Ways to Help Out a Mama with a New Baby

As my new niece was being welcomed into the world last week, I was reminded how overwhelmed a mama can be once they are home with new baby.  Whether it’s the first baby, or number 3, here are some tips and ideas to help that mama out!

 Come Bearing Gifts

While flowers and stuffed animals can be very appealing gifts, they aren’t always so helpful to the new mama (you do actually have to change the water in the vase to keep those roses alive and that pink elephant you swooned over will only look like a dust magnet to her).  Instead, think practical gifts.  Was baby born early and does mama need preemie clothes or what if baby won’t realistically grow into those seasonal clothes on time as expected?  Or maybe baby was close to setting a World Record as the largest baby born this year and mama is going to need 6 month clothes sooner than later?  Resist temptation to buy the first frilly, pink outfit you come across and think practical.  New moms will soon figure out they can’t have enough gowns or onesies, but  pink sundresses won’t get you very far on a daily basis.

I like to put together a gift basket of assorted, practical items for mom and new baby.  Buy a cute basket at JoAnn’s or Michael’s and fill it with items such as diapers, travel wipes, Boogie Wipes, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, baby wash, and wash cloths.

Check mama’s registry to see if there are any practical items that weren’t bought for her showers.  Also, the basket is an added bonus:  my sister-in-law told me she planned to use the basket I brought her last year to hold diapers and wipes downstairs in her two-story house to save her the constant trips upstairs when baby needs changing.  This sister-in-law is the baby guru, so I was happy to have bought her something useful.

I put this basket together for my other sister-in-law (Princess Camila’s mama) this week and also included preemie diapers (mama and baby were healthy and fine, but the princess was just tiny!) and preemie onesies (I usually don’t buy clothes as gifts, but again this was a practical need in the circumstances).

 

I also included cute note cards for new mom to have handy when she has a moment (ha ha!) to write thank you notes.   Don’t forget the stamps!  I also like to include a gift card specifically for mama:  think Starbucks or Jamba Juice.

Mama Has to Eat Too  

One group of girlfriends I know is fantastic in helping out their friends with new babies.  One friend will take the lead and circulate a meal calendar to the other friends and ask everyone to sign up for a night to bring a meal to the new parents.  This can easily be accomplished via e-mail, Google Docs, or Facebook.  Think how grateful (and relieved!) the new mama will be when she realizes she doesn’t have to worry about getting the rest of her family fed during those first few hazy weeks.

If you aren’t much of a cook, look into a prepared meal service or hit up Central Market.  I recently discovered Eat Well (stay tuned for my review on that!) and couldn’t stop thinking about how great this would be for new moms.

Offer Insist Your Help  

New mama is going to be hesitant to ask anyone other than her own mother and mother-in-law for help.  You know who you are.  If you are close enough friends, tell her you are coming by for one hour to help her out.  Don’t let her talk you out of it.  Find out her feeding schedule and plan to be there while she is pumping or feeding so you can be of use while she is trapped on the couch.  Show up as scheduled and unload the dishwasher, force her into the shower while you watch the baby for those precious 20 minutes, and do any other light housework that is needed.  Better yet, tell her to go take a nap after she showers.

 Mamas with Older Kids

If mama has kids other than new baby, offer to babysit or have a sleepover.  Again, insist and don’t wait for her to ask.  Come up with a plan or activity to include her other children in and make it happen!  She will thank you later.

How have you helped a mama out after new baby has arrived? I’d love to hear your ideas or what others have done to help you!