Bringing home a new baby is already a huge adjustment.
Adding pet care on top of postpartum recovery, sleep deprivation, feeding schedules, and trying to remember when you last ate something besides a granola bar can feel surprisingly overwhelming.
We have 2 dogs, a cat, and a bird, and honestly, one of the biggest things that helped me postpartum was reducing the mental load of pet care wherever possible.
None of these things are essential, but they made the transition feel much more manageable for our family.
If you’re pregnant and trying to prepare your home before baby arrives, these are the postpartum pet care tips and systems I would absolutely prioritize again.
This post is for informational and personal-experience purposes only. Every postpartum recovery, pet, and family situation is different. Always use your judgment and talk with your healthcare provider, veterinarian, or other qualified professional about your specific recovery needs, activity level, pet-care responsibilities, and safety concerns. Product suggestions and routines shared here are based on what worked for our family and are not guarantees of outcomes or safety.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission when you shop through them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting MillenniMama and my family!
Start Thinking About Pet Care Before Labor Starts
One thing I learned quickly is that anything you can simplify before delivery will help your postpartum brain later.
Trying to coordinate pet care while actively in labor or immediately postpartum is not ideal.
Save this post for easier planning later.
What to Do With Pets During Labor and Your Hospital Stay
One thing I highly recommend thinking through before labor starts is your actual pet-care plan for the time you’ll be in the hospital.
Even if your delivery goes exactly as expected, there’s already so much happening physically, emotionally, and mentally during labor and those first postpartum days. Having a basic plan in place ahead of time can make the transition feel much calmer.
For our family, nearby grandparents helped care for our pets while we were in the hospital, which made a huge difference.
If family is not available nearby, it may help to:
- research local boarding facilities early
- check vaccine requirements ahead of time
- look into in-home pet sitters or dog walkers
- schedule meet-and-greets before your due date
- save emergency pet-care contacts in your phone
I would also recommend stocking up on pet food, litter, treats, medications, and cleaning supplies before your due date if possible.
Postpartum comes with a huge mental load already, and not having to think about running out of pet supplies was genuinely helpful for me.
Want to make caring for pets with a newborn feel a little less overwhelming?
Grab my free New Baby + Pet Prep Checklist with the simple things I’d absolutely set up again before bringing home a baby.
Shop The Postpartum Pet Care Items
See my Amazon storefront for all of the curated postpartum pet items in one place.
Baby #1 vs. Baby #2 Felt Completely Different
Coming home with my first baby felt much harder emotionally and mentally.
Everything was new. I was learning newborn care while also trying to remember to feed pets, refill water bowls, let dogs out, and keep routines somewhat normal.
By baby #2, the newborn stage felt much less overwhelming because the baby-care portion was already familiar.
That experience made me realize something important:
The more systems you can put into place ahead of time, the less mental load you carry postpartum.
Order Extra Pet Supplies Before Baby Arrives
One of the easiest ways to reduce stress postpartum is to stock up beforehand.
I would absolutely recommend ordering:
- Pet food
- Treats
- Litter
- Pee pads or turf supplies
- Cleaning spray
- Enzyme cleaner
- Medications
- Grooming essentials
I also loved having special treats ready for our dogs during the adjustment period.
It sounds small, but postpartum comes with so many decisions and responsibilities already. Not having to think about pet supplies helped lighten the mental load significantly.
Postpartum comes with so much mental load already, and honestly, the small systems ended up mattering more than I expected.
If you’re currently preparing for a newborn, you may also love:
The Fake Grass Patch That Helped Me Postpartum
One of the most helpful things we added postpartum was a fake grass potty patch system for our dogs on our deck.
I originally bought it because managing multiple kids and constantly taking dogs outside felt difficult during the newborn stage.
At first, our dogs weren’t interested in using it.
Then I added a small amount of real dirt on top — just enough to help it smell familiar without blocking the drainage system — and they started using it.
Now I occasionally add a little more dirt when it starts washing away.
The setup has honestly been incredibly helpful during:
- postpartum recovery
- newborn naps
- bad weather
- middle-of-the-night potty breaks
- juggling multiple kids
It’s definitely not completely odor-free, and sometimes it can smell a little. The patch does have a built-in sprinkler system that I have not tried yet, but definitely look forward to hooking up.
Using an enzyme cleaner nearby has helped a lot, especially for accidents or occasional odor buildup. Our system also came with a sprinkler attachment that I still want to test more consistently.
In my experience, this kind of setup may be especially helpful for:
- postpartum moms
- apartment living
- decks or patios
- winter weather
- families with multiple young kids
Save yourself some postpartum mental load.
Download the free printable checklist I wish I had fully completed before bringing home my first baby with pets at home.
The Gate That Made Everything Easier
Adding a gate near our deck area helped with several things at once:
- keeping the dogs contained
- making potty access easier (since I have the potty patch on the deck)
- separating pets and baby space when needed
- reducing chaos during busy moments
Sometimes small environmental changes make a bigger difference than complicated routines.
Pro Mama Tip: Consider getting the indoor and outdoor gate systems you’d like to have before baby arrives. Set them up early so your pets have extra time to adjust to new boundaries before baby comes home.
Shop The Postpartum Pet Care Items
See my Amazon storefront for all of the curated postpartum pet items in one place.
We Tried to Keep Our Dogs’ Routine Similar
One thing we intentionally tried to do was avoid drastically changing our dogs’ routines once baby arrived.
Thankfully, we didn’t experience behavioral regressions or tension with either dog.
In my experience, keeping feeding times, walks, attention, and routines as consistent as possible helped the adjustment feel smoother for everyone.
Our dogs are smaller (a Papillon and a Pomsky), and I personally felt comfortable walking them shortly after delivery, but postpartum recovery can vary widely.
It’s always worth discussing activity limitations and physical recovery with your healthcare provider based on your specific delivery and recovery experience.
You may also consider discussing your pet’s specific health, well-being and training needs with a veterinarian.
One thing motherhood keeps teaching me is that the smallest systems often make the biggest difference during overwhelming seasons.
If you enjoy practical, warm, real-life motherhood content like this, you may also love:
Caring for Pets During the Newborn Stage
Honestly, one of the biggest things I learned after having kids is that postpartum pet care is really about reducing friction and mental load wherever possible.
Coming home with baby #1 felt much harder because everything was brand new. I was learning newborn care while also trying to remember pet routines, feeding schedules, walks, cleaning, and all the little daily tasks that suddenly felt bigger while sleep deprived.
By baby #2, the newborn stage felt much more manageable because the baby-care side already felt familiar.
A few things that genuinely helped during the newborn stage:
- lowering expectations for myself
- automating what I could
- stocking supplies early
- keeping routines simple
- using tools that reduced daily cleanup
An automated litter cleaner was incredibly helpful during pregnancy and postpartum, especially since litter responsibilities can change during pregnancy.
A robot vacuum also helped tremendously with pet hair once we added a baby to the mix.
I also think it helps to remember that it’s normal if pet care feels emotionally overwhelming sometimes postpartum.
You still love your pets deeply, but you’re also recovering physically, adjusting emotionally, and caring for a newborn around the clock.
That adjustment period can feel intense.
A few small systems that reduce mental load can make a much bigger difference than you expect during those early weeks home with baby.
The Pregnancy and Postpartum Pet Products That Helped Most
A few things genuinely made pet care easier during pregnancy and postpartum:
Automated litter cleaner
This was especially helpful during pregnancy when I needed to avoid handling litter directly.
Robot vacuum
This helped tremendously with pet hair once we added a baby to the mix.
Enzyme cleaner
Very useful for turf maintenance and occasional accidents.
Catch dirt right at the door instead of trying to juggle baby and messy paws.
Fun and tiring activity for dogs to sniff and work for their food that’s super easy to set up.
Pet sitter research ahead of time
Even knowing our backup options reduced stress.
Shop The Postpartum Pet Care Items
See my Amazon storefront for all of the curated postpartum pet items in one place.
Things That Became Weirdly Hard Postpartum
Some things I didn’t fully anticipate postpartum:
- remembering pet supplies
- constantly refilling water bowls
- keeping up with pet hair
- managing barking during naps
- taking everyone outside at once
- balancing guilt about giving pets less attention temporarily
I think a lot of moms feel this and don’t really talk about it.
You love your pets deeply, but the postpartum period is a massive adjustment physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Reducing friction anywhere you can truly helps.
Preparing for baby with pets too?
Grab the free checklist with simple prep ideas for dogs, cats, feeding routines, potty systems, supplies, and postpartum planning.
Pin this post for later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do with my pets while I’m in the hospital having a baby?
If possible, try to make a pet-care plan before labor starts. Family support can be incredibly helpful, but if that’s not available, it may help to research local boarding facilities, pet sitters, or dog walkers ahead of time. If boarding is a possibility, check vaccine requirements early so you’re not scrambling close to your due date.
How can I prepare my pets before bringing home a baby?
In my experience, simplifying routines and reducing mental load ahead of time helped the most. Stocking up on supplies, planning potty access, setting up gates, and keeping routines as familiar as possible made the transition feel smoother for our family.
Is it normal to feel overwhelmed caring for pets postpartum?
Absolutely. Postpartum recovery already comes with a huge physical and emotional adjustment, and adding pet responsibilities on top of newborn care can feel like a lot. Small systems that reduce friction — like automated litter systems, easy potty access, or prepping supplies ahead of time — may help things feel more manageable.
How do you manage dogs during the newborn stage?
What helped us most was keeping routines fairly consistent while simplifying daily tasks wherever possible. A fake grass potty patch on our deck became especially helpful during newborn naps, bad weather, and middle-of-the-night potty breaks.
Can you walk your dogs postpartum?
Every postpartum recovery is different. I personally felt comfortable walking our smaller dogs shortly after delivery, but activity limitations can vary widely depending on your recovery experience. It’s always best to talk with your healthcare provider about what feels appropriate and safe for your body postpartum.
What pet products helped most postpartum?
A few things genuinely made life easier for our family:
- a fake grass potty patch system
- a gate for easier outdoor access
- an automated litter cleaner
- a robot vacuum for pet hair
- enzyme cleaner for occasional accidents
- snuffle mats for indoor engagment
- microfiber door mats to reduce dirt brought inside
None of these are essential, but they helped reduce mental load during the newborn stage.
How do you help pets adjust to a new baby?
Every pet is different, but we tried to avoid drastically changing our dogs’ routines once baby arrived. Keeping feeding schedules, walks, and attention relatively familiar seemed to help the adjustment feel calmer for everyone in our home. Consider discussing your pet’s specific needs with a professional, such as a veterinarian or trainer.
Final Thoughts
You do not need a perfect pet-care system before bringing home a baby.
But putting a few practical systems into place ahead of time can make postpartum feel much calmer and more manageable.
For our family, the biggest wins were:
- simplifying potty access
- automating what we could
- stocking supplies early
- keeping routines familiar
- reducing mental load wherever possible
Those small changes added up in a big way once we brought baby home.
Other Posts You’ll Love
If you’re currently preparing for baby or navigating the newborn stage, here are a few other MillenniMama posts you may enjoy:
The Congestion Sick-Kit for Stuffed Noses
SNOO Accessories You Need on Day One
The Three Pumping Bras You Really Need
Do Pump Parts Fit in the Baby Brezza Bottle Washer Pro?
What to Pack for a Long Road Trip with Baby
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