GUEST BLOG: Not Sure How to Help a Pregnant Loved One Right Now? These Tips Will Help

Written by Emily Graham | Mighty Moms

No matter what, getting through pregnancy and postpartum with grace and strength can be a serious challenge for expecting parents. It’s a wonderful but difficult time, marked by a complicated blend of stress, excitement, and uncertainty. That’s why getting plenty of support from the community is so important for making it through this stage without feeling in over your head. 

Right now, however, there are some serious roadblocks in the way of being a community. The pandemic has made visiting pregnant loved ones more complicated, and that stands in the way of much of the support we’d traditionally offer. This guide will help you figure out some helpful, low-risk ways to be there for expecting parents during the pandemic. Here are some ideas we hope will inspire you.

Are you an expectant, new, or sleep-deprived parent in the Cleveland area? The specialists at CLEbaby can support you physically and emotionally! Schedule a complimentary consultation!

Great Gift Ideas for New Moms

These gifts are great for a virtual shower, last-minute congrats, or hospital care package: 

• Pick up comfy clothes for mom and baby to wear during the hospital stay, as well as other essentials for the hospital bag. 
• Simple, brightly-colored board books are great for helping families get reading off to a strong start. 
• Big-ticket items are great gifts, but check the registry first to make sure you’re not doubling up. 

Feed the New Parents

You may not be able to visit your loved one and cook for them in person, but that doesn’t mean you can’t offer some nourishment for the new parents in your life:

• New parents are notoriously bad at feeding themselves, and can get desperate and turn to junk food – fast, easy, healthy meals are practically gold. 
• Here’s a list of great freezer meals you can make that they can pop in the oven or microwave without much fuss. 
• Give parents approaching the due date a “date night in” by ordering them delivery food from a favorite restaurant. 

Helping In-Person Safely 

If your loved one wants an in-person helper, and you’re interested, you can do so safely – but you must be careful. 

• Many new parents benefit from having a loved one in the home or visiting regularly who can lend a helping hand. 
• Right now, you have to adhere to a strict bubble to do this in a way that doesn’t raise everyone’s risk of catching COVID-19. 
• The safest way is to self-isolate for two weeks, getting a COVID-19 test before and after the isolation period, then living with your loved ones until they’re ready to go it on their own.
• If you can’t make this work, virtual babysitting can offer some of the same support, allowing parents to shower or knock out chores knowing someone has an eye on the baby and can shout if anything’s wrong. 

At the end of the day, anything you can do to lighten your loved one’s load, whether that’s literal or emotional, is work worth doing. We hope this list has helped you figure out low-risk ways to support the expecting parents in your life. One day this will all be behind us, but the care you offer in the meantime will speak volumes for years to come.