilities were proven through her role as Incident Commander for multiple search and rescue missions across Colorado, where she coordinated multi-agency responses under high-pressure conditions. As Director of the Space Command National Cadet Special Activity, she designed and executed an intensive two-week international program serving 30 cadets from around the world, demonstrating her capability to manage complex programs with global reach.
Professional Expertise & Credentials
Stefanie holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado and maintains over ten industry-specific certifications and endorsements, representing the highest levels of professional achievement in newborn and infant care:
Infant Mental Health Endorsement (IMH-E) – recognized as one of the field's most rigorous credentials
International Nanny Association Credentialed Newborn Care Specialist
International Nanny Association Credentialed Nanny
CACHE Certification
Master NCS® designation from Newborn Care Solutions
Certified Lactation Consultant
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician
Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant
AAP Safe Sleep Certification
Certified Infant Massage Instructor
Perinatal Mental Health Certificate
Her active membership in multiple professional associations—including Zero to Three, the Association for Infant Mental Health, the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, and her partnership with Special Kids Special Care—reflects her commitment to staying at the forefront of evidence-based practices in infant development and family support.
Clinical Experience & Specialization
With more than 40 years of hands-on experience, Stefanie has supported hundreds of families through the critical postpartum period. Her clinical expertise encompasses complex cases including multiples, NICU graduates, medically fragile infants, postpartum mood disorders, and feeding challenges. Her depth of knowledge across infant mental health, attachment theory, lactation support, and developmental milestones uniquely positions her to establish comprehensive competency standards for the profession.
Vision for IBNCSE
Stefanie's experience building the NCSA from concept to established association, combined with her decade of nonprofit leadership in a complex, safety-critical organization like the Civil Air Patrol, provides the ideal foundation for leading IBNCSE's mission to establish the gold standard credential for postpartum and newborn care professionals worldwide. Her proven ability to develop rigorous standards, manage complex stakeholder relationships, ensure fiscal responsibility, and maintain organizational integrity positions IBNCSE for success as it pursues NCCA accreditation and international expansion.
Married for over 35 years and mother to two sons, Stefanie brings both professional excellence and personal understanding to her work supporting families during life's most precious transition. Through IBNCSE, she is committed to ensuring every family has access to qualified, competent, accountable postpartum care providers—elevating a vital profession and protecting the health and well-being of newborns worldwide.
Together, their combined expertise and leadership make them uniquely positioned to champion this initiative
and ensure it meets the needs of professionals and the families they serve.
Join Us in Raising The Standard of Care for Every Newborn.
Become part of the movement to bring professional excellence, safety, and accountability to postpartum and newborn care.