New Mom Gifts & Tips for Loving a New Mom
I am so excited to welcome back Heather Brown from the Heather Brown Project to the blog! She has guest posted for me before when she shared Faith Activities for Families & Toddlers, Easy Bible Verses Toddlers Can Memorize, 5 Verses for Accepting Our Limitations as Moms, Top 10 Christian Podcasts for Moms.
As Heather prepares to welcome a new baby, we thought it would be a good time to talk about how to help new moms adjust to all the changes in her world. You know, just a few ideas so rather than being that friend you rock it and become THAT FRIEND!
Some of these new mom gifts & tips will depend on your relationship to the new mom. If you are bestie status, you can probably be a little more bold in asserting yourself as an official helper and she can perhaps be more outspoken in telling you how she prefers you help. But what about the mama you want to support but maybe don’t know so well? We got you, girl.
New Mom Gifts & Tips for Loving a Mom with a Newborn:
-
Don’t force a visit
Many new moms are overwhelmed and can feel added pressure if company is coming. Offer to bring something by but don’t invite yourself in! Consider leaving food in a cooler on the porch!
-
Bring food
Food is always one of the best new mom gifts to bring! This is a no-brainer and the go-to move but you can step it up a notch by bringing things that are extra special for the circumstances. It’s best to leave out anything spicy in case your pal is breastfeeding. Freezable casseroles are great because it gives her the option to save it for later if she wants! Things you can eat with one hand are also big winners. Consider switching it up and bringing over pre-made breakfast burritos or other food for the first meal of the day.
-
Bring something else useful
Maybe food preparation isn’t where you shine. You have options! New mom gifts could include: Paper goods can be a lifesaver for a new mother. Throw together some paper towels, paper plates, and toilet paper for a practical pal. If you are making a trip to the store, shoot her a text and ask if you can grab anything for her while you’re out! A funny book about motherhood, her favorite drink or a devotional book for moms are other thoughtful gifts.
-
Don’t be needy
A great way to love your friend well at this stage is to let your own wants take a backseat and give her some grace. Don’t take it personally if she forgets to text you back or her eyes glaze over when you want to talk about your stuff. Her world has just flipped upside down and she’s sleep-deprived. She still loves you and wants to be a good friend but no one else has ever demanded as much of her as this new little bundle.
-
Help with the baby
Offer to let her take a nap. This was my number one need when I was a new mom. I would have cut off my right arm if I could’ve traded it for a nap. Even just holding the baby while she showers or catches up around the house can give her a sense of relief!
-
Help with the chores
Ask if you could pick up her dirty laundry and bring it back fresh, clean and folded. Or do the dishes while you visit. Trust me, there will be dishes.
-
Invite her somewhere infant-friendly
After some hibernating time at home, she may catch cabin fever! Invite her to your house for lunch or on a walk at the park. Mothering littles can be extremely isolating so help a sister remember there’s life out there!
-
Be germ-conscious
No one is as big a germaphobe as the new mom, especially if her baby was born early or has a lowered immune system for any other reason. If anyone in your household has been ill, give it extra time to clear out before you visit. Voluntarily wash your hands right before you hold the baby so she doesn’t have to ask. If you are bringing other kids when you visit, teach them to just gently touch the baby’s feet or legs; some moms are nervous about people touching the baby’s hands because they stick those in their mouths.
-
Warn her husband to shield her from the news as much as possible
Those early days are hormonal and filled with brand new emotions and worries. Hearing any story about something bad happening to a child can be especially disturbing. The world can seem terrifying when you become responsible for a helpless infant, no need to add to the fear with negative news.
-
Pray for her!
Take this God-given chance to intercede spiritually for your girl! Pray for her and baby’s health as well as peace and rest. Pray that her husband would be sweet and they would grow closer during this time. Pray for ways you can love her and ask God to reveal Scripture verses that would encourage her. Here’s one to get you started: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.” Psalm 28:7
I hope this list has given you some ideas on ways to support and love your friend well during her transition to the mamahood. If y’all have other suggestions, please share in the comments! As always, we want to all learn from one another!
As a side note, if you are the new mom who has found yourself without such loving friends and family, I am so sorry. Please know you are not alone and not everyone has this type of support system. I would hate to give anyone unrealistic expectations. Your local church body is a great way to begin to build a community of people who will want to walk with you through your next big life event. But for now, please feel free to contact me (theheatherbrownproject.com/services) and let me pray for your needs! It would be my honor to be a digital friend.
Pin the New Mom Gifts & Tips for Loving a Mom with a Newborn Post for Later!
Loved these ideas!
These are great ideas! A bunch of super sweet women from our church got together and blessed us with a meal train! We had 3 meals a week for like 2 1/2 weeks and it was so sweet and amazing! We had just moved to the area and didn’t know anyone and it was such a great way to meet some fellow mamas from our church and it was amazing to have a home cooked meal!