Our dear friends recently became parents and as we celebrated the little bundle of joy, there were also signs of overly exhausted new parents. The newborn stage is a blur often, as you figure out what your baby needs and how they respond to a schedule, mom is trying to heal from delivery. There is a lot happening at once, and nothing truly can prepare you for your child. You’ll find me repeating this phrase often because I had no clue what parenthood was going to look like even though I prayed so hard for it come.
Our culture does not do a good job with inviting people into the postpartum time + normalizing the emotions that follow you in the 4th trimester. It is easy to get wrapped up in seeing the newborn + asking about how the newborn is doing. We sometimes neglect to really ask how the mom is doing. The adjusting to parenthood is just part of it. The lack of sleep is so real and can cause simple things to feel overwhelming.
I believe it is important to help people navigate the transitions postpartum because it can impact the entire family. How we walk alongside them through the season is just as important. In the beginning season of parenthood, we need to start asking for help because its hard to know how to ask for help. This blog post is to provide you or someone in the postpartum season with ways to ask for help and for simple ways to support your friends.
When supporting new parents, we want to offer practical support that helps them in a sleep deprived season.
- Provide the family with options
- We all want the newborn baby snuggles, but moms do not always want people to hold their babies in the beginning and that’s okay. Offer to carry the diaper bag, open the door and the option for the mom to hold the baby or for them to wear or hold the baby.
- Things that can be helpful while in their home
- Wash + fold laundry
- Make or prepare food
- Bring them something to drink
- deliver them some groceries
- Offer the family opportunities to rest or recharge
- Shower
- Nap
- leave the house for some time
Meal Trains are amazing to fuel the family during an exhausting season. I think something we forget to tell people when they are being provided a meal is that they have the freedom to not answer the door or say hi. You are not obligated to interact those bringing you food. If it’s not a good time to talk to them, you don’t have to entertain them or say anything to them. You can print off a sign that says thank you, we are resting today. We, society, need to remember they are running on little sleep and there are hard days in the newborn stage particularly.
My hope is that these tips will help you now or in the future when you know someone expecting or if you are expecting your little bundle of joy.
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