It’s no secret: Becoming a new mom can be tough. It’s overwhelming to suddenly have a fragile little human to care for, not to mention adjusting to your new (possibly nonexistent) sleep schedule and the chaos of having a newborn. Luckily, the new mom in question isn’t alone — she’s got you on her team!
If you want to support your BFF or family member who just became a mom but aren’t super sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through all the ways you can support that new mama after her baby arrives.
Spend Time With the Baby
The first thing (and probably one of the most helpful things) to help out mom is the most simple: Offer to spend time with the baby. That’s it.
Get to know their little one — their feeding routine, how they’re sleeping, what calms them down. Then you can offer to watch their babe while they hop in the shower, get groceries, or even take a much-needed nap.
Leaving your newborn alone for even a few minutes can be scary for a new mom. Having a trusted friend or family member around to step in during those necessary breaks can go super far in keeping hold of your sanity.
Don’t be afraid to be that person. Even simply offering to change a few diapers or bring the new mom a snack while she’s breastfeeding can be helpful. As moms ourselves, we guarantee she will appreciate it. Nothing is quite as valuable as the gift of time.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and in our experience, the sentiment is often true. Childcare is a LOT of work, and just showing up will mean a ton to the woman in question. Even if she doesn’t call on you for help all the time, the peace of mind of knowing that you’re there to step in when needed can be huge.
Help Out Around the House
Another huge way to support the new mom is by helping out around the house, whether that be by cleaning, cooking, or running errands. Maybe she’s a single mom, or maybe her partner went back to work and can no longer do as much housework. Or perhaps even with all hands on deck, there are still chores and tasks slipping through the cracks.
In that case, one of the best things you can do is offer to help out with household chores. Offer to do the grocery shopping, clean the house, or cook a meal or two. If there are more children in the family, offer to take them on a playdate or to the park for a few hours. These tasks might not feel like they take up a lot of time, but when you’ve got a newborn to feed every three hours, even the smallest favor can be a total lifesaver.
How To Help a New Mom Around the House
Other ways you can help the new mom out around the house include:
- Do laundry. Notice she hasn’t changed out of the same pair of maternity PJs in four days? Offer to do a load of laundry (or buy her another set of PJs). Hygiene is a crucial step in self-care, but when you haven’t gotten more than two hours of sleep at a time for weeks, it can easily fall through the cracks.
- Meal prep for her. Like hygiene, eating nutritious and regular meals can easily evade your grasp with a newborn to care for. Chop up some vegetables, make a few frozen meals, and stick it all in the fridge with labels and a note. She’ll thank you later.
- Lawn work/driveway care. Perhaps the new mom needs her driveway shoveled or lawn mowed. We can tell you right now that’s going to fall to the BOTTOM of her priority list. Taking care of a chore like that is a great way to accomplish something that otherwise probably won’t get done.
- Running errands. Maybe she needs her oil changed or has some prescriptions to pick up. Or perhaps she has a huge pile of returns to make that are sitting on a chair in her bedroom, gathering dust.
Little errands like these can take up a ton of mental real estate before they get done, especially when you have bigger fish to fry (a whole baby to take care of). Offer to step in and help with these little things — we guarantee she’ll love you for it.
Encourage Self-Care
Becoming a mom is a magical experience, don’t get us wrong, but it can also run you RAGGED. Between diaper changes, colic, and cleaning up spit-up for the millionth time, we can’t think of anyone who needs a little TLC more than a new mama. An excellent way to help out a new mom is by making sure she takes care of herself, too, such as by gifting her a luxe self-care package.
Some helpful new-mom self-care items might include a gift certificate for a massage or manicure or a beautiful notebook to help her memorialize this time and unwind.
Perhaps she’d prefer a mama-safe bath soak: We’re partial to the soothing Belly & Bath Soak. Or else you might get her something that’s both luxurious and functional, such as a bundle of adorable nursing clothes and must-haves.
A new mom also might appreciate a subscription to a streaming service or delivery service. Food delivery services can be especially helpful.
Eating healthy might be the last thing she cares about right now, but it’s more important than ever, especially if she chooses to breastfeed. A gift card for food or grocery delivery can take care of that. (Plus, nothing feels quite as satisfying at the end of a long day as finally caving and ordering takeout.)
Whatever you do, let her know that you see how hard she’s working and that it’s okay to step back and take care of herself for a minute, too. After all, it’s easier to be the best mom ever when you feel happy and healthy in the first place.
Be a Shoulder To Cry On
There are many different ways to bolster a new mom. You can support her with the gift of your time and presence, shower her with gifts and baked goods, or take over for a night and babysit. But one of the most helpful and meaningful ways you can help a mama out is by supporting her emotionally.
The baby blues are real, y’all – and the fourth trimester can be hard. The stress of being a new parent, hormones flying all over the place, not to mention postpartum depression, can all cause emotional upheaval, and it may be that there’s nothing your gal pal wants more than a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.
Let her know that you’re here for her, no matter what – and also that it’s OKAY not to be okay right now. Many women struggle with grief and sadness after they give birth, but they may not think those feelings are acceptable or normal. In fact, they’re incredibly common.
Providing a reassuring and validating presence can help mom get through this tough period. Ensure that she knows how much she is loved and cared for.
Have a Girls’ Night
Maybe motherhood is going really well for this new mom, and she doesn’t need as much help staying on top of things around the house. But what she could really use is an escape – a dinner with her best girlfriends or a girls’ night out.
Don’t underestimate the power of fun in lending a hand. Take her out for the night, or plan a fun movie night with snacks and a bottle of red. Even if she has to take a break from the fun to nurse her newborn, it will be nice to mix things up a little bit.
In our humble opinion, there aren’t many problems that spending a little time with your friends won’t fix – even supermom needs a night off every once in a while! Planning a fun night out with the girls is one of the best (and most enjoyable) ways you can support your mama friend as she navigates early motherhood.
Best Friend Ever
Becoming a mom is super magical, but it can also be super hard. There are many ways you can boost the new mom in your life, but the most important thing is that you do.
Show up for her, put the time in, and let her know that you’re here for her on this journey, no matter how challenging it can be. At the end of the day, that’s what matters most of all.
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