The weeks straight after having a baby can be really tough on both parents. Mums may be totally overwhelmed, and dads might not know what they can do to make things easier. If you’re at a loss as to what you can do to help a new mum, here are ten things that will make her life much easier:
Occupy older siblings
When a new baby arrives, older siblings might feel left out because their mum has her hands full all of a sudden. Keeping them occupied and feeling loved is a really big help.
Change baby’s nappy
It’s not the most glamourous of jobs, but someone’s got to do it. Helping out with the constant nappy changes is a huge help.
Bathing the baby
This gives mum a chance to relax, and gives you the chance to bond with the baby.
Prepare meals
Cooking up dishes like lasagne, casseroles, soups and pretty much anything that can be reheated at a later date takes the pressure off feeding the grown-ups in the house.
Deal with visitors
While it’s understandable that relatives and friends want to visit the new baby, sometimes mum might not be up for lengthy visits or questions surrounding her parenting techniques. You can make sure that visits don’t last all day, and don’t turn into a parenting lecture.
Cleaning
Keeping the kitchen tidy is a new mum’s last priority, but it’s still nice to have a clean house so it’s no harm to throw on a pair of rubber gloves and get cleaning.
Take over baby duty
It’s important to give a new mum time to look after herself – even the basic things like taking a shower and eating some food can seem like a challenge with a small baby to mind. Taking over the minding of a baby so that mum can have some 'me time' will be much appreciated.
Do the washing
Newborns are messy, so they go through a lot of wardrobe changes every day. Taking over the washing is a big help.
Go to the shops
It takes a long time to go to the shop with a baby in tow, even if it’s just for a pint of milk. If you can nip down to the shop instead, it’s worth doing.
Listen
If a new mum is voicing her concerns, or just wanting to talk about her day, listen, and offer encouragement. It can go a long way.
