Did guests bring you precooked meals when you had a newborn?

[Redcargidan]

Not an AIBU but a question. We have a newborn baby. Multiple people have asked me if our friends/family/visitors have brought things like precooked meals in tupperware (that can just be put in the microwave) when they visit, that sort of thing.
Nobody has done this and nobody did when our eldest was a newborn. In truth, nothing would be more appreciated right now than a meal I did not have to cook. Is this a thing? Do other people generally do this, or are the people that have said it just expectant?

I am fighting the urge to spend a fortune on takeaways because we are way too tired to cook, and am VERY jealous if other people generally receive precooked meals from visitors!
YABU - this isn't really a done thing
YANBU - this is a thing

The temptation to ask people to bring these instead of clothes that will only fit baby for 1 week when they come round! (Joking but wish I had the balls to do this )

I always bring a freezer stash or lunch for someone who's had a new baby as well as a baby present. Never anything crazy just like a chilli or lasagna or something easily heated. And when I had ds most people who visited did being us some food either snacks and takeaway coffee or food we could put in the freezer or turned up with lunch for us both. The only time I wouldn't is if I didn't know them well enough to know what they'd eat etc but if I wasn't sure I'd ask.

My mum did, it was lovely. Totally not expected tho.

That is so beautiful. Such a lovely thing for him to do ❤️❤️

I didn’t have anyone making precooked food for us but my mum did move in with us for 3 weeks with both dc and did everything 😊

Also just had a look at those cook meals and theyre extremely reasonably priced but if you want more variety musclefoods do a nicer variety of ready meals for about £3.99 each. I totally forgot they did these until I was just browsing cook as an option for a relative also due a baby which I don't think is absolutely terrible for some quick nutrition.

My then church organised people to bring meals. No one else did. It was great, so I do try to do it for other people when I can.

You just brought life into the world. You are the reasons his genetics continue into the next generation. You literally bore his legacy for the future.

That is absolutely nauseating. Was OP just a walking uterus? That's what you make it sound like, instead of it being a decision by two people to have a baby together.

Some people promised, but never did. Disappointing! But it's hard to make something that you know people will eat and that can be reheated well - maybe they don't feel confident it would be eaten.

No but I've never completely understood the need if you are a 2 adult household and given ready meals are so easy to get. It would be nice to have but we never needed it for either child despite lack of sleep. One of us was usually ok to cook but we share household chores.

No, but only because we didn’t have anyone near us when DC were born. If they came, they came for a few days and knew to muck in.

I always do freezer food when I visit a newborn. Either make it myself or if we’re not visiting I’ll send them a Cook delivery. I swore by their meals when mine were tiny.

Do you have a delivery service in your area? Plenty of ready meals these days are healthy.

We make meals for each other in my culture after births, deaths and illnesses etc.

I would be a bit 🙄 if - out of the blue - someone asked me to bring a home cooked mea. That said, I guess because it’s cultural, I’d always ask if they wanted food so it’s never arisen! I might not cook though, I might bring a ready meal or something - I guess it depends on what is going on in my life.

You mentioned it’s not something you’ve done. Perhaps it’s different when it’s not the “culture” in your circle. Next time offer to make a meal for someone and start off a new culture of helping someone out. Now you know it’s important to you, I’m sure there are others feeling the same way.

My PIL came up from near Bradford on the train the day DS1 was born and stopped in at M and S foodhall in Newcastle and brought us an M and S picnic. DH and I ate it when they'd gone back home- pasta and feta salad, sandwiches, crisps and fruit salad! There was a cake for later on. It was bliss. We were still in the hospital until the next day.

No way would I want other people's dinners. Unless I was laid up in bed (luckily I wasn't) then I got up and made it myself. DH made meals too.

I didnt find it hard but respect that others have a struggle.

When I had DD and then DS2 I was only in the hospital hours and just got on with things at home- neither were awful births and DH is a decent cook too.

My MiL did this and it was hugely appreciated - tbh she does it most time she’s visits because cooking is her thing. None of my friends did. I’ve only done it for one new mum friend because I’m not a good cook and I have 2 young kids myself so no time, BUT my go-to gift for new parents is the Cook ready meal vouchers. We got some gifted to us and they’re amazing and always v appreciated when I’ve given them

Not in my culture, no.

Aunts and my siblings did. I always bring food when someone’s had a death in the family, it’s a nice way to support someone

Ha, my in-laws expected us to travel to them, on the train with a newborn immediately after a c-section. “Too far for them to come” apparently.

DM was great. She didn’t cook us any meals but she did take me to the supermarket every week, help with the washing up, and clean the bathroom.

Sounds like a lovely idea.

It was just me and DH when DS was born and DH doesn’t cook ever and there were no visitors so I guess at least I wasn’t feeding extra people. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Between my mum my mother in law and my auntie I didn't cook dinner for myself for the first 6 weeks

I pre-made food but many friends also brought over meals for our freezer etc. We all did it for each other when we had babies because we're all expats and away from our families.

I generally pull a goodie bag together which has:

Bolognese sauce
spaghetti
garlic bread
Ice cream
Bar of chocolate
Rescue remedy (for the baby blues/anxiety)
Baby gift

I do this for 2nd/3rd/whatever many babies come - it's always gratefully received.

Sadly no.

I didn’t actually have any friends at the stage where I had my first dc, and family lived several hours away.

This is a normal thing in church congregations. Nearly every church I have every been to would arrange a rota of meals for a couple of weeks after a baby is home from hospital. I have been involved in plenty of those over the years. Also when someone is just home from hospital for other things.

Not as such but one friend bought and amazing picnic spread for us to have for lunch with her and there was loads of picky bits left in the fridge for days!

No but my lovely SIL did batch cooking for the first few weeks after I had a hysterectomy

Nobody ever did it for us when our kids were born. In fact, nobody helped with anything.