Becoming a parent, especially for the first time, can be incredibly overwhelming. After all, while it is an incredibly exciting time, it’s also a time of great change.
If you want to support a friend or loved one who is expecting, there are plenty of steps that you can take to support them during this time, helping them to keep their mind at ease. Read on to find out more!
Here are 5 Steps To Support A Friend Or Loved One Who Is Expecting:
1. Let them know that you’re always there to listen
According to a recent study, 40% of women admit to feeling lonely during pregnancy. This is likely because they have to adjust their lifestyle quite considerably, often changing social plans and taking time off work. It’s also a time when their emotions can fluctuate quite wildly. As such, you should make it clear that you are always there to listen should they need you – no matter what time of the day or night it is. This will make clear that they are surrounded by love every step of the way!
Remember that you can provide your friend with emotional support and guidance regardless of whether or not you’ve welcomed a child into the world yourself. However, if this is not something that you’ve experienced directly, you may want to do a little research on pregnancy so that you feel confident engaging in pregnancy-related conversations.
2. Provide them with practical help
Whether they’re dealing with side effects such as morning sickness and nausea or struggling with their energy levels, providing expectant parents with practical help around the home can also be a real life-saver during this time. For example, you may wish to offer to help with tasks such as meal prepping or basic cleaning so that they can focus on looking after themselves during this critical time.
Alternatively, you may want to provide them with help and assistance by offering to drive them to and from appointments and scans. A good rule of thumb, however, is to ask your friend what kind of support they need during this time as opposed to tyring to guess. This way, their needs are met, and you do not have to worry about overstepping the mark.
3. Brainstorm baby names with them
Many new parents struggle with finding a name for their baby. One way in which you can help in this regard is by brainstorming different names with them! This can be a lot of fun, especially if you research the meaning behind different names or try to find the most unusual names out there!
4. Buy gifts for the new baby
Welcoming a child into the world is incredibly expensive. Therefore, one way in which you can show support a friend or loved one who is expecting is by taking some of the pressure off their shoulder in this regard. For example, if you’re looking for a gift for new parents, consider items such as babygrow, diapers, and other essentials! This way, they’ll have to source fewer items independently, cutting down on their to-do list quite considerably.
If you’re working with a tight budget, don’t worry. You can always give the gift your time instead! For example, you could offer to babysit the newborn on a date of their choice so that the new parent(s) can have some time to themselves to relax and unwind or to prepare food for a few weeks so that they don’t have to think about cooking health, balanced meals when taking care of a newborn.
5. Plan the baby shower
A baby shower is a wonderful way to celebrate the imminent arrival of a little boy or girl – but it does require a lot of careful planning and coordination. As such, it is often a source of stress for expectant mothers! However, you can take a lot of pressure off their shoulders by offering to plan this on their behalf.
If you’ve never organized this event before, don’t worry! It’s no different from planning a party for an adult, though you may want to play some baby shower trivia games to keep things on theme! You should also send out invites in advance to avoid no-shows on the day!
Final thoughts
In short, there are many different ways in which you can support a friend or loved one who is expecting – from helping them work their way through their shopping list to organizing a baby shower on their behalf. No matter which option you chose, your friend is sure to appreciate you showing up for them during this stage in their lives!
