Congratulations on your pregnancy! Preparing to welcome a baby and entering the season of parenthood while taking care of yourself can be overwhelming. We are here to help! Here’s a guide to navigate and access the various services Lake Country has to offer both before baby arrives and after. And because everyone just can’t help but offer their advice during this time and through the 4th trimester, we recommend reading this post about setting moms of newborns up for success. It’s important not to forget moms as they learn to navigate life with a new little one. Moreland OB-GYN Associates has great 4th trimester resources for the mothers here: https://www.morelandobgyn.com/fourth-trimester.
In this Pregnancy Guide to Lake Country you will find both PRE and POST Pregnancy considerations and resources. For those adopting or fostering, we have article and team member experience as well!
Please thank our Pregnancy Guide SPonsor:
Chiropractic Company is a family chiropractic office located in Oconomowoc, WI; offering treatment for a variety of conditions in addition to wellness and lifestyle care. Drs. Bradley and Vanessa Fritz welcome your entire family for care at their location.
They are a kid-friendly practice certified in prenatal and pediatric care!
Click here for more details.
Find them on Facebook
1300 Summit Ave #201
Oconomowoc, WI
All things Pregnancy in Lake Country: classes, breastfeeding, prenatal massage and more
Finding a doctor you love for your pregnancy is no easy task. But Lake Country Family Fun polled local families to find their top rated OBGYNS.
Find the results of the top 15 in the area here or by clicking the image below:
There are alternatives to birthing options and in our area we have some great resources:
- Birth center birth – Check out the Authentic Birth Center in Wauwatosa
- Doula & Birth Services – Check out the Tree of Life
- Birthing with acupuncture – Check out Lake Country Accupuncture
Each hospital offers a variety of different classes including labor and delivery, breastfeeding, newborn care, hospital tours, plus more! Check out the links below to view and search class listings.
- Waukesha Memorial Hospital and Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital (Prohealth)
- Women’s Healthcare
- Aurora Medical Center in Summit (Aurora)
- Elmbrook Memorial Hospital (Wheaton Franciscan)
- Community Memorial Hospital (Froedtert)
Here are the Top 10 Reasons to Take an Independent Childbirth Class. Find other non hospital classes across Waukesha County here:
- Well Rounded Maternity Center
- Bradley Birthing Classes
- Women’s Healthcare
- Safe Babies Healthy Families (low cost)
- Waukesha County Public Health (low cost)
- Waukesha Public Health is offering Free Childbirth Education Classes
- Podcast, “Your Birth Bestie”
- Meet Beth Connors, a certified nurse midwife and birth educator! She’s a local girl mom and host of the popular podcast ‘Your Birth Bestie’. With her self-paced online course, Hands-Off Hospital Birth: A Complete Guide to an Informed and Autonomous Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum, Beth empowers pregnant moms like you to have a confident and low-intervention hospital birth experience. Additional options to choose individual or group support are available as well, so it’s perfect for everyone! Visit www.bethconnors.com for more information and get connected today!
Safety classes are an essential piece of education for new parents (and caregivers of all ages).
- Southeast Wisconsin Booster and Car Seat Fitting Stations (must make appointment)
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation: recommendations, resources, online training
- American Red Cross: First Aid & CPR Classes
- Infant CPR Certification
Infant safety and CPR classes are also offered by hospitals (see hospital section above)
Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) is offered by providers from Children’s Wisconsin. It teaches families:
- How to spend less time dealing with challenging behavior.
- How to spend more time building close relationships.
You’ll practice positive parenting skills to manage stress and promote healthy habits. That can mean more good days for your family. Triple P is FREE for parents with children from birth to 16 years old.
Triple P events help you learn new skills and find support. These free events help you create a parenting plan that works for your family. Sign up for a class on our calendar here: https://reg.learningstream.com/view/cal4a.aspx?ek=&ref=&aa=&sid1=&sid2=&as=96&wp=392&tz=&ms=&nav=&cc=&cat1=&cat2=&cat3=&aid=CHWTP&rf=&pn=
1:1 coaching: Talk with a Triple P provider for advice on a specific problem. This FREE coaching is a brief support program. It helps you create an action plan for your family’s needs. Please note that 1:1 coaching in a primary care clinic may have a fee. Parents may receive a bill for services. Sign up for short – term coaching here: https://childrenswi.org/medical-care/primary-care/triple-p/triple-p-registration
Triple P online is a FREE self-guided parenting program. It includes 8 modules that you can complete at your own pace.
You choose what works for you. Pick the modules that support your family’s needs and values. Sign up here: https://childrenswi.org/medical-care/primary-care/triple-p/triple-p-registration
Children’s WI Triple P Website: https://childrenswi.org/medical-care/primary-care/triple-p
- Latched Lake Country: Together, Latched Lake Country & Wellnest Chiropractic, host a a bi-weekly breastfeeding support group for moms in the lake country area. The group is facilitated by a board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) and a pediatric chiropractor.
- Schedule a lactation consult HERE.
