How to Support a New Mum

Aoibhness

Hi, would love some suggestions...my friend had her first baby 2 weeks ago. She and her partner live abroad so have no family nearby. They recently moved and so haven't really settled into their new area yet and don't know many people. My friend's partner has to travel for work and will be gone for the next two weeks. She's all on her own! I feel so useless. Traveling to her is not an option. Any ideas of how I could support her? Thinking of sending nice things in the post to have them arrive every few days? Any other ideas? Thanks!

Lady is a tramp

Voucher for a house cleaner maybe? Or a local takeaway, or a spa (massage etc, if she's breastfeeding this mightn't be practical though.)

jester77

The idea is nice, but maybe not every few days. Maybe a larger parcel with indivdual items to be opened on certain days. Nothing worse than having a nap with the baby or in the middle of breast feeding and the delivery guy starts ringing the doorbell.

Aoibhness

jester77 wrote: »

The idea is nice, but maybe not every few days. Maybe a larger parcel with indivdual items to be opened on certain days. Nothing worse than having a nap with the baby or in the middle of breast feeding and the delivery guy starts ringing the doorbell.

Hadn't even thought of that!! I've been through the pain before myself....thanks! One parcel it is so.

screamer

Could you offer to cover a ticket home for her to spend the 2 weeks here? Other than that having a new baby is terribly lonely stuck in a house all day so maybe the best way to support her is just to talk to her everyday.

galah

Lovely idea - but the baby is two weeks old...depending on how you classify "abroad" travelling with a two week old is almost impossible (need passport etc, nevermind the stress etc. Would not recommend that )

Coopaloop

That's a great idea to send the package. When I had my first child my partner took two weeks off, during that two weeks we had a huge amount of people to come visit every day, my partner was here to help, I was never just on my own with the baby, but then he had to go back to work, and the visits from everyone (bar my parents and best friend) had kinda died down so it was quite lonely. On the third day the delivery guy came with a big box from my friend in dubai, lots of lovely bits for the baby, outfits, little toys, books, picture frame, she also put in a voucher for me for a spa near by, some sweets and chocolates, lovely creams and pamper stuff for me too, and a voucher for my favourite restaurant that could be used anytime, it was so nice to get it all, and lovely to get something for myself too, she totally spoiled me and the baby. But it wouldn't have mattered what was in the box, it was just so nice to get the surprise and know she was thinking of me, and a lovely letter too telling me all her news and how she couldn't wait to see me and the baby. So yes, definitely do send a package, include something for the mother too, it will give her a huge pick me up, it was exactly what I needed.

LegacyUser

Ditto the package thing.

Also try and be available on Whatsapp/Skype/Facetime/Messenger, whatever, just so she has someone there to "talk" to or send photos to. I know I had a couple of friends scattered around the world when my first arrived and with all the time zones, there was always someone online regardless of the hour. They were a godsend, they listened to all my good and bad days, no matter what