Everyone loves to visit a new baby. How can you resist that newborn smell, the soft, chubby skin and the innocence of new life? New parents are inundated with guests who want to see the new arrival, but it is at a time when they are tired and adjusting to a new rhythm and routine. When visiting a new mum, make her life a little easier by following these 12 tips.

  1. Bring fruit. One of the best food gifts I received when my daughter was born was a big box of fruit. It lasted for ages and gave us a healthy option when everyone else was brining delicious slices and cakes!
  2. Take a photo. Everyone comes to visit and inevitably gets a photo with the new baby, but what about mum? Put her back in the picture by offering to take a photo of her with her newborn. She will appreciate having more than just selfies to look back on.
  3. Visit again. Once the excitement of the new baby has died down, so do the visitors. Which can be a relief but also isolating, particularly if she is at home alone with the baby. Organise a visit during a weekday 4-6 weeks after baby has arrived.
  4. Hold the baby. That’s probably why you’ve gone to visit in the first place. But when you hold the baby, ask if she wants to have a shower or do anything around the house. It gives her a chance for a few minutes to herself and you the chance to coo over a beautiful baby!
  5. Play with the older kids. If there are other kids in the picture, spend a bit of time with them during your visit. Maybe make them afternoon tea or do some drawing/playing/reading with them.
  6. Ask what she needs. Before your visit, give her a call or text and ask if she needs anything at the supermarket. A friend of ours brought a loaf of bread when they visited and it was such a help and one thing we didn’t need to worry about for a few days.
  7. Fill the freezer. Ok so you don’t need to fill the freezer but bringing a meal to add to the freezer won’t hurt. For new mums, anything she can eat with one hand while feeding baby is a winner!
  8. Buy her a coffee. If she is a coffee drinker, stop off at a cafe on the way and buy her a coffee. If she is a tea drinker, make her one when you get there. And then hold the baby so she can drink it while it’s hot!
  9. Keep your germs to yourself. If you are sick, don’t visit. Simple!
  10. Talk to her. Chances are a new mum is talking about dirty nappies, sore breasts, baby sleep and not much else. I always appreciated when friends would talk to me about something non-baby related to remind me that there is a world outside of the cocoon I had found myself in. Just don’t make it all about you!
  11. Keep advice to yourself. There is no time in your life that you receive more advice than when you have a baby. It can be overwhelming, especially for a first time mum. Unless asked, try and keep your advice to yourself.
  12. Check in. By text. When you leave, make sure to check in with mum a few days later to see how she is going and if there is anything else you can do to help. It will mean so much to her! Text is preferable but expect a reply at any time of the night – new mama sleep patterns aren’t exactly predictable.

Is there anything you would add to the list?

Image by D Images

