12 Jobs with Babies: Salaries and Job Descriptions

Working with babies can be a rewarding career. From teachers to doctors, there are a variety of careers available that involve caring for babies. Understanding the types of jobs with babies that are available and their national average salaries can help you make more informed career choices. In this article, we explore why working with babies can be a rewarding experience and discuss the top 12 jobs with babies, their duties and salaries.

What are jobs with babies?

Jobs with babies involve providing care and education to support healthy development. People who work with babies may work in an educational, clinical or home setting. They many also support parents with any queries or concerns about their child's care and development. Careers with babies require workers to remain patient, calm and positive whilst providing care. Here are some skills and traits that can be helpful for people who work with babies:

• Communication

• Child behavioural knowledge

• Critical thinking

• Body language understanding

• Positive thinking

• Resilience

• Empathy

• Compassion

• Stamina

Related: Jobs That Involve Working with Children

Why are jobs with babies rewarding?

If you have an interest in early childhood development and find enjoyment working with babies, you may benefit from a career in this field. Although working with children and babies may require many hours of physical exertion, you might form lifelong relationships with parents and help babies reach key developmental milestones. Below are some benefits to working with babies:

• Working with new people

• Carrying out tasks that are mentally engaging

• Helping parents understand better care

• Providing a vital service for families

• Job variety

• Gaining vital transferable skills that are helpful in many roles

12 careers that work with babies

Below are the top 12 jobs working with babies:

1. Midwife

National average salary: $82,274 per year

Primary duties: Midwives help prepare expectant mothers to deliver their babies and guide them through the labour process. This comprises helping them construct birth plans, doing frequent examinations and scans and booking hospital appointments. After delivery, midwives play an instrumental role in the first few hours of babies' lives, helping their mothers feed and change them, weighing them and ensuring they're healthy enough to go home. Some midwives may visit new mothers to ensure that the newborns are gaining enough weight and are safe in their homes.

Midwives typically require a bachelor's in nursing or midwifery along with practical job experience.

Related:

• How to Write a Midwife Resume (With Example and Tips)

• 16 Hospital Jobs to Consider

2. Paediatrician

National average salary: $191,422 per year

Primary duties: Paediatricians are doctors who specialise in caring for infants and children. They diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries by carrying out tests and observations. Paediatricians require strong critical thinking and analytical skills to help determine illnesses, as babies and children are typically less able to communicate symptoms than adults. These professionals require a medical degree and years of experience and specialisation before qualifying for a role in paediatrics.

Related: How to Become a Paediatrician

3. Early childhood teacher

National average salary: $66,832 per year

Primary duties: Early childhood teachers manage and supervise older infants and toddlers whilst their parents work. They help babies and toddlers reach developmental goals through games, songs and other play activities. These professionals may require special certifications, such as a diploma in childcare or a bachelor's in education. They also require a police background check to ensure they're safe to work with children.

Related: How to Become an Early Childhood Educator in 8 Steps

4. Nanny

National average salary: $60,076 per year

Primary duties: A nanny works with families to look after infants and/or children while their parents are at work. Nannies can live in their client's homes or come in on a daily basis. They may require a certification in childcare and previous babysitting experience. Nannies typically require high energy and stamina as they spend long hours on their feet looking after multiple children at once.

Related: What Is a Night Nanny and How Do You Become One?

5. Paediatric nurse

National average salary: $83,994 per year

Primary duties: Paediatric nurses assist doctors with the care and treatment of children and babies. They may administer medication or run tests to determine the causes of illness and injury. Like paediatricians, they require in-depth knowledge of child behaviour, as well as critical thinking and analytical skills to determine the causes of pain or distress in a non-communicative child. They require a bachelor's in nursing as a minimum and typically specialise in paediatrics after many years of experience.

6. Social worker

National average salary: $89,911 per year

Primary duties: A social worker works with families to ensure children are safe and supported in their homes. They typically work for the state and determine whether it's safe to place the child in the care of another guardian when necessary. If the social worker determines that the living situation is not viable for a child, they may recommend removal to the authorities and arrange safe housing for the immediate future. Social workers require strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills to allow them to resolve any problematic living or behavioural concerns quickly.

7. Neonatal nurse

National average salary: $91,444 per year

Primary duties: Neonatal nurses work with babies who are born premature or sick. Neonatal nurses provide constant care by feeding, administering medications, connecting life-support machines and supporting the parents through the baby's time in intensive care. These professionals may work as a team with doctors and paediatricians to ensure that sick and premature babies receive support and care, playing an instrumental role in the observation and diagnosing of conditions which may be genetic or related to prematurity. Nurses require a bachelor's degree in nursing and may require extensive training and experience to qualify for specialist infant care roles.

Related: What Does a Neonatal Nurse Do? (With Salary and FAQ)

8. Newborn photographer

National average salary: $77,603 per year

Primary duties: Newborn photographers work with families of new babies to take photos of their infants, and may also take photographs during the birth. Newborn photographers play a vital role in creating special memories for families and require extensive knowledge of camera equipment and lighting to create effective portraits.

Newborn photographers may require extra skills and qualifications to allow them to work safely with babies. They may help the baby relax and be wary of the baby's safety during the photoshoot. Photographers don't typically require a formal degree but may benefit from a bachelor's in photography or a relevant visual topic to understand the basics of photography and lighting.

9. Lactation consultant

National average salary: $92,772 per year

Primary duties: Lactation consultants work with new mothers to help them breastfeed. They may work with mothers who may not be able to breastfeed easily and require help with establishing techniques. Lactation consultants also help to relieve any pain or discomfort associated with breastfeeding and provide new parents with advice on how to take care of their bodies during feeding. They may also work with babies to ensure that the milk babies are getting is helping them put on the right amount of weight and there are no oral deformities affecting their feeding.

Lactation consultants typically require a medical background, such as a medical degree with years of specialisation, to qualify for a consultant role.

Related: How to Become a Lactation Consultant in Australia (FAQs)

10. Infant massage therapist

National average salary: $55,893 per year

Primary duties: Infant massage therapists work with parents to help exercise babies' muscles to promote healthy growth. In cases where babies have experienced a complicated birth or have genetic conditions that affect their limbs, infant massage therapists help parents to lengthen and relax a baby's muscles and joints. They may also help to determine whether a baby has any pain associated with growing or any previously undiagnosed deformities. These professionals require a qualification, such as a Certificate IV in Massage Therapy to begin practising.

11. Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

National average salary: $182,426 per year

Primary duties: Obstetricians/gynaecologists work with expectant mothers to help prepare them and deliver their babies. They may perform surgical procedures on their baby before they're born or may deliver them via surgical intervention. Obstetricians/gynaecologists help to ensure that babies are healthy during pregnancy and diagnose any genetic conditions before they're born via rigorous testing and scans. They require a medical degree, training and specialisation to qualify for the role and use intensive medical knowledge and critical thinking skills to help keep expectant parents and babies safe during pregnancy and delivery.

Related:

• How to Become an Obstetrician and a Gynaecologist: A Guide

• Obstetrician vs Midwife (with Differences and Similarities)

12. Nursery assistant

National average salary: $79,875 per year

Primary duties: Nursery assistants help to maintain order by cleaning, tidying and organising nursery rooms. They may organise activities and lessons with a nursery teacher and communicate with parents to update them on any important information regarding their child. Nursery nurses may also feed and clean babies to keep them comfortable during the day. They may require a certificate in early childcare and education and a background check to ensure they have the necessary knowledge and are safe to work with children.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.