6 Tips to Show Support for a First Time Mother
Entering into the stage of motherhood for the first time is both exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. In addition to the flood of hormones, a new mother is likely dealing with a lack of sleep and all of the pressure that comes with taking care of a newborn. Here are six things that you can do to show your support for a first-time mother.
Organize a Meal Train
Most people tend to bring a meal to a mom navigating the newborn stage for the first time. While this is certainly a welcome gesture, you can take this idea further by organizing a meal train. In today’s connected world, it is easier than ever to use an online website to encourage friends and family to sign up to bring dinner.
This will take the pressure off of the new mom from having to make sure every meal is covered. Instead, she can just refer people to the online meal train so that nothing slips through the cracks. It only takes a few minutes on your end to get this going, making it an easy way to make a big difference.
Help With Household Duties
It does not take long for the household duties to pile up when you have a newborn in the house. You can help to alleviate this load by offering to help with household duties. Keep in mind that most new moms will balk at the idea of letting people take this over.
Another good idea is to chip in with friends and hire a cleaning service for those first few weeks at home. Your friend will be able to better enjoy this special time bonding with the new baby if they are not worried about the laundry and dishes getting done.
Buy Her a Special Keepsake
Chances are, your loved one has received a variety of practical and cute items for the baby over the last few months. Rather than getting the baby a gift, consider buying a special keepsake for the mom to remember this amazing time getting to know her baby.
A breast milk ring is a meaningful keepsake that she will treasure forever. You can choose from a variety of designs, helping you to customize a jewelry piece that fits her exact tastes. Do not let this special time in life slip away unnoticed.
Offer to Watch the Baby
Sometimes the one thing that a new mom wants is a shower and a nap. It is not unusual for a new mother to be hesitant about leaving the baby with someone else for the first time. However, you can offer to come to her house and watch the baby while she has a little alone time.
Maybe she wants to use this time to take a walk around the block or run errands? Or she may just want to take a nap and a long bath. Whatever she decides to do with her time, she will appreciate having a trusted person looking after the bundle of joy.
Provide Emotional Support
One of the things that a new mom can use the most during this time is emotional support. She may also feel trapped at home because of the typical newborn eating and sleeping schedule. Showing support through texts and regular phone calls is a good way to put yourself out there as a listener. She will be comforted knowing that she has friends that she can count on when things get challenging.
Grocery Store Runs
Although the advent of grocery delivery services has certainly made life easier for new moms, it can be expensive to use this convenience on a regular basis. You can help the new mom out by offering to pick up something from the store every time that you do your own shopping.
Take it one step further by adding a sweet treat into her bag. Or maybe you want to add in a bouquet of flowers. Not only is this a practical way that you can help but it also shows her that you are thinking about her during this new season of life.
These six acts of kindness will go a long way in showing your support to that special new mom in your life.