I know a lot of you like to help others. I know this because I believe most of you have big hearts and a real concern for your fellow humans. I’ve seen an outpouring of friendship in my own life that is a testimony to what I just stated.
So here is a list of dos and don’ts for friends/family of a new mom. Whether it’s her first baby or her tenth — most moms I know would agree with this list. Please feel free to add your own in the comments.
- Do bless her with a homemade dinner meal for her family
- Do visit if you are healthy and your family is healthy, but don’t linger (30 minutes or less) esp if she’s breastfeeding
- Don’t show up unannounced. Surprise visits usually are not welcome in the first few weeks. If she is expecting you, do call her when you are on your way incase she needs to prepare herself or her baby or her house for company.
- Do give her gifts, cards, gift cards (these are great b/c she can use them to buy diapers), flowers, balloons, etc.
- Do offer to mow her lawn, shovel her driveway/walkway, pull weeds, run errands, etc.
Thank you to everyone who has done or offered to do these things for us. Without your help we wouldn’t be doing as well as we are right now.
You have been tagged.
love the mow the lawn one. One of my friends was doing something for her friend that had a baby and her husband asked if he could cut the grass. We realized (and this was just this past year, and after I am done having babies ; )) that we should always try to add some chores like that to our normal meals and offers of babysitting and errand running. Good stuff.
Can I just add one. If you have NEVER in your life breastfed offer your advice on breastfeeding!
! Good points!
Heidi…I’m not a new mother…but I would take any of those suggestions for myself…if anyone would like to offer!
oops, obviously meant DON’T offer your advice