As soon as a mom gives birth, suddenly all the attention is on the baby. How the baby is eating, how the baby is sleeping, how cute the baby is. But a brand new mom is recovering from one of the most physically challenging things she’ll ever do, and she needs a little care and attention too!
If you’re stumped on what a new mom might need for herself, look no further than this list to make her the perfect care package!
1. The #1 Thing New Moms Need For Themselves is Dinner Delivered
Providing meals is not only a huge help to new parents, but it’s an easy way to help out even if you don’t know them that well.
You might be hesitant to offer to babysit or clean their toilets if you aren’t close friends, but you don’t even have to set foot inside their house in order to drop off dinner.
If you aren’t able to bring a home cooked meal yourself, find out what the new mom’s favorite restaurant is and send a gift card, or have a meal delivered to their door.
TIP: Consider nutrition when deciding on a meal to bring to a new mom. Many people tend to bring pasta of some sort because it’s easy to transport in a casserole. Unfortunately, pasta doesn’t provide much nutrition for a mom recovering from birth and breastfeeding a new baby! A hearty beef and vegetable stew or a chef’s salad with lots of greens and topped with chicken breast are much more nutritious options.
2. Have Her Groceries Delivered
Grocery shopping with a baby in tow is no easy task. Take a load off her plate with a subscription to Walmart Plus so she can have her groceries delivered for free all year long.
3. Help With Housework
Most guides for how to help new moms suggest that you offer to hold the baby so she can take care of things around the house. I think this is bad advice.
The last thing a new mom should be doing is dragging herself around the house washing dishes or doing laundry while you soak up her newborn’s snuggles.
Instead, text her ahead of time and ask if she could make a list of things that need to be done around the house, because you’ll be stopping by later to do them.
If in doubt, just wash the dishes.
4. OK, Yes, Sometimes It’s Helpful If You Hold the Baby
Having said that, if you want to hold the baby at 2 AM so mom can sleep, then by all means do so. Babies also tend to get fussy in the early evening as well, so that’s another time that it might be helpful to offer her a break.
5. Give a New Mom An Amazon Prime Subscription
Basically anything that can be delivered is a huge help to a new mom. Enter: an Amazon Prime gift subscription! She’ll be able to order diapers and wipes and snacks at the touch of a button.
6. Spoil Her With Something From Her Baby Registry
Moms will usually put a few things that they need for themselves on the baby registry. Once the baby has arrived, take a quick peek at the registry and see if there’s anything left for her that hasn’t been purchased. She could probably really use those nursing tanktops or that peri bottle.
7. A New Water Bottle Is An Important Things New Moms Need For Themselves
One of the most important things new moms need to do is hydrate! It’s important for recovery from birth as well as for keeping up her milk supply. Sometimes it’s hard to make it to the kitchen for a glass of water when she’s trapped under a baby all the time, so present her with a gigantic water bottle that won’t need to be refilled very often.
8. Watch Her Older Kids to Give Her a Break
If you have a few hours to spare, offer to pick up any older siblings and take them out to the park. They’ll be glad to get out of the house, and their mom will be so thankful to have some uninterrupted time with the baby.
9. Keep Her Company On Tough Days
Those early days and weeks of being a new mom can be extremely lonely and frightening. One of the most meaningful things you could do is sit with her and keep her company. Find a show that you both like and make a date to stop by and watch it with her. In between episodes, make a point of pausing to ask her how she’s *really* doing.
10. Netflix Is the Perfect Thing Every New Mom Needs
Most moms make excellent use of any streaming services that they’re subscribed to in the first few weeks postpartum. Lots of time feeding a baby equals lots of time available for Netflix bingeing.
Ask her if there’s a streaming service that she’d like to be subscribed to but isn’t, and then send her a gift card so she can sign up.
11. Surprise Her With a Diaper Bag That’s Actually Cute
I see too many moms running around carrying diaper bags that are hideous. There’s no reason to sacrifice style in the name of practicality when there are so many beautiful and functional bags out there. Here’s the one that I use and love.
12. Help Her Stock Up On Snacks
Finding time to actually prepare and eat a wholesome meal becomes a lot more difficult after you have a baby. Snacking becomes the name of the game. There aren’t words to describe how much she’ll appreciate that bag of trail mix by her bed when she becomes inexplicably ravenous at 2 AM.
13. Every New Mom Needs Lounge Wear That Makes Her Feel Pretty
Postpartum bodies are weird. Maternity clothes don’t quite fit, but pre-pregnancy clothes definitely aren’t going to work for awhile either. Comfort is the top priority while recovering from childbirth, but it definitely helps to have some comfy clothes that are cute as well.
14. Send a Bouquet of Flowers
They may be impractical, but you’ll never hear me complain about receiving a beautiful bouquet after having a baby. Don’t hesitate to send a little bouquet, especially if you live far away and can’t offer much tangible support. Those flowers will brighten up her room and lift her spirits every time she sees them.
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Melinda worked with children for years in a professional setting before becoming a full-time stay at home mom. She currently has three young children, and enjoys sharing tips and ideas about parenting and how to manage a home with excellence. She’s been featured on Heathline and Her View From Home.
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