Whether you’re a parent yourself or you know someone who just had a baby, you know the transition of adding a newborn to your family is not always easy. There are so many new things to learn, and what works for one baby doesn’t work for all babies. There are sleepless nights, piles of dirty laundry and missed meals because, let’s face it, taking care of a newborn baby is a lot of work and takes up a lot of time! In my opinion, it’s the best kind of work because part of the job includes baby coos and snuggles galore, but still…it can be exhausting, especially in those first several weeks. It takes a village to make sure all members of the family are taken care of and, speaking from personal experience, I don’t know how my husband and I would’ve survived without our village helping out.

If you know someone who just had a baby, whether they’re a friend, family or even someone you don’t know very well and you’d like to help them out in this season, I got you! Keep reading for the 10 best ways to help parents of a newborn baby.

1. Provide dinner for them! Give them the option of a home-cooked meal or a DoorDash gift card. They may not be up for company yet, so if that’s the case, don’t take it personally.
2. Dinners are the go-to meal to offer, but don’t forget about breakfast! Tell them you are grabbing coffee and then ask them what they’d like to eat and drink, and you’ll drop it off for them. They will likely give you endless thanks for the coffee!
3. If they’re up for it, let them know you’d love to meet their sweet baby! Tell them you’re bringing over some diapers and snacks, then ask them to send you a list of at least three other things they would like for you to pick up for them from the store.
4. If you’re planning to visit, tell them you would love to do dishes, laundry or any other chores while you’re there. Make sure to ask them what time of day is best to come and how long they would like for you to stay.
5. Do they have dogs? Volunteer to take their dogs on a walk, so they can focus on taking care of the baby and rest knowing their dogs are getting attention, too! Or, if it makes sense for you to take care of their dog(s) at your house for a couple of nights, that would be a great way to help out, as well.
6. In those first several weeks, showers for Mom can be few and far between. Offer to come over and hold the baby while she has a chance to shower and grab some food. 
7. Bring over a couple grocery bags full of household items they might forget to add to the grocery list – toilet paper, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, dish soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste, etc. 
8. Do you have a flexible schedule? If you feel close enough in your relationship with the parents, offer to stay over and take the night shift, so they can get a full night of rest!
9. When you visit, bring enough groceries to stock their fridge so that they are set for a while. Think healthy snacks, frozen meals and drinks!
10. Offer to babysit their older kids by taking them to the park or out for lunch! This will allow them some time to focus on the smallest of the bunch for a couple of hours, knowing their other(s) are having fun and getting special attention, too. 

Remember, it’s not just new parents who need support during those first several weeks – these  ideas are great ways to help out anyone who just had a baby whether it’s their first or third or fifth!

Bonus idea – bring Mom a care basket! Some ideas for what to include are a new outfit she’ll feel confident in, shower bombs, a new candle, a cozy blanket, a good book, dark chocolate and perhaps a bottle of wine!