The Do’s and Don’ts for Visiting a Newborn

I asked my Mama friends what they think are the biggest Do’s and Don’ts for anyone visiting a friend or family member with a new baby..ohh man did the answers come in quickly!! They all had their own thoughts and opinions, and I am going to share them with you!

Do text or call to organise a time to visit. Let the new Mum tell you when the best time for her is, she is trying to get her head around breast feeding, living on no sleep and everything in between. So your visit needs to suit her and baby’s schedule.

Do bring food. Every single one of my friends said this. They don’t want to ask you to bring anything with you, but even more than that they do not want to leave the house to buy treats or snacks to feed you.

Do wash your hands. SERIOUSLY, wash your hands! Babies have an extremely immature immune system and our hands carry a disgusting amount of germs and bacteria.

Do clean up after yourself. Wash your coffee cup and while you’re at it, wash those dishes in the sink for her.

Do tell her she looks amazing, her baby is cute and you love the name. Even if she looks like she has been dragged through the mud backwards, the baby hasn’t quite grown into his nose and you wonder where on earth she pulled that name from.

Don’t hold the baby if he/she is crying. It’s your friend’s natural Mama Instinct to want her baby back as soon as they make a noise. Don’t say that you will settle the baby, just give him back.

Don’t take your kids unless she has okay’d it first.

Don’t visit if you are sick or have recently been sick. Unless you are confident that you are 100% fit as a fiddle you could be putting the brand new baby at risk.

Don’t give unsolicited advice. Even if you know you are right. Your very tired and very emotional friend is trying her goddamn hardest to work out this tiny bundle of joy and unless she asked you, just tell her she is doing great.

Don’t outstay your welcome. She is tired, the baby is tired and a quick visit is a good visit.

Your new Mama friend may or may not have an opinion on vaccinations and whether or not she would like all visitors to have up to date immunisations, especially Whooping Cough. While your opinions may differ on the topic if the new parents have requested to have no visitors, including children who haven’t been vaccinated you need to respect their wishes. Some parents have taken to social media to ask that all friends and family are vaccinated if they wish to visit with the baby before the 6 week newborn immunisations, using the #novaxnovisit. While this is a contentious and ongoing discussion point across the world, I think most people agree on one thing ‘Their baby, their rules”.

Would you add any other do’s or don’ts to this list?