Pay it Forward to New Moms

 

We all know about the pay it forward movement. You do something nice for someone who then does something nice for someone else, who does something nice for someone else who does… you get the picture. It’s a wonderful thing, really, because in today’s world we need all the acts of kindness we can get. But today I want to talk about a special sector of the pay it forward community– new moms.

We’ve all heard or talked about those non-baby-having friends that can be clueless about what it’s like to be a new mom. I’m sure I was once one of those friends. You know, the kind that come over to snuggle your brand new baby. The ones that huff the newborn smell like a can of spray paint and make you wonder if there will be any leftover for you. The friends that don’t come with food or the ability to do any chores around the house. They come in with their clean hair and underwear, looking well-rested. And they’re not only wearing a cute, trendy little outfit, but they have no muffin top, no 6 month jelly belly, nothing. Those are the non-baby-having friends.

And it’s not their fault; they just don’t know what it’s like or what you’re going through. They don’t know that you may not want visitors or that the thought of cooking dinner is enough to reduce you to tears. They don’t know that you’ve been wearing the same clothes for days (well, maybe they can smell it) and that you were wiping poop off your hands just minutes before they arrived. These friends mean well and all they want to do is offer you congratulations and see your bundle of joy.

Of course I’m [mostly] kidding about the non-having-baby friends. But then there are the women that are already mothers and already know what you’re going through and they go completely out of their way to do something kind to help you out and make life easier. After Eric and I had Olivia and life was in a tizzy, some of our closest family and friends did the nicest things. My friend came to the hospital and brought us food when we were staying at the NICU for a few days. Once we got home, my sister in-law prepped a frozen dinner for us and all we had to do was pop it in the oven. Another friend (who happens to be a non-baby-haver) had a manicurist come to my house and give me a mani/pedi which was amazing because you already know I’m crazy about getting my nails done! Eric and I were just blown away by how people went above and beyond to do some incredibly thoughtful things because they knew that having a baby completely turns your world upside down.

It’s because of those women, that I decided it was my duty to pay it forward to any woman I know that has recently had a baby. In part because I need to make up for any of the non-baby-having offenses I may have committed before becoming a mom. And also, because it takes a village, people! Us moms know better than anyone what it’s like to have a newborn and any extra hands, help, or sweet gesture makes a world of a difference. And the great thing about paying it forward is that being kind often requires little to no effort. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• drop off Starbucks
• do the dishes
• cook and drop off a meal
• offer to babysit any other children
• bring chocolate
• offer to drop off one of their kids at whatever daycare/preschool they go to
• do their grocery shopping
• take the new mommy and baby to their doctor appointment
• bring flowers
• watch the baby for 10 minutes while mommy takes a shower
• do a load of laundry (careful with this one because some people don’t like others touching their clothes, i.e. ME)
• shovel the driveway

So, I challenge you moms and friends of moms to pay it forward. If you’ve got a friend or family member that just had a baby or is expecting, try to make their load a little lighter. And please share below what you have already done to pay it forward or what others have done for you!

Thank you so much for reading and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a post, or you can follow along on Insta @myplotofsunshine. 🙂

XO,

L