Meet Our Newborn Care Specialists (NCS)

Meet the experienced and compassionate specialists behind L&S Newborn Care and Beyond.

Lupe Hernandez

Director of Newborn Care & NCS Trainer, Co-Founder

With over 15 years of professional childcare experience—and more than 12 of those dedicated exclusively to newborn care—Lupe Hernandez is a trusted leader, mentor, and caregiver in the field of infant support. As the Director of Newborn Care and Lead NCS Trainer at L&S Newborn Care and Beyond, Lupe brings both expertise and heart to every family and caregiver she supports.

Lupe began her journey as a hands-on Newborn Care Specialist (NCS), quickly gaining recognition in the Los Angeles area for her calm demeanor, deep knowledge, and nurturing presence. As her reputation grew, so did her mission: to guide not only families but also the next generation of NCS professionals. Today, she leads caregiver placements and personally trains newborn care specialists to uphold the highest standards in the industry.

Certifications & Specializations:

Certified Newborn Care Specialist (NCS)
Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR Certified
CAPPA - Postpartum Doula
Certified Sleep Training Specialist
Lactation Education Specialist
Trained in Working with Multiples
RIE Nurturing Nanny™ Course

Lupe’s approach is a unique blend of evidence-based care and compassionate support. Whether she’s walking new parents through the early stages of parenthood or equipping caregivers with the tools to succeed, Lupe offers unmatched dedication, knowledge, and warmth every step of the way.

Shella Gamero

Newborn Care Specialist, Co-Founder

Shella Gamero is an experienced and nurturing Newborn Care Specialist with over 20 years of caring for infants and guiding new parents. Based in Redondo Beach, CA, she offers expert support with sleep training, feeding routines, developmental milestones, and overall newborn care.

Fluent in both English and Spanish, Shella incorporates deeply intuitive caregiving rooted in science and love. From helping babies establish healthy habits to building confidence in new parents, Shella’s calm presence, deep knowledge, and dedication make her a trusted choice for families during the precious early stages of parenting.

Ines Maribel Miller

Travel Newborn Care Specialist & Bilingual Nanny

Ines Maribel Miller is a Certified Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) with over 10 years of experience supporting families with newborns and growing children. Based in Woodland Hills, CA, she is CPR and First Aid certified and specializes in both local and travel NCS placements.

Fluent in Spanish and English, Maribel creates nurturing developmentally appropriate environments tailored to each child’s needs. Her background in child development and love for art and creativity allow her to engage children through play, learning, and emotional support.

Known for her calm presence, strong communication, and flexibility, Maribel is a trusted caregiver for families seeking expert newborn care—at home or on the go.

Mana Leticia De Leon

Newborn Care Specialist

With over 20 years of childcare experience, Leticia De Leon is a compassionate and reliable caregiver specializing in newborn and infant care. She brings a calm, supportive presence to families during the postpartum period and creates structured, nurturing routines tailored to each child's needs.

Certifications:

Newborn Care Specialist (NCS)
Infant Massage
Child Behavior & Positive Discipline
CPR & First Aid Certified

Known for her patience, reliability, and ability to connect with both children and parents, Leticia has earned strong references and a reputation for excellence through her long-term family placements. Fluent in Spanish and highly experienced with both newborns and toddlers, she is a trusted professional families can count on for high quality, personalized care.

Adriana Benitez

Newborn Care Specialist | Postpartum Doula | Breastfeeding Support

Adriana Benitez is a highly skilled Newborn Care Specialist with 5 years of hands-on experience supporting families during the newborn stage. Specializing in overnight care, postpartum recovery support, breastfeeding support, and gentle sleep training, Adriana helps parents navigate the early weeks with confidence and peace of mind.

CPR and First Aid certified, she brings professional expertise and a calm, nurturing presence to every home. As a certified postpartum doula with strong knowledge in infant feeding, Adriana offers guidance on breastfeeding, establishing healthy routines, and creating a safe, soothing environment for babies.

Fluent in Spanish and English, Adriana is available for full-time (40 hours/week) newborn care, with a focus on providing individualized support tailored to each family's needs. She is reliable, respectful, and committed to ensuring parents feel rested, supported, and well-prepared for their parenting journey.

Liliana Rivera

Newborn Care Specialist

With over 20 years of childcare

With over a decade of childcare experience and specialized certification as a Newborn Care Specialist (NCS), Liliana brings a calm, knowledgeable, and nurturing presence to every home she supports. She is highly skilled in newborn care, including establishing healthy sleep routines, providing postpartum assistance, and supporting both breastfeeding and formula-fed infants.

Liliana's approach combines expert care with genuine compassion, ensuring that both babies and parents feel confident, supported, and well-rested. She has extensive hands-on experience with infants from birth onward, including twins and children with unique needs, and is certified in Infant and Child CPR and First Aid.

Fluent in both Spanish and English, Liliana is trusted by families for her professionalism, reliability, and ability to create a warm, safe environment where children can thrive from their very first days.

Hilda Montesinos

Newborn Care Specialist

Hilda Montesinos is a highly experienced Newborn Care Specialist with over 20 years of professional experience supporting newborns and their families. With a warm and calming presence, Hilda has helped hundreds of families across Southern California ease the transition into parenthood—ensuring everyone gets the rest and care they need.

