Prepping the medicine cabinet: Prep for Baby Part 3
This is not for medical advice nor should it replace medical recommendations from the appropriate medical teams.
Medical considerations for the first two weeks are relatively simple in idea, but complicated when considering your own values, fears, and the lack of consistent, digestible information out there. Newborns are fragile, and parenting is vulnerable. It's easy to get lost in fear, stress, and to overcomplicate these topics. Medical information feels overwhelming and contradictory. Safety and risk are difficult to evaluate. I am not a medical provider and am not here to give any medical advice. I do hope, however, this blog helps you better understand a potential process for considering your own wants and needs as it relates to prepping for baby. Again, discussing the process, not what is best for you, as that is unique to your family.
Considerations start broadly. First, what are your beliefs about medical treatment? People fall all over the spectrum of medical intervention: medicinal intervention, holistic intervention, and mixed methodologies. A simple example I like to use is how people treat fevers. Every single person I know treats fevers differently. Some medicate with a pill at 100.4, others not until 102, and others not at all. Some use tinctures and oils, and ice or warm packs. Some use a mixture. Some change their intervention depending on whether their consumption of food, water, or sleep is impacted. What they choose for themselves as an adult versus a child is different. What brands they use for whatever items they prep are different. What they do for each of their children is sometimes different. What is the same, though, is that they all do so with a conscious awareness of why, have intentional methods of weighing risk, and are under the care of teams who are similarly aligned with their values. This intentionality, knowledge, and care team support are essential for safety.
As you consider your own beliefs, some questions I have asked myself include: Do I have religious or cultural values around medical care? Do I have knowledge of basic medical events (fevers, cuts) and what current recommendations are from different reputable sources? What have I seen around me, and how do I feel about it? Do these beliefs change when considering a newborn, and if so, how? Are there particular considerations for a newborn that I have to take into account related to medical care? What do I know about the different perspectives of holistic versus medicinal care?
Once you have explored your belief systems, you now know where your strengths are, where you still need to grow, and what questions you need answered. I often ask myself, do I know what the recent books, podcasts, and/or leaders on this topic are that I align with or can use to further explore, and what questions may I have for a pediatrician or other care team member to help me prep for the baby?
Then comes the logistics: Finding a care team aligned with your beliefs and prepping for the baby's arrival (items you want available).
In this category, considerations may include what health events I need to prepare for. I find it helpful to stay in the realm of “most likely” scenarios and "reasonably worth considering” events. Most, please talk with your pediatrician/obgyn/midwife, consider basic first aid items, such as band-aids and thermometers, and prepping infant-related medicine cabinet items for fevers, small cuts, and abrasions (those nails can be sharp), any procedural care such as a circumcision, and allergic reactions. If you have a genetic history of other medical needs or known needs for the child, this would shift accordingly. I use the term “prep items” because this is where your own belief systems come in and risk measurement. These can be anywhere from ice packs and essential oils to ibuprofen for infants or a mixture of both. You may choose to carry certain items when considering risk the first couple weeks of life even if they stay in the back of the cabinet and inevitably end up in the trash.
Once you have come up with a general idea of what your beliefs are and what events you may need items on hand to treat, you can then consider what brands align with your values, needs, and price range. I found, over time, asking friends, Facebook groups, and online was great for determining what's out there. Then I considered how it aligned with all the aforementioned process steps, researched each, and chose based on my families values, beliefs, needs and wants.
For the baby's care team, I consider what my belief systems are and start searching for multiple care teams aligned with that. Then I consider questions to ask myself based on what I will use this care team for. Typically, it is sick visits (or calls), well visits, and any procedures that are needed in the future. Thus, I have considered what their policies are for sick visits, portal messages, or calls. This may include considerations such as: do they have openings regularly or use a local urgent care? Do they charge for portal messages? What are their call hours? I consider who I will actually see during well visits and do I feel comfortable and safe. I consider if, in the future, a procedure is needed, what hospital team is in the network. Lastly, I consider what any drive time will be and what costs will be associated with this care team based on my insurance or payment plan needs. I take these questions and then interview teams to find the best fit.
Remember, medical anything is overwhelming. Take a breath and find resources that you feel confident in and align with who you are or want to be. If you’re not sure who that is yet, that is also okay. Just start by weeding out what doesn't feel right, educating yourself, and tuning in to what sits well with your heart and mind. You will learn more about yourself by doing this process! Its also okay to give yourself permission to prep in a multitude of ways and decide as time goes on!
Did I miss anything you have considered in this category?
*This blog, though educational in nature, is not intended as advice or to replace medical recommendations.
