What A New Mom REALLY Needs After Childbirth & Link Up

Hey y’all! It’s Molly, here. FIRST… THANK YOU for stopping by still being molly. If you’re new here, WELCOME! I hope you stay and take a look around! If you’re a regular reader, HEY THERE, FRIEND!

So, I just had Baby #2! I’ve got some AMAZING blog friends who are helping me out over the next few weeks by sharing some AWESOME posts. Everything from fashion and style to life and motherhood. I am so appreciative of all of these ladies for helping me and giving me a little bit of a breather as I take some time to rest and spend time with my family. I didn’t do a great job of that when Lilly was born, so I’m trying to do a little better this time. 🙂 I have some of my own content already planned and written… but I will be peppering in some of these guest posts, too! I hope you will take the time to read them and leave them some love! I also hope you’ll take the time to visit their blogs and check them out. Each one of them is amazing. 

Thank you for supporting me, this blog, and my family! I might be biased, but I think I have the best readers around! 🙂 

xo, Molly

Today’s guest post is from my girl Clare over at Clarabelle. Clare and I met in college, we had the same wedding photographer, and we both blog. So, needless to say, I think she’s pretty awesome. She also has an A-DORABLE little girl. Enjoy!

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Ahh childirth, it is one of life’s great miracles. It is also incredibly exhausting. Not only does a women have to undergo childbirth, but literally moments after the baby is born the new mom does not get to sleep, she does not get to rest and binge watch Netflix. Oh no, she gets to get up, dust herself off, and care for a newborn for twenty-four hours a day. It is the physical equivalent of breaking your leg then continuing to run a marathon. Can I get a virtual high five for all the moms, soon-to-be-moms, or women considering that one day they might be a mom? Cuz you are a champion.

Women deserve to be pampered after the birth of their child. Here are some tips you can use to pamper the new mother in your life.

Oh, you know I had to sneak in a picture of my squishy newborn!

Don’t be ‘that person’: If you are visiting a new mom in the first week or two after she gives birth do not come over with your sole objective being to hold the baby. There is a misconception that a new mom wants someone to come over and watch the baby so she can ‘have a break’. A break is the last thing on a new mom’s mind. She wants to bond with her child and spend as much time with her tiny human as possible. Instead, come over and clean something. Do the dishes. Bring over lunch. Fold the load of laundry that’s been in the dryer for days. Do something to lessen the new mom’s endless to-do list. THEN you can hold the baby.

Buy her a giftcard to a local maid service: This is pretty much the perfect gift you can buy a new mother. I was shocked at the mess my tiny, immobile, newborn daughter was able to make from the comfort of the newborn lounger. I was also still nesting, so I was deeply and personally offended by any messes around the house. However, cleaning was the last thing I wanted to do after giving birth. A cleaning person probably would have made me cry hormonal tears of joy.

Bring something healthy: Bringing a meal to a new mother is an incredibly thoughtful and amazing gesture. But you can make it even more beneficial by making it healthy. Bring over an easy-to-serve fruit or veggie platter. Bring a pasta salad full of fresh veggies or a fresh stew with lean meats and vegetables. Also, make sure to bring paper plates and plastic utensils. It isn’t the greenest option, but who wants to deal with dirty dishes when they have a newborn?

Pamper the older kids (or the pets): It’s easy for an older sibling to feel lost in the shuffle of a new baby. So offer to take the newly promoted older sibling out for a special outting. It doesn’t need to be extravagant, it can just be a play date with your kids, or lunch at Chick-fil-a. The extra attention will make the older child feel special and also give the new mom a chance for some one-on-one time with the new baby. The same can be said for pets. Offer to take the dog to the groomers or clean out the litter box. Pets need love during the new baby adjustment period, too.

Take momma out — but not for too long: A new mom wants to be with her baby, but after the first few weeks a short outing is beneficial for mom and baby. A full day of shopping is not ideal (especially if the mom is breastfeeding or had a c-section). However, short outtings like getting a blowout, a massage, or a manicure are perfect. If the new mom is a foodie, a power lunch at her favorite restaurant is also perfect. Just don’t keep her away for too long. She’ll want to get back to her newborn snuggle fest.

Skip the sermons: Instead of offering the new mom advice, offer kind words and encouragement. Don’t begin every sentence with, “Oh, I remember…” or “When I used to…” or “This is how I…”. Instead help a sister out with some motivational mantras: “You got this, momma!”, “That diaper blowout was masterfully handled.” or “You are doing an amazing job.” Be sincere, and be encouraging.

What new mom pampering tips do you have?

Welcome to Let it Shine…..the new, revamped Funday Monday! After two years….we decided to rename our link up to something we felt would be a better fit.  Thus, Let it Shine! Why the name? Because we want this link up to be just that…..your chance to let it shine.  We’ll be sharing our favs here each week and on social media……

/ how to style flares / black and white /

Another place we will be showcasing our favs?  The Let It Shine Pinterest Board