Her work with newborns includes establishing healthy sleep habits, supporting feeding routines (both bottle and breastfeeding), bathing, bonding, swaddling, diapering, and more. Hilda also has deep experience helping families with twins, preemies, and reflux support.

Parents note Hilda’s gift for reading their baby’s cues, her gentle and easygoing personality, and her deep commitment to helping parents thrive. For night shifts or 24-hour care, Hilda is a reliable, professional presence—and a reassuring support to have in your home.

Imelda Mazariego

Newborn Care Specialist & Professional Nanny

Imelda is an experienced nanny with over 15 years of dedicated childcare experience, supporting families with children from newborns through the teenage years. Throughout her career, she has provided compassionate, structured, and reliable care while helping children thrive in safe and nurturing environments.

She has extensive experience with newborn and infant care, including feeding, diapering, swaddling, sleep outines, and milestone development. Imelda has also guided older children through potty training, schoo ransitions, extracurriculars, and daily routines. She has frequently traveled with families, both domesticall and internationally, and is trusted to provide overnight and extended care.

Her professional training and education include:

Newborn Care Specialist Training
RIE Nurturing Nanny Program
Sleep Training Certificate
CPR & First Aid Certification
Nursing Assistant Certificate
Medical Assistant Diploma - Chaffey College

Families value Imelda for her ability to balance structure and warmth, engaging children in meaningful activities such as Spanish lessons, creative arts, and educational outings. In addition to childcare, she supports households with light housekeeping, laundry, errands, and coordinating with vendors, ensuring smooth daily operations.

Outside of her professional work, Imelda enjoys meditation, reading, photography, music, sports, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Tania Sajche

Newborn Care Specialist

Tania Sajche is a dedicated Newborn Care Specialist with over 15 years of experience supporting families through the most important stages of early childhood. With extensive training and hands-on expertise, she specializes in nurturing newborns, guiding parents through postpartum transitions, and fostering healthy development from day one.

Expertise & Skills

Newborn & Infant Care: Skilled in feeding, swaddling, diapering, umbilical cord/circumcision care, and sleep conditioning.
Sleep Support: Certified in sleep training techniques, with training under Rebecca Hausser and as a Safe Sleep Ambassador.
Postpartum Support: Compassionate assistance to families adjusting after birth, including household organization and emotional support.
Developmental Guidance: Designs age-appropriate activities to help infants and young children reach key milestones.
Health & Safety: CPR/BLS/First Aid certified (adult, child, and infant), maintaining the highest standards of safety and hygiene.
Family Support: Experienced in creating custom feeding/sleep schedules, logging behavior patterns, and supporting parents with routines.

Training & Certifications

Newborn Care Specialist Training - Cuidando Angeles NCS LLC
Safe Sleep Ambassador Training
Child Sleep Training - Rebecca Hausser
BLS/CPR & First Aid - Adult/Infant/Child

Professional Background

Tania has worked as a Newborn Care Specialist, postpartum doula, nanny, and daycare owner/manager, giving her a unique depth of experience in both private homes and structured childeare environments. Her broad expertise allows her to adapt to each family's unique needs while maintaining a calm, nurturing, and professional presence.

Professional Affiliations

Member, US Nanny Association
Member, Newborn Care Specialist Association (NCSA)

Personal Qualities

Families describe Tania as loving, reliable, and organized, with a warm presence that helps parents feel reassured and supported. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, culturally sensitive, and flexible in adapting to the needs of newborns and families alike.

Flora Margarita Santacruz

Newborn Care Specialist

With over a decade of dedicated experience, Flora Maria Santacruz is a highly skilled Newborn Care Specialist (NCS), doula, and NICU/ICU-trained professional who has supported countless families in Los Angeles and beyond. Known for her professionalism, expertise, and dedication, Flora has guided first-time and experienced parents alike through the earliest weeks and months of their baby's life.

Flora's expertise spans a wide range of newborn care needs-including sleep training, breastfeeding support, reflux management, and caring for multiples and preemies. She has provided both day and overnight care for newborns, helped families establish healthy feeding and sleep routines, and offered parents hands-on coaching in essential skills such as bathing, diapering, and soothing. Her background as a Registered Nurse and Medical Assistant adds an extra layer of reassurance for families seeking knowledgeable support with both routine and more complex newborn care, including g-tube and oxygen monitoring.

Flora is also trained as a Birth and Postpartum Doula, bringing compassionate support to mothers as they recover and adjust to new routines. She has extensive experience helping siblings transition into their new roles, creating family-wide harmony during times of change. Her work is characterized by professionalism, warmth, and reliability, ensuring that every baby thrives and every parent feels supported.

Certifications & Training

Registered Nurse - El Salvador
Master's in Nursing - San Salvador
American Registry of Medical Assistants - New Jersey
NICU and ICU Specialist
Advanced Newborn Care Specialist Training
Sleep Training Certified
Doula: Birth & Postpartum
CPR & First Aid Certified
TrustLine Registered

Skills

Breastfeeding & lactation support
Sleep conditioning and training
Infant nutrition & food safety
Specialized care for preemies and reflux babies
Family coaching & milestone development