Life never remains the same after someone gets to know they are pregnant. With the news comes its own set of excitement, fears, doubts, and many other feelings. From knowing that they are pregnant to giving birth and caring for the newborn, parents go through a lot of ups and downs and need all the support they can get.
Are you someone who knows some soon-to-be parents or parents of a newborn and wondering how you can be of help? If yes, you can help provide emotional support to parents, especially to the new mother. Wondering how to get the job done? Well, before you know how to provide emotional support to new parents, check out the need for emotional support for new parents.
Why Is Emotional Support Important For New Parents?
Emotional support for new parents is better for their parenthood journey. When we provide a non-judgmental space to the new parents, it helps the parents to express their feelings and fears. Moreover, emotional support also helps to alleviate stress and provides positive well-being, which is important for both parents and the baby.
In What Ways Can You Provide Emotional Support To New Parents?
Providing emotional support to new parents simplifies their parenthood journey and can positively affect their and the baby’s health. There are a few methods by which you can provide emotional support to patients; let’s figure them out.
Provide New Parents Love & Support
Of course, becoming a new parent is difficult. It may be when they need love and support from their loved ones. You can talk to them about how they are feeling about the changes that are happening in their lives. You can also ask if they need help with anything and do the same for them.
Also, they need someone who can praise them. You can share praises like “how strong and admirable you both have been in these last nine months.”
Taking Care Of Their Baby
When the couple becomes a parent, their lives change because of the little one. Now, they focus more on their baby even when both are stressed, not sleeping well, and adjusting to their new life. Especially for the mother, it is a very big change because she has gone through all the physical changes in her body. Support them by doing activities like taking care of the baby for a few hours or doing household work for them.
Tell Them How Well They Are Doing
Every parent wants to do what’s best for their little one. However, when someone is new to the parenthood journey, they often make mistakes. These mistakes can lead the parents to self-doubt themselves and consider themselves as bad parents.
Assuring both parents they are doing a fantastic job can help boost their mental health and confidence in becoming new parents.
Encourage Them To Connect With Other New Parents
While the emotional support for new parents from family and friends is important, sometimes talking to other parents who are also in a similar stage can help them stay positive. Find a new parent support group where they can share their stories, frustrations, and tips with other new parents.
Respect Their Decisions
When couples become a new parent, they need to make many decisions, from small to big, for their little one. For instance, the decision of how/when/why to feed the little one is extremely complicated, and it can affect the emotions of a mother. At this time, it is best that you respect the parents’ decisions.
In What Ways Can You Provide Physical Support To New Parents?
While providing emotional support can help smooth the journey of parenthood for new parents, physical support is also needed. Here are a few ways by which you can provide physical support to new parents.
Visit Their Home With A Goal
When you visit as a guest, the best thing you can do is visit their home to help them without getting in their way. Firstly, when you enter the home, keep calm and be quiet no matter how excited you are to meet the newborn baby for the first time.
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Do Not Expect They Will Treat You Like Before
If you are visiting expecting that they will welcome and entertain you like before, you might be proved wrong. Moreover, do not expect coffee, tea, snacks, food, or anything else. If they start cooking something for you, ensure you support them in any way possible. Help to serve the food, offer them a cup of coffee or tea, or you can help them to clean the kitchen.
Helping the parents does not mean that you are just holding the baby and playing with them. It also means doing the laundry or dishes, cleaning the kitchen, vacuuming the floor, and more!
Ask The Needs Of New Parents
Never underestimate the value of a task while helping new parents. Running to the grocery store or picking up a few reports from the doctor can ease their day-to-day tasks and give them a little more time to relax. So, if you are going to the grocery store or Target to pick something, just call the parents and ask if they need something from there as well.
Needs Depends On Every Family
Not every couple of new parents needs outside help for the same purposes. For some parents, it may be picking a diaper set from Target. However, another couple would like you to take care of their little one while they can do a few chores. Others might appreciate you helping them with cooking or bringing a one-time dinner each week. Also, parents may need some help with household work like (mopping, vacuuming, washing dishes, washing bottles, and more! That is why it is essential to ask the family about their needs and help them accordingly.
Note: Sometimes, in the will to help, we overdo ourselves, and parents might end up feeling uncomfortable about it. It is important to understand that not every new parent feels fine asking someone to hold their baby for a few hours or ask someone to do the dishes while they can rest. Thus, it is important to help them while ensuring you are not overstepping in their comfort zone.
Share The Tips & Tricks That Have Worked For You
If you have been a parent earlier, then there must be a few tips in your arsenal that might help a set of new parents. Share these tips with the new parents to help them in their parenting journey. Also, never compare your parenting journey to that of the new parents. Every parenting journey is different, so instead of becoming critical of the parents about the decisions they are making, help them with positive feedback.
Offer Them Help Before They Ask For It
New parents may hesitate to ask for help as they don’t want to increase the burden on their shoulders. Thus, it is important that you ask them the ways you could help them in the parenting journey. You can ask them a few times what they will need help with and then take responsibility for the task mentioned by them. These tasks can be as small as purchasing baby care supplies each week or taking their dog out on a stroll. Also, pick a task that you can do comfortably so the task doesn’t make you feel tired in the long run.
Do By Actions Not By Your Words
Sending a message: “Give me a call if you have any problem or need anything”! Yes, we know that is very genuine of you. But new parents often feel that why should they become a burden for anyone? Instead of this, try those ways you are sure you can help. For example, you can go grocery shopping, drop off dinner once or twice a week, and help them fold the laundry. It will let the new parent do other household work.
Be With Them At The Time Of Postpartum Period
We know that bonding with and caring for their little ones is difficult. That is why the postpartum period is very stressful, especially for mothers. In this situation, a mother faces many problems like lack of sleep, changing hormones, and mood disorders. In this period, you should take care and honor the mother, not just the mother but both the parents for their resilience, strength, and selflessness.
When To Take Help From The Experts?
After becoming a new parent, there can be some overwhelming challenges that you have to tackle. One of those is giving emotional support. But just offering them emotional support is not enough to help them.
There can be many reasons why you should get help from the experts. Here are some of the reasons mentioned below why you need experts’ help:
- Constantly feeling down
- Negative thoughts
- Difficulty in handling depression
- Most of the time is spent in worry and anxiety
Conclusion
The challenges faced by new parents are difficult to deal with, even with emotional support. Here, you need the help of a professional. Proper guidance from the professional may help new parents who are confused about how to face this experience.
Are you looking for a professional? The professional is with you, Alnicor Consultancy! We provide emotional support sessions by a professional at an affordable price. Our professionals are experienced in dealing with new parents and doing everything to better understand your situation. To book a session, you can visit our website. Contact us at +1 833-211-1777 or info@alnicorconsulting.com for any questions or queries.