I recently had my second baby, and the outpouring of love and support from my family and friends makes my postpartum hormonal eyes a little watery sometimes! We’ve been blessed with how many people have reached out to check in or stopped over with a gift.
However you decide to reach out to someone postpartum, no matter how big or small, usually means the world to that person. It’s just nice to know that people are thinking of you. If someone you know recently had a baby — and you’re looking for ideas on what to do — these are a few gestures that our family appreciated.
Six Ways to Help After A Baby is Born
Offer to Order Carry Out
A few people ordered us carryout on a weeknight, and it was great because we ordered exactly what we were in the mood for at that time. Having a meal from one of our favorite restaurants was always a good mid-week pick-me-up after a long day!
Send a Gift Card for Essentials
After you have a baby, you have infinite reasons for a Target run. A gift card to somewhere to shop for essentials like Target, Walmart, Hy-Vee, or Trader Joe’s will definitely not go to waste.
Include the Big Sibling
We have a six-year-old daughter at home as well, and we were worried about how she would adjust to this big life change after so many years having all of our attention. Many of our family and friends picked up on this sentiment, and included a little something for our older daughter when sending a gift. It had a huge impact, because she’s the kid that is old enough to appreciate the gifts and she was so thrilled every time she was included.
Rent a Yard Sign
If you’re in the market for a more grand gesture, consider renting a yard sign from IC Yard Cards or Corridor Celebrations. We felt pretty special while ours was up, and it was fun getting the “congrats!” from neighbors who saw it.
Consider Gifting Your Time
Showing you care doesn’t have to be done in a monetary way. One of the best gifts I received was from my friend who offered to come over once a week on her lunch break while I was on maternity leave. An hour to shower, nap, or just zone out means just as much, if not more, as a purchased gift.
Ask How Mom is Doing
I always appreciate when someone reaches out and asks not just how the new baby is doing, but how I am doing as well. The postpartum phase can be wild and it’s reassuring to be checked in on from time to time.
In the environment we currently live in, we can’t always reach out in-person the way we used to. During these last few weeks, I’ve felt loved even when people can’t come face-to-face — and it’s been a good reminder that there are many ways to show up for the people in your life.
