Seven tips to support new parents

Becoming a parent is a significant life transition.

Adjusting to changes in routine, battling sleepless nights, adapting to a new role or identity and juggling life with parenting are all common experiences when looking after a newborn. It’s a steep learning curve! Even parents who find the transition relatively straightforward can experience feelings of stress, exhaustion and find themselves overwhelmed.

Most new parents need a bit of extra support from family and friends. That said, it can be difficult to know how to help them. We have saved you the search and put together some tips collected from new parents.

Drop off a meal

After long days and nights, one of the last things you feel like doing is cooking. But it’s important that parents eat well and look after themselves as it puts them in the best position to look after their baby. You don’t have to be a masterchef! It can be a tried and tested recipe, something simple or even something bought. Dropping over a meal will remove one thing off their to-do list and provide them with much needed down time. It’s also a great opportunity to check in and see how they’re going.

Give them a break

This is one that can benefit both of you! Get in some cuddles with new bub so your friend or loved one can do the things we take for granted like showering, napping or exercising. If they have other little ones, play with them or take them to the park, so they don’t have to split their attention between their children.

Do some errands

Your friend or loved one may not ask for help, but it doesn’t mean they couldn’t do with some. Offer an extra hand, such as doing a grocery shop, washing the dishes, folding laundry, fixing something or vacuuming – it will help reduce any feelings of overwhelm they may be experiencing.

Check in

Plenty of fuss is made about new arrivals, and parents will often try to appear like everything is going swimmingly. Regularly checking in and genuinely asking how they are doing will create a safe space for them to open-up about any challenges they are facing. It doesn’t have to be in person, scheduling a weekly phone call can break their week up and help them engage in adult conversation (after using their baby voice for hours on end).

Include them

Heading out gets harder when you have a newborn because of all the logistics you need to consider, but with the right support it’s more than possible. Avoid making assumptions that your friend or loved one is too busy to do things or won’t want to attend something – continue to invite them or plan catch ups that are baby friendly. You could arrange a day out with a few extra hands on deck to make the juggling lighter.

Encourage them to seek additional support

Being a new parent can be isolating, especially if no surrounding friends or family are raising little ones at the same time. Encourage your friend or loved one to join a local parent/ mother/ father group so they can make friends and meet people going through similar transitions (you can help locate one and send it to them).

Parents will experience a range of emotions, positive and challenging, after the birth of their newborn. If you notice your friend or loved one has a persistently low mood and distressing thoughts that are impacting their ability to function in daily life, they may be experiencing perinatal anxiety or depression. Encourage them to seek support from their local GP, a psychologist or a specialist service such as PANDA.

Keep showing up

Parents can struggle for months after giving birth, either with their mental health or just juggling life with a newborn. It can be difficult for new parents to know what they need and to ask for help, so continuing to offer a specific day, time or service, even as a listening ear over the phone, can remove some of the burden.