The pregnancy announcement. The gender reveal. The baby shower. These are amazing things we do to celebrate and prepare for the arrival of a new baby. Surrounded by family and friends, expectant moms open gifts and eat cake and revel in all the attention and love. But then the baby comes, and new moms can often find themselves feeling lonely and isolated. Family and friends want to help, but they don’t want to impose. Moms want to know they haven’t been forgotten. They don’t know how to vocalize that. We hope these ideas will help a new mom feel less lonely.

Here are 10 things you can do for a new mom to make her feel loved and remembered and a little less isolated.

1) If she has other children, offer to help with them. Take them out for a fun day so mom can get some bonding time with her newborn.

2) Bring a meal or set up a meal train. Every new mom needs food!

3) Send her flowers or a new-mom care package (think coffee, bath salts, and sweets).

4) Pay for a cleaning service to go to her house. Ask her what day/time would work best.

5) Drop her favorite coffee and pastry at her front door and text after you leave. One of my MOPS group friends did this, and I felt so cared for.

6) Check in on her via text or phone call every other day or so. Don’t expect a new mom to reach out to you. Take the initiative!

7) If she feels comfortable, go to her house and ask what chores you can do for her. Laundry. Dishes. Holding the baby so she can nap.

8) If you have the means, hire an overnight doula. Even if a new mom is breastfeeding, the doula can take the baby to her when he or she is hungry and then put the baby back to sleep after he or she is done nursing. Sleep is a luxury in the newborn stage!

9) Give her a gift card to her favorite nail salon for some pampering when she gets a break.

10) Set up a time to take a walk with her and the baby on a nice day.

Remember, don’t wait for a new mom to tell you what she needs. Take the initiative to make sure she feels loved and supported during those early days after baby’s arrival.

Find a local community of moms today or an online group: www.themom.co/find-a-meetup

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