4 Ways To Support A Friend After They Have Had A Baby

 

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Do you have a friend that has just had a baby? Life will be very exciting for them, we're sure, but it might be very stressful for them too! Their to-do list may have grown after giving birth, their finances may have taken a knock, and they might also be feeling overwhelmed with motherhood and their various responsibilities.

So, what could you do to support them? Well, quite a lot actually, as we discuss below. 

#1: Buy your friend something practical

There are all kinds of things you could buy your friend, including flowers, chocolates, and a celebratory bottle of wine. However, as welcome as these gifts might be, it's always worth buying something more practical instead. By doing so, you will help your friend financially, as they will have one less thing to buy from their essentials list. 

You could buy something safety-related, such as a baby monitor camera, which is something that can give new moms a lot of peace of mind. Consider these from Babysense, for example. Or you could buy clothing for their new baby, perhaps even a size or two up for when the baby starts to grow. Check out these other practical gifts and choose accordingly. If you aren't sure what to buy, simply ask your friend as they won't be short of ideas on things they need. 

#2: Give your friend advice

New parents are often fraught with worry and this is because they have never had the experience of raising a child before. But if you're a mom, you may have wise pieces of advice to offer them. You could give your friend tips on getting their baby to sleep, for example, and you could give them general advice on creating a supportive home environment for their little one. Talk to your friend about their specific worries and if you have solutions to their problems, share them, as your wisdom could be invaluable. 

#3: Lend a hand

There is much you can do to offer your support. You could take on some of your friend's household chores, cook their meals, and run errands for them, as examples. These simple tasks would reduce your friend's to-do list and as such, could reduce their stresses too. If your friend is exhausted, you could also offer to look after their baby for an afternoon. This would give your friend time to sleep, and as you will know yourself if you're a mom, this can be a great stress-reliever.

#4: Just be there

Sometimes, you don't have to do too much at all. Just being there can make all the difference, even if you're on the other end of a phone. There might be times when your friend needs adult company, either for fun and laughs or when they need someone to vent to when they are feeling overwhelmed. Or, as we have suggested, they might need advice on a particular parenting issue. Whatever the case, be there for your friend whenever you have the time to offer your practical, talking or listening support. 

What else could you do to support your friend? Have a think, speak to your friend, and then be there for them as best as you can. Share your thoughts below if you have ideas that we haven't mentioned here.