Most new parents want to be left in peace to rest and enjoy their baby in the early days or weeks after childbirth. Even if a mother had a straightforward delivery, they still need time to heal and regain her strength. It is understandable that you are excited and want to bring the newborn baby gifts you bought for your friend or relative. While visiting, there are plenty of unwritten rules that you should know about. Here are some of them:
Do not go unannounced
Unless you intend to drop off a gift such as baby diapers and food at the gate and head out immediately, do not go. Instead, if you drop off something for the family, send a message and let them know. Otherwise, if you were in the neighborhood, please stay in the neighborhood instead of disturbing already exhausted parents to host you. Remember that the random unexpected gifts come in handy for the new parents.
Do not visit the day they get home from the hospital
Most parents want to avoid creating a buzz with a stream of visitors at the hospital. The same case applies the day and week after they come from the hospital. They want to know their baby, their feeding and sleeping patterns while recovering from the stressful birth process. The baby is here to stay, so allow them some time, even a month after which they may be ready to converse. However, this rule, for most parents, does not apply to immediate family.
Do not bring a gift that requires maintenance
Gifts are lovely and should be appreciated at all times. However, for new moms, gifts such as plants, pets, or any other gift that requires constant maintenance mean more work for them. Additionally, if the parents already have another child, they are likely to make a mess with the plant or pet, thus requiring even more cleanups.
Do not overstay
Short and sweet is the perfect definition of any visit to a new mother. A new mom is often tired, busy, and has a screaming child that needs feeding every two hours and a bunch of others that require constant care. While they would love to chat over tea, they cannot. Therefore, ensure to leave politely and on your terms. For the first few weeks until after a month, do not stay longer than one hour. You can come back later after the challenging phase is over and enjoy your stay.
Similarly, a lot of new parents can benefit from a couple of things that you offer, or they ask you to do for them. Below is a breakdown of the things you should do.
Bring food
Food solves a huge percent of problems in people’s lives, and new moms are no exception. If cooking is not your best activity, it is okay to bring in store-bought foods, take-outs, and gifts cards for food stores. Even if the new mom does not eat the food, it will be suitable for other family members, leaving them with one less thing to do in the day. Ensure to ask about food allergies, communicate what you will be bringing, set a specific day and time to deliver, and add snacks to the meals.
Always ask
New mothers often experience brain fog, thanks to the childbirth experience they just had, not to mention that they are still in charge of their homes. Always ask them if they need anything; an errand to the drug or grocery store would come in handy. She may also need a hand in the dishwasher, washing machine, or tidying up the home.
Before visiting, you can send a message to the parents and ask them to think of anything you would help with while you are there. It could be as simple as taking their other children to the barber or salon, taking them for a walk, or cleaning up their homes.
In most cultures, childbirth is often surrounded by anxiety and fear. Therefore, it is essential to unlearn these cultures and replace them with good thoughts and support for mother and baby. Knowing exactly what to do for a new mother goes a long way in protecting their mental health and physical well-being.
