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Forget Cute Onesies: This Is What Every New Mom Really Needs by Jen Babakhan with Readers Digest


Forget Cute Onesies: This Is What Every New Mom Really Needs
It’s true that it takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes it just takes a couple extra loads of laundry. We got real moms to share the acts of kindness that really eased their burden during those hectic first few weeks postpartum.
By Jen Babakha, www.rd.com

Istock/ChristinLola

Along with a new baby comes sleep deprivation and the inability for a new mom to do many things for herself without a level of forethought and planning that would make her laugh in disbelief (if she wasn’t so exhausted). Offering to simply come to a new mom’s house and sit with her newborn while she takes a nap, showers, or eats a meal goes a long way to help her feel human again. “The nicest thing someone did for me after I had my son was come to my house and watching him while I took a nap,” says April, 34, says of an act of kindness she experienced after giving birth. “She washed dishes and did some laundry for me.” It might seem like an insignificant gesture to offer to watch a newborn (who will likely be sleeping) for an hour, but to a new mother, the gift of time to take a few moments to herself is something to cherish.  
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