Helping my friend ahead of her baby arriving (single Mum)

[1stTimeConfused]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice - my good friend is due to have her first baby in late November - she has gone the donor route & is doing it completely alone.

Understandably she is feeling quite lonely & nervous now - so I'm wondering what I can do to support her? What bits & pieces I can put together for her to make her life easier/ help her feel cared for? I plan to bake/cook some meals for her, put together a basket of breastfeeding snacks & buy something just for her (cosy PJs or similar?)

She lives approx. 1.5 hours away & to complicate matters I am due to have my first baby this week, so meeting up is difficult. Any suggestions very much appreciated.

Just stay in touch! Even if it's whatsapping. You sound like a very considerate person and a good friend and it's lovely that the two of you are going through first time motherhood together.

You are right about the meal prep! Get some meal prep containers and batch cook some easy food to reheat for her when the baby arrives, that means even when you are not around she can be helped by you.

Other thing is when the baby is born, and you go visit, tell her you can sit with the baby for an hour or two while she does what she wants, whether that is to sleep, have a bath, get her hair cut.

And just check in with her and ask how she is, not always about the baby. Ask if she is getting out much etc and be there for her. You sound like a lovely friend

no advice but i wish i had a friend as nice as you!

Im in a simular position to your friend due in the new year and doing it totally alone.

Just knowing someone is thinking of me and wants to help. It means the world.

No sugesstions that havent already been given but just to say you sound a fantastic friend to her

Lots of one-two portion containers of chilli, spag bol, curry, mac and cheese (or similar) for her freezer, and maybe a little photo shoot for her and DC a few weeks after birth? Sorry if that sounds like an odd suggestion, but I treasure the photos we had taken by a professional when DD was a few weeks old, plus it is near impossible to get decent photos of yourself with a baby without a third person there. It doesn't have to be Anne Geddes-stylee, either.

And a dressing gown! Sorry, these are all things to buy rather than practical suggestions, but I'm trying to think back to my own experience.

Having done this myself I think your idea of a few microwaveable meals for 1 is excellent. I would also now recommend an alexa and audio books to listen to while breastfeeding in the middle of the night (wish I'd had this!!)