Small things people have done for you when you’re out in public with a baby

[Tryingandhoping2020]

Twice this week I’ve been touched by small acts of kindness from strangers when out with my 8mo.

A few days ago outside a supermarket a lady came over while I was trying to placate frustrated DD and helped me pack my shopping into my car.

Today, I was grabbing a quick lunch at a fast food place and cleaning DD up after her lunch (purée, not fast food!), an employee came over completely unprompted to hand me some more napkins to clean her up with and asked if there was anything else she could help with.

Both very small things that neither lady probably thought twice about, but meant a lot to a tired FTM. Thought a thread would be nice to share lovely things that people have done in public when they see you struggling!

The wonderful GP receptionist who bought me water when I was breast feeding my daughter. I had PND and felt dreadful and she was so kind

I used to travel on the underground with my dc in a buggy and people always helped me with it.

Dc was sick once on the tube. We had a small bag and a young man, prob in his twenties, emptied his carrier bag, held his items in his arms and gave the bag to us. It was so kind of him and really helped us out.

We went out for dinner and the waitress brought over a free dessert for the baby, he's 8 months old and it was a chocolate brownie with ice cream 😂. He got his first little taste of ice cream and DH and I ate the rest. It was a very sweet gesture.

The head waiter at a posh wedding offered to cut my dinner up for me so I could eat as I was feeding DD.

People jumping up from their seat to help get the pram on/off the train. Always so nice when people want to help out.

I once saw a group of Mums form a protective circle around another mother whose baby was crying hysterically on a plane. She was so upset that she was crying herself. Someone gave her tissues, everyone contributed snacks for the child, everyone reassured her it was all ok, someone gave her a drink.

A lady once held my screaming baby whilst I got changed after we'd been swimming.

I used to take both kids on the tube in the buggy most weeks when they were small and never once had to ask for help, someone always stepped up to offer even when I didn't need it.

Also the chap who offered to carry my shopping up the hill for me when it was icy and I was massively preggars in case I slipped over, never forgotten his kindness.

Cars that stop to let you cross the road cause they know you gotta keep that pram moving 😅🤣

Oh and not a baby but I once took my toddler into a shop after nursery pick up, he desperately wanted a red apple, I then realised I forgot my wallet, told him he couldn't have one, dragged him out of there -- but then an older kid ran after me with a red apple that his mother had brought for my kid having heard the wailing!

Years ago I was on my own in ikea with my toddler and my tiny baby. The toddler kept running off and the baby wouldn't stop crying. Eventually I started crying too. This lovely couple took me to the cafe, bought me a drink and held the baby while I drank it. I will never forget it.

Yes, this happened to us too. I was so flustered and trying to juggle everything and getting really red-faced and stressed. She was an absolute marvel of a woman.

When there were no parent and child parking spaces at the supermarket, and I needed to get two babies and a toddler out of the car, a lovely lady held my toddler’s hand, and then one of the babies, until I had got them all out safely; got a trolley, and put them where they needed to be. I was a foster mum, so they were all very close in age.

I wish there was a ‘like’ button for these!

Today I was telling a sad dd(2.5l that she couldn't scan her stickers using the self-checkout because we'd bought them in another shop. The attendant whispered that she could do it and it just wouldn't process but would still beep to satisfy her. Again, very small gesture but made her day

I was feeding and then nap trapped in a coffee shop. A lovely woman who worked there came over with a fresh latte in a takeaway cup, swapped it for the stone cold one on the table that was way out of reach and then moved said table so I could actually drink it!

I had only had about 2 hours sleep the night before and nearly cried.

I tripped walking along the road with my 5 month old in her carrier. She was fine, I had a grazed knee.

A woman came running over and offered me help up and offered to take me back to hers for plasters etc. I refused as I was late meeting a friend, so she insisted on walking along with me, then came into the cafe ten mins later with plasters and a wound wash she'd bought for me, and wouldn't take any money for them.

Such a lovely woman!

Lovely older lady held my 4 month old while I took toddler ds for a wee. I have no idea how I would have managed otherwise as I couldn't get the buggy anywhere near the toilet area as it was too small and narrow. Put the baby on the toilet floor?

Another nice older lady offering to watch my baby ds while I backed my car out of a parking spot that was too tight to get the car seat in through the door.

What would we do without nice, older ladies?

Also, I was in a cafe with pfb ds 10 days old. An older lady came over to dote on him a bit and said 'well done mum' and patted me on the shoulder. I swear to god I nearly cried. The birth/establishing feeding/first week with a newborn had been a bit of a trial shall we say and it was just the nicest thing she could have said. I don't think I will forget it.

I’d just had my purse stolen out of my bag and I was in the bank trying to withdraw cash but couldn’t as I didn’t have any id, I burst into tears and left a lovely lady ran after me down the high street took me into boots and bought me two packs of nappies a tin of milk and a sandwich ❤️ I have never been more grateful in my life l.

The moment in Asda car park on my first solo shopping trip with a new baby.
I stood at the car suddenly clueless. Did I put the baby in the car then leave him while I took the trolley or unload the shopping and take trolley and baby?
A woman must have seen me looking confused and came and took over unloading trolley and organising me.
It sounds silly now but I will never forget it. I hope she reads this.

When DS was almost a newborn the wheel of his buggy accidentally touched some bloke’s boxfresh trainer on a busy street. The guy came up in my face and basically threatened to take me out. I’m normally quite feisty but being a hormonal mess I was frankly terrified for us both. A young woman swept in, ushered me on, walked with me for a while and calmed me down. Quite literally an angel..

People helped me to carry my buggy on the tube without being asked all the time.

I was bf Ds in the foyer of the Royal Festival Hall and a woman came over with a glass of water.

I had three under 5, so I was always the sweaty and frazzled mum. People helped me get the pram down stairs and things all the time and once someone gave me some pens and paper in a cafe to entertain my middle child who was getting fractious. People are generally quite kind I think, especially when they see someone struggling.

It's the small things isn't it:

• the lady that carried my tray at the cafe when I had a newborn and no free hands

• the check-in people at the airport who moved my seat so I had a free row of three for privacy and space

• the stewardess who gave up her lunch for my toddler (unprompted or asked) when we were stuck on the plane with no food for 6 hours

• the lady in Tesco who told me 'we've all been there, it gets better' when toddler was having a spread-eagled on the floor mid-aisle melt dow

• the lady on the bus who told me 'ignore him' when random man told me complete crap about my newborn being at risk of death from being in a pram.

Simple acts of kindness that go a long way.