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I was looking back through some old photos the other day, and found some from when Rhys was a newborn.

And seeing those photos brought back all these memories of how I felt in those early days with him.  I was so happy.  I was also exhausted, overwhelmed, emotional and a whole host of other things.

Having a baby is such a huge adjustment, and I’m not sure you can really prepare yourself for it.  What you can do though, is accept any and all help that is offered to you by family and friends.

And on the flip side of things, if someone you know has just had a baby then here are 5 useful things you can do to help them out.

Take them some food

Cooking dinner can feel like a huge undertaking when you’ve just had a baby.  So a nice homecooked meal that they can just quickly reheat will really be appreciated.  I think I lived off my mother-in-law’s lasagnes and pasta bakes for at least a month after Rhys was born, and I’m still so grateful.

It might also be a nice idea to take round a box of teabags and some nice chocolate biscuits for the new parents, and for all the other visitors they’ll most likely have coming to meet the new baby.

Take any siblings out for a bit

If this isn’t the couple’s first baby, then offer to take older siblings out for a bit to give them some time alone with the new arrival.

It doesn’t have to be for long, even just taking them to the park for an hour will be a big help to the parents and will also be great for the older child to have a bit of special attention from you.

Get them talking

Let them know that any and all emotions they’re feeling are completely natural, and encourage them to talk to you about them.

The baby blues are really common and having someone to talk to (and cry to) when you’re feeling low can make a big difference.  There is also a very real possibility that the new mum might experience post natal depression and talking things through with a friend can really help.

If they think they need a bit more help then encourage them to talk to their health visitor or their GP, or to consider online therapy if they’re not ready or able to speak to someone in person about how they’re feeling.

Take them supplies

As well as a nice meal, think about what other useful supplies you could pick up for the new parents.

Lots of people will bring cute outfits and soft toys for the baby, which is really lovely.  But what’s also really appreciated is being brought things like nappies, wipes, and muslins.  Some non-bio washing powder would probably go down well too.

Watch the baby for them

If you feel confident with newborns, then offer to watch them for a little bit so that your friend can have a shower and actually wash her hair.  Or have a lie down for half an hour.  Or even pop out of the house by herself for a bit for a break and some fresh air.

I’m sure any new parent would be really grateful for you doing any of these things for them, I know they were things I really appreciated when my children were first born.

Is there anything else you would add to this list?

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post

It can feel like a routine that becomes automatic after a while; you wake up, look after the kids, do everything on autopilot. It’s this routine that, in many ways, could slowly start to have an impact on your frame of mind. As much as we love our children, we can feel trapped by the pressures of our day-to-day lives, especially if we don’t do anything exciting. You can end up feeling invisible as a mum, especially if you are taken for granted. And so, if you are stuck in a dull parental routine, what can you do to break yourself out of this?

Meet new people

We can get stuck in this parental bubble where we don’t meet anybody new, and it can become quite isolating. It’s important for your social skills to go out and meet new people because if you don’t use it, you lose it. And, spending time hanging around with your child, as wonderful as it is, doesn’t give you the same stimulation as talking to an adult. There are some new and different ways to meet people, have a read of https://www.liveabout.com/ to give you some inspiration.

Take on an adventure

If you haven’t been on holiday for a long time, maybe it’s time? Yes, finances are tight, and you can’t justify going on holiday for so long. But look at packages that can be accommodating for everyone. The problem is that sometimes, you don’t feel challenged. Maybe you need to do something for yourself, there are packages like https://www.kandooadventures.com/ that give you the opportunity to climb mountains, and as you’ve been through the biggest of challenges in raising your baby, this is a new mountain to climb, literally!

Learn something new

Your brain can slip into mundanity if you don’t use it much. Getting stuck in a routine is dangerous for our minds in one respect because doing everything on autopilot doesn’t give us the opportunity to expand our knowledge. Instead, pick up a new hobby, or do something that you wanted to do for a long time. It doesn’t have to be quadratic equations, you can learn a new language, pick up an instrument, do something that stimulates your brain.

Do something for yourself for once

Do you feel that it’s you cleaning up after everyone else, literally and figuratively? It’s time to do something for yourself if you feel like this. We can spend a lot of time focusing on our loved ones so much that we’ve lost all sense of who we really are. So, consider doing something that is for you, and you alone. Joining the gym is a great option because it gives you that ability to socialise with others, but also it is benefiting your body and your mind. Or if you don’t socialise much, get out there and see your friends.

Being a mother is great, but you can run the risk of your brain turning to mush if you don’t use it. A parental routine can become too much of a routine, and so you need to start challenging yourself. Try a few of these options, and anything else that you really want to do. It’s your time!

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post