meal coordination for expecting parents?

Question

I have offered to coordinate meals for my good friend once she gives birth to her first child. Does anyone have any experience with how to go about doing this? I have already signed up with one of the websites that helps (MealBaby) but I need to know how often I should be requesting meals (every day? every other day?) and how long I should request meals for. Also, when should I send out the email to friends and family asking them to sign up to bring meals? We don't know when she is going to give birth but it could be any day now. Thanks!

Answer 1

Be aware that there are two things that can happen--natural birth or C-section. The first is going to make her sore for a few days. The second is the time to set it up for 3-4 weeks.



Most times it's just dinner. Of course, you're asking on a senior citizen's board, so my experience is from the days before the Internet. (I can't help you on the customs of how websites work for something like that.) Back in my day, it was a church and family effort. Family got first dibs on when they'd like to prepare the meal and what they were making. Church members negotiated other days and what they'd prepare. (If two people planned to make meatloaf, either someone had to change what she/he would make or offer to make it a few days later.)



Also, it depended on where the new family lived. If they were in a one bedroom apartment, we assumed there is no extra freezer to give all the meals at once. Mom has to be in on the negotiations too, and needs the ability to make last minute changes. (Thou shalt not wake up baby after taking two hours to put baby to sleep. lol) Usually there was one coordinator--a very good friend like you--so Mom doesn't have to worry about bugging a stranger or remembering who is coming when.



Oh, and you might have to be bold. Quite often back then, people thought soup was a good meal. I remember one friend thanking us over and over again for a multi-dish meal with "sink your teeth in" meat. She was fine with soup for dinner, but her husband was 6'6", 350 pounds (and yet not even overweight) and a long-distance trucker, so he wasn't good on living on soup alone, but he also didn't get much chance to make dinners, so he wasn't great in the kitchen either.



That's the best my memories work 30 years later. (Whoa! I just realized all those babies probably have their own babies now. lol)



Added:

Whimsy, it is often no more "needed" here than anywhere else, but a mom with a first time newborn is going to be overwhelmed figuring how to balance everything anyway. Suddenly sleeping through the night is but a memory, peace and quiet happens at small intervals, and panic about doing everything right takes over. (Am I feeding her right? Am I changing her right? Should I rock her to sleep or let her cry it out? I've fed, changed, and rocked her. Why is she still CRYING? I want my mommy! Arrrrggghhhhh!) So, out of all to deal with, it's just nice not to have to deal with making dinner until all the other angst is either ironed out