5 Things to Do Before Your Baby Arrives: A New Parent’s Guide to Newborn Care in Missoula

Dr. Wilson here! As a naturopathic doctor who sees lots of newborns, children, and postpartum patients, I know how exciting those last few weeks of pregnancy can be. They can also be incredibly stressful.

There is so much pressure on new parents to have everything perfectly prepared before a baby arrives. The nursery needs to be ready. The car seat needs to be installed. The freezer should somehow be full of healthy meals. And, according to the internet, you apparently need approximately 47 different newborn gadgets.

The truth? You probably need less than you think.

What you do need is a little support and a plan for those first few weeks. Here are five things I recommend doing before your baby arrives to make the newborn and postpartum period a little easier.

1. Don’t sweat the small stuff. 

Easier said than done, we know. But it’s worth mentioning….no one expects your home to be spotless after the arrival of your newborn. No one expects their texts to be answered within hours, or maybe even at all. As a new parent, you can get a “free pass,” so to speak, for the small stuff. 

But if you know you’re the type of person that won’t be able to relax in a “messy” home, or with unanswered texts, how about offloading some of those tasks? Here are some quick tips for that: 

• Ask a friend to come and organize the living room while you lay on the couch and feed your baby. Friends are going to be so happy to help in this way. 

• If finances allow, hire a cleaner to come twice per month for the first 3 months. Perhaps you’ll have a bit saved if you take our advice and don’t buy everything new…(see below!)

• Set an automatic reply to texts and/or emails, explaining your situation. If acquaintances don’t already know you’ve just welcomed a newborn, they’ll be excited and also drop the expectation of a timely reply…

2. Create a list of Postpartum Care Resources

Create a list of resources for yourself for the first few weeks to months of life for your newborn, BEFORE they arrive. 

Sleep is fragmented for the entire family in these first few weeks to months. Which means remembering the name of that lactation consultant your friend mentioned 3 months ago might be a bit difficult. 

During the “nesting” phase, we recommend that you sit down with a pen and paper and write down a list of names, and contact info, for caretakers/providers/support groups. If you think there’s a chance you might 

Some ideas of what to put on this list:

• Local lactation consulting resources
• Local Mother’s Support Groups – write down when/where they meet
• Pelvic Floor Therapists 
• The number to your child’s primary care provider (see below)
• Number to your favorite take-out restaurant…

Don’t forget to choose your newborn’s healthcare provider BEFORE birth!

Here at Montana Whole Health, we think it’s really important for you to decide who your newborn’s primary care doctor will be before baby arrives. If you want us to be your primary care provider then please schedule a 15-minute meet & greet appointment at least one month before your estimated due date. Click here to schedule the Meet & Greet.

3. Prepare to introduce your PETS

No one wants to get home from the hospital or birth center and just be thinking about how to keep the family pets calm and contained in those first few weeks. We recommend thinking this through beforehand. We are big animal lovers here at Montana Whole Health and think family pets can make great siblings, too. However, it’s important to consider the adjustment period that even the sweetest Fido deserves.

Some quick tips: 

• Set up the “baby gear” before the baby arrives. Some of this stuff can be pretty weird looking to an animal! We want to reduce the stress on them as much as possible. A bedside bassinet, stroller, or car seat can all sit around your place for a few weeks before the baby arrives so that these are all familiar objects to your pet 
• Shift their schedule ahead of time. If your dog or cat is on a strict schedule, and you anticipate this schedule changing with the arrival of the little one, try to make these changes before the baby arrives, 
• Create a “safe space” for your pet. This usually involves a quiet, protected area where your pet can “escape” the commotion of a newborn, including the late-night wake-ups, the crying, the visitors…
• NEVER leave your human baby and pet baby alone together. Even dogs with the best intentions usually don’t quite understand their own strength.

• Prepare meals ahead of time and store in the freezer. OR, ask a friend to bring a casserole every few days. Removing cooking from you or your partner’s list of To-Dos will allow for more of the important bonding time.

4. “Reduce, reuse, recycle!”

Here at Montana Whole Health, we are firm believers in the above adage! There is no need to buy all of the newborn clothes, accessories and equipment new. If this is your first baby, chances are you have friends or relatives who’s children have outgrown the newborn clothes, strollers, etc. And chances are, when your baby is ready for those 2T clothes, they’ve be ready to unload those, as well. 

If you can’t find what you’re looking for from friends or family, chances are there are strangers near you moving on from the baby season and looking to declutter! 

• Check out your local “Buy Nothing” Facebook page. Facebook Marketplace is also another great resource for lightly used items.

• Thrift stores – There are actually plenty of used stores dedicated to selling just used baby items! 

Remember – you probably don’t need to go to Target to spend hundreds of dollars on baby clothes. The stroller needs to be safe, and work well, but it does NOT need to be new. Sure, it will be fun to buy a couple of new things, but save up for the items that are best bought new (i.e. pacifiers, bottles, your dream baby carrier). We promise you – all of the clothes will end of stained, anyways.

5. Find Time to Date Your Partner 

You heard it here first! If you have a partner that you are raising this child with, you better believe you’re still “dating!” Don’t expect the newborn period to be the most romantic one of your relationship, but also don’t shy away finding moments to pay your partner some undivided attention. It may just make the hard days feel a little bit easier. Here are some ideas: 

• Leave “Love Notes” – maybe you stick a sticky on the bathroom mirror so that your partner sees it when they awaken for the next feeding. 

• Date Night – Plan a “Date Night,” so to speak! Order take out, cue up your favorite show, and enjoy some time together on the couch while baby sleeps. 

• Make each other snacks – cause after all, food is love! While your love may look a little different right now, you can still be sure each other is nourished. 

• Remember, it’s just a season. You may need to remind yourselves of that, often. Say it with us “This is Just a Season.” 

Preparing for your newborn in Missoula

Having a baby is a huge transition, and you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

If you are looking for newborn care in Missoula and are considering Montana Whole Health as your baby’s primary care provider, we would love to meet you before your baby arrives.

Schedule a 15-minute meet-and-greet with us at least one month before your estimated due date so we can get to know your family and answer your questions about newborn care.