Having a child can be a stressful and tiring time. You’ll have a lot of things on your mind and it can be particularly stressful if you had a complicated birth. You might feel fatigued and it can be a few days before you’re back on your feet and ready to tackle your daily tasks. This is why it’s important to have a support group around you that is willing to help and provide assistance.
But it can be difficult for new mothers to reach out, especially when they’re feeling tired and exhausted all day. So in order to help friends and family members, it’s a good idea to take a delicate approach. In this post, we’re going to look at a couple of ways that you can help friends and family members who have just given birth.
Don’t barge into their home uninvited
Many people think that it’s a pleasant surprise if they randomly show up one day, but this can actually be quite stressful for the parents. You might be excited to finally see their new child, but you should give them a couple of weeks after they return home before you start visiting. You shouldn’t invite yourself over either. Don’t tell them that you’re in the area and that you want to stop by. It puts them in a rather awkward situation that could be avoided.
New parents will need a bit of time before they can return to socializing, so give it a few weeks. The exception to this is if you’re a very close friend or family member. But even so, wait for confirmation and ask before you visit. If they turn down your offer to visit, don’t take it too personally and just understand that they need a bit of time before they can see guests again.
Get some gifts ready for when you visit
You don’t want to visit a new mother empty-handed, so it’s a good idea to put a few practical gifts before you visit. A baby grooming kit is a perfect gift for a new mum and should be considered, but you could also consider some practical supplies such as baby food and diapers. If you’ve had a baby in the past, think of the things that you would’ve really liked to have during the first few months of having your newborn around. If you know the new mother has everything she needs, why not book a newborn photographer for her to immortalize those new motherhood moments? A session with a newborn photographer is going to be one of the most precious gifts a new mother can give: there is only so many burp cloths one baby can have!
Be good at listening
New parents are always going to talk about how cute their newborn is or how worried they are about something like a cough or a sneeze. It’s important to be a good listener. Don’t just ignore what they say or cut into their sentences. Let them speak and say what they want then provide some kind of positive feedback.
One of the worst things you can do is be overbearing with your advice. You don’t ever want to give advice just because you’ve been a parent yourself. Let new parents figure things out on their own and do things the way they want to. Offering advice is fine in small quantities, but don’t make yourself seem like the authority on the subject as it can make things stressful and awkward for new parents.