- La Leche League: Breastfeeding Support Group in Brookfield
- Lake Country Pediatrics: Breastfeeding Classes & Support
- Children’s Hospital of WI: Breastfeeding support
- Waukesha County Breastfeeding Coalition
- Success Lactation Specialists, LLC: Home Visit Breastfeeding support prenatal and postpartum
Check out your hospital classes for breastfeeding information and support
And because everyone just can’t help but offer their advice during this time and through the 4th trimester, we recommend reading this post about setting moms of newborns up for success.
It’s important not to forget moms as they learn to nativigate life with a new little one. Moreland OB-GYN Associates has great 4th trimester resources for the mothers here: https://www.morelandobgyn.com/fourth-trimester.
You may also be interested in learning from Lake Country Newborns. They offer night nannies and more. They offer professional postpartum overnight and daytime support for your newborn and family during the first twelve months as you adjust to life with your baby. Serving Oconomowoc and all Southeast Wisconsin.
Fitness is an important elment of both physical and mental health for mom before and after pregnancy. Consult your doctor before engaging in exercise.
- Moreland OBGYN has a great article with frequently asked questions about Exercise During Pregnancy – read it here
- Expecting & Empowered, Comprehensive Pregnancy Workout Guide (business run by two Wisconsin women)
- Soleil Lune Yoga Center, Prenatal Yoga
- Movement Center in Pewaukee, Prenatal Yoga and Pilates
- Most of the yoga studios offer classes that are suitable during pregnancy. Contact your favorite yoga studio to determine which class would be the right one for you.
Infant Massage
Prenatal Massage
Cloth diapering has become popular again especially as a way to reduce waste. Here are some cloth diapering resources and articles below:
- Nicki’s Diapers: Purchase cloth diapers and accessories. Online only and based out of Wisconsin
- Well Rounded Maternity Center: Cloth diaper basics class
- One Family’s Cloth Diapering Journey: Lake Country Family Fun contributor’s journey
Lake Country has many amazing Maternity photographers. Click or tap on the image below to view our most recommended photographers and search by “Maternity”.
Photo credit: Julie Collins Photography
- Paper Source at the Corner’s of Brookfield
- Coqui Paperie, Brookfield
Gifts are a big part of new babies from push gifts to shower gifts and more. We love encouraging people to shop local. You can view our SHOP SMALL GUIDE for ideas and a few are listed out below:
- Purple Giraffe, Oconomowoc
- Baby Jack and Co., Mukwonago/Online
- Hush Little Lanie: A Baby Boutique, Merton
- Goo Goo Gaa Gaa, Brookfield
There are so many places to host a baby shower in Waukesha county. A great place to explore ideas is the Venue Guide of Waukesha County. Click on the image below to access it:
We are blessed to live in an area that offers amazing childcare options! Find them below:
- Lake Country Family Fun’s Childcare Guide
- Lake County Family Fun’s Preschool Guide
- YoungStar: Wisconsin’s daycare rating and improvement system. Search for licensed child care options based on location, name, or rating.
- Certified In-Home Child Care, Waukesha County
Sleep for new parents? What is that!? Ha! But seriously, we recommend Lake Country Sleep as an amzing local resource:
Chiropractor are for pregnant moms, post-pregnant mothers and even infants can be extremely valuable. Find our top rated (top 15) chiropractors from a poll in January of 2023 here. Some options include:
- Chiropractic Company in Oconomowoc
- North Point Chiropractic in Brookfield
- Lake Country Health Center in Delafield
- Hartland Family Chiropractic in Hartland
- Traub Chiropractic Care Center in Oconomowoc
Physical Therapists are for pregnant moms and post-pregnant mothers. These have a pelvic floor focus.
Moms groups and playgroups can be very helpful to parents. For me personally, they have been a blessing and some of my best friends to this day are from moms groups. Click on the image below for a local list of playgroups:
Not all moms give birth to their children, but are moms none the less! Here are resources on Adoption and Foster care from our Lake Country Family Fun team:
May is National Foster Care Month and November is National Adoption Month.
Hopefully this has helped you along your journey. To make sure you stay up to date and to connect with other moms in our community, sign up for our e-newsletter, join our Facebook group and follow us on Instagram.
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will transition from an open floor plan with patient isolettes to one that features private single and double patient rooms. Research has shown that patient outcomes improve significantly when families spend more time with their infants in private rooms. Patients’ family members visit more often and stay longer, have more interaction with the care team, learn more about their baby and the baby’s care, and become more integral to the patient’s care plan.
A number of health benefits have been identified for the babies who receive care in neonatal intensive care units with private rooms, including decreases in infections, sepsis, bronchial and pulmonary issues, apnea, stress, pain, length of stay and mortality. Additional benefits include increases in rates of breastfeeding, weight gain, nutrition, sleep, muscle tone, attention, and neurological and language development.
The design also includes the addition of two large C-section suites near the hospital’s birthing unit. The surgical suites will add 2,300 square feet of space and feature state-of-the-art lighting and equipment. An existing post-surgical recovery room also will be updated with advanced equipment for optimal delivery of care.
