How To *Really* Help A New Mom After Baby Arrives

Every new mom needs some help, but it may not be the kind you’re thinking. Here’s how to REALLY help a new mom after baby arrives!

Ways To Help A New Mama In The Early Days

When someone close to you has just had a baby, it’s very exciting; all the newness and adrenaline that figures into everything. The new baby smell and tiny fingers and toes – it’s the simple things. You just want to be happy for them and do everything you can to celebrate. But you may not realize how much your actions and presence can help or potentially hurt them.

There is a fine line to walk while wanting to help your friend, but it is walkable. The postpartum period will be just as much a surprise to your best friend as it will be for you, so allow yourself to go with the flow. Make sure that you are taking steps to think about your friend and his or her needs as well as the excitement that you may be feeling and they will appreciate your help like no other. 

Give the New Family Some Time

Right after baby arrives, the best gift that you can give new parents is some space. Learning how to feed and change the baby, learning the baby’s personality, and learning how to work as a family unit takes time. Not to mention your friend’s healing body, sleep deprivation, and raging hormones that will figure into the craziness of those first few weeks of life. 

Inviting yourself over too soon can be stressful and unwelcome for some new parents. The first three months after a baby’s birth (also called the fourth trimester) can be a huge upheaval for both new moms and new dads, so give them a little time to sort out their new normal. 

Instead of coming over right away, send well wishes during the first week and start to ask gently about visiting a few weeks later. When you do visit, plan to bring a meal with you or ask if they’d like to order in – your treat. Stay for only an hour or until the meal is finished so that you don’t overstay your welcome. Remember, this is not about them loving you – this is about them dealing with their own life circumstances and exhaustion. Be a bright spot by helping to keep those boundaries without them having to ask. 

Be Attentive to Issues with the Baby and Parents

Things like postpartum depression and/or medical issues with the baby can be extremely tough during new motherhood. Be attentive and adjust your help and strategies to assist with different issues that may be unique to your friend.

Be a good listener. If mom is saying that she is exhausted, but can’t leave the baby alone, offer to sit in the room while baby sleeps to allow mom to take a bath or have some alone time.

If mom wants to breastfeed but is having trouble, offer to look up phone numbers for people to consult (i.e. a lactation consultant through La Leche League, a postpartum doula, or a specialist at the hospital). Helping to do some of the legwork and then getting out of the way can make a huge difference when your friend is having a hard time. 

Offer to Help with Siblings

If this is not your friend’s first baby, dealing with both the newborn stage as well as any other kiddos can be a real challenge. Offer to play games with their older kids in another room, or maybe take them to the park to give the parents time with their baby while knowing the other kids are safe and well.

An older sibling can easily feel left out of the mix when mom is dealing with sleepless nights and her new role as mom to multiple children. Not only will you get bonus points for feeding them healthy snacks and providing entertainment, but it is a great way to show the older children that they will still be getting love and attention, even if this is an uncertain time.  

Help with Groceries and Food

Helping with groceries and food can be a lifesaver for a new parent. One of the best gifts that you can give to a parent of a new baby is a gift card for a local restaurant that delivers. Attach it to a pack of diapers and you’ll have made their baby shower.

Food is often the last thing new parents want to have to deal with, but they have to eat and if they have other children, they have to make sure they are fed as well. Giving them a freebie meal is a huge gift. 

In addition and if you want to provide more, start a meal train among family members and friends. As people to provide a gift certificate, gift cards, freezer meals, or snacks that the family can keep around the house. 

Try to reduce the number of dishes that they’ll have to wash by bringing food in disposable containers or bringing paper plates and disposable silverware. It can go a long way.

Tell them that you’re on the way to the grocery store and while you’re there, you’re happy to grab some milk, eggs, or bread. If they don’t want you spending your own money, offer to place an order with a grocery delivery service like Instacart while you’re at their house so that they can just list things and have you do the computer work. Use their credit card so that they are paying the bill, but you’ve helped in the way they most felt comfortable. 

Offer to Hold the Baby

Offering to give a parent time to do anything on their own can be a great relief, especially if they trust you’ll do well. Offer to hold their baby for a while so they can nap, take a shower, scroll social media, or even do household chores that make them happy. Any little thing that helps a new mom feel like a normal person and allows them to take care of themselves for a bit is a kindness. Don’t be overbearing. Suggest helping and let them decide.

Not all parents will want this kind of help – particularly if this is their first child. If they don’t want you (or anyone) to hold the baby, offer to do the things that they would be doing if they weren’t holding the baby. Wash some of the dishes in the sink, fold the clean clothes in the laundry basket, or water the plants. Don’t even make a big deal about it, just grab the sponge while you are talking, give them a wink (or not), and start washing those dishes. 

Just Listen

Sometimes the best thing a new parent can ask for is for you to listen to them. Put your phone away so that they have your undivided attention and ask how they are doing. First time moms in particular need to hear that they are doing a great job (and will benefit from adult conversation), so be as supportive as possible. Listening and being emotional support helps new parents know they’re not alone.

Being a parent is one of the most wonderful, joyous, and fulfilling things in the world, but it can be one of the scariest, most overwhelming, and exhausting things as well. That is what no one tells you. Let your friend know that it is okay to talk to you and that you won’t judge. And as much as you adore that baby, their other children, and/or their partner, you are there for your friend. 

If you feel that they are struggling with their mental health, encourage them to talk to their doctor, other postpartum moms, and/or join a support group. It is an important thing to address any health concerns and validate them so that mom doesn’t feel alone and unfit. Your own experience will have been different from what your friend is going through, so don’t try to give unsolicited advice. Hold their hand and look for some outside help.  

Change your Expectations

When someone has a baby, that is the new focus of their life. And it really should be. Going out to dinner with friends, returning emails and texts, talking on the phone – these are things that your friend may not have time for right now. That has no bearing on their friendship with you, and your understanding of it is the perfect gift.

Those people who pay attention to your friend’s needs, boundaries, and challenges are the friends that she will remember when she can think a little bit more clearly. Sometimes the best way to be a friend is to allow your friend some space and not judge her for it. Let her know that you are there whenever she needs you, send an “I love you” text once every few weeks, and be patient. A new normal will emerge eventually and you can figure out how to accommodate your friendship at that time. 

All parents need a little extra support after delivering a baby. No matter how independent they are, exhaustion, hormones, and caring for the new baby takes up a lot of time and focus. Take cues from your friend about what they can use, what help she would appreciate, and go from there. Even just having good intentions and understanding is a help on your end, so make that the number one focus, and your friend will thank you.