Someone you know has just had a baby, and you are about to get all of the cuddles and cuteness without any of the hard work (read: pushing). To cement your special place in the baby’s heart, you first need to win over the parents. Whether they’re close friends or family, you’ll still need to prove yourself as a guest worth inviting over again.
New parents have a lot going on. Of course, they want you to come and visit their new baby, and they want to hear how gorgeous and perfect she is, but they also want to feel human. New parents don’t get much sleep, that’s a fact. They also struggle to eat three balanced meals a day, keep the house tidy and drink a cup of tea whilst it’s hot. This is where you come in – SuperGuest. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions below, and you’ll guarantee yourself a second invite round for more adorable cuddles and finger grabs.
1. Stay away if you’re ill – ok, you really want to see the baby while she’s still tiny; that’s only natural. But sometimes you have to say no. If you are feeling unwell, have a cold, or have recently come into contact with an unwell person (and could therefore be carrying the illness), you need to stay away. Far from being offended, the new parents will be grateful that you didn’t risk contaminating their new baby. You can get in touch as soon as you’re feeling better, and say you’d like to meet the newborn. If you go when you’re ill, and make the baby poorly, you’ll never live it down (and probably won’t get invited round again any time soon).
2. Bring food – new parents might be struggling to find the time to make it to the supermarket, so take them some supplies. You could cook them a nice meal to stock up their freezer, treat them to some fruit, or buy them some biscuits, anything will be appreciated during a 3am feed.
3. Make the tea – your hosts are probably too exhausted to play the perfect host, so why not look after them? Offer to make the tea, grab the biscuits and get anything else that might be needed. Save your friends the hassle of running round after you. It might not be the most exciting visit you’ve ever paid to their house, but it will make their lives much easier.
4. Let them drink tea – offer to hold the baby at an opportune time so that the new parents can enjoy a warm drink. Most new parents end up missing out on warm drinks for at least a few weeks, so will really appreciate the timing of your cuddle. Don’t drink your hot drink over the baby though – wait until you’ve given the baby back before having a sip.
5. A quick tidy up – if you don’t know the new parents that well, it might be weird to start cleaning their bathroom, but if you’re good friends, it’s a great way to show you care. New parents want to spend their time bonding with their newborn, not scrubbing the toilet bowl, so if you can help tidy up at all then please do. If you’re a particularly close friend, they may even ask you to do it.
Is anything missing from this list? What did your friends and family do to help out during early visits?
Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
