5 Actually Helpful Ways To Support A New Mom (And 3 Things NOT To Do)
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Couples, especially the mom, are showered with gifts as soon as she gives birth to the baby. These could be anything from blankets, burp cloths, and onesies to flowers, cards, and photo frames. While the former turns out to be useful while taking care of the child, flowers and frames are honestly just a waste of space! Though a sweet gesture, no new mom has the time or the energy to water your fresh flowers right after childbirth. If you really ask what a woman would appreciate after the long-enduring childbirth, she would tell you that it’s the words of comfort and encouragement. This brings us to the topic that no one really dives into (but should) — the actual ways to help out a new mom. Below we have listed out five ways you could do just that.
1. Cook Something For The Family
Moms are completely exhausted yet busy right after childbirth. It would be an incredible gesture on your part if you could manage to cook up a meal or even prepare a baked good for the family. They would appreciate it any day over flowers. And if you indeed plan on cooking something, try and figure out what they would prefer instead of texting them asking what they need.
2. Offer A Membership To A Grocery Delivery Service
If you are not much of a chef, then you could get the person a grocery delivery service membership instead. This way, the mom can easily get her groceries delivered to her house within hours or even minutes through the app. New moms would rather spend their time with the baby and maybe catch some sleep. So if you could help her figure out the grocery hassle, that would be the best gift!
3. Let Her Know That She Is Doing Great
Those among us who have experienced being a mom know how hard it is to get out of the house when you have an infant in your arms. While it is easy for the rest of us to shamelessly huff and puff at the site, a little empathy for the struggling lady would be more than enough. Try and be more compassionate towards the new mom as she is doing her best. Kind and encouraging words such as “You’re doing great!” could simply make her day.
4. Don’t Ask Too Many Questions
If you are planning on helping out the new mom, make sure you don’t flood her with open-ended questions regarding trivial matters. She has already got a lot on her mind. The last thing the woman wants is to figure out how you could help them. If you really need their say on things, maybe be more specific with the questions such as “Shall I do the dishes?” or “When can I drop off the dinner?” instead of going, “How can I help?”
5. Be Specific When You Ask How She Is Doing
If you’ve had experience being a mom, you would likely know how painful and exhausting the process of childbirth can be. So she would feel much better if you ask how she found each step to be. You could ask her about the tearing, the pain, the first shower, and so on. While we all ask how the baby is doing, sometimes we forget to ask the mom how she is holding up.
Now that we’ve mentioned the ways you could support a new mom, let’s discuss what not to do as well.
1. Random Drop-in Visits
This one is customary. We have all seen people coming over to see the new mom and child. While it is well-intended, the family, especially the mom, doesn’t really have the energy to talk to multiple visitors. Keep in mind that new moms need sufficient rest after going through childbirth. Hosting a slew of visitors isn’t really how she wants to spend her time.
2. Having A Welcoming Party For The Newborn
While it is a joyous occasion, no new mom is in the mood to clean the house, dress up, and host a party after childbirth. If you really want to cheer her up, help the family out with a few chores such as cooking, cleaning, or taking care of the groceries.
3. Refrain From Giving Unsolicited Advice
While it may seem like you are helping the new mom out, unsolicited advice can likely make them feel overwhelmed or even annoyed. So it is best not to hand out unnecessary advice to the woman unless she specifically asks for one.
Adjusting to the role of motherhood can be challenging for most women during the first few months. And that’s why it’s important to offer them our help however we can.
Did you find our article helpful? Let us know in the comments below the best (or worst) gift that you received as a new mom.
