Do you have a friend who’s about to become a new mum? Here are some very helpful things you might consider doing to ease things for her at the very beginning (and a bit later down the track too!).
The following are suggestions; of course, not all women will want you doing their washing for them or cleaning around them but you will know what will work and what won’t.
- Organise a meal roster
Gather some friends together on Facebook and organise a meal roster for a few days. Tell New Mum she need not worry about dinner for x number of nights and each night organise to have someone drop her dinner over. They might leave it in an insulated container on her doorstep (send her a quick text to let her know it’s there), taking care not to wake the baby or pop in for a visit with the meal and tea (you make the tea!) and cake.
- If you go for a visit, offer to pop on a load of washing for her
- Offer to watch/cuddle the baby while she hops in the shower. While she’s in there (and if the baby is asleep) do a quick clean up in the kitchen for her, wipe all the surfaces down with some lovely essential oils, make her bed and get the kettle on ready to make her a cuppa (and tuck her and her baby back into bed!) when she hops out.
- If she has other kids, offer to have them over for a play for an afternoon or morning so that she can focus on her newborn and get some sleep!
- While you’re out shopping send her a text asking if you can pick anything up for her while you’re out.
- Bring a little hamper of healthy goodies to snack on and lovely smellies for her (when she finally gets a chance to get in the shower!).
- If you’re having a MamaBake session with a group of women, or alone, make extra and take her a box of wholesome homemade meals from you all. And don’t forget lovely fresh salads! There’s only so much Spaghetti Bolognese a woman can take!
- Stay in touch. Often new mums can feel socially isolated in those early days (and later on!). Drop her a text when you think of her; let her know she is in your thoughts. Ask her how she is doing, if she needs anything etc.
- Does she have a dog too? Offer to take it for a walk (with the other kids too if she has them!).
- Bring her a great book to read while she’s nursing.
- Is she using cloth nappies? Organise a cloth nappy washing service for a couple of weeks.
- If she has other children too, make up some healthy packed lunch snacks so she doesn’t have to think about making lunches as well as everything else.
- Speaking of hiring help; how about a cleaner for a period of time (if $$ allows and she would like that)?
- A bit later down the track ask her if she’s like to join you in a MamaBake session!
- Try any of the above a few weeks, even months, down the track too!
Did we miss anything? What did you find the most helpful gestures when you first had your baby?
Tell us in the comments below! We’d absolutely love to hear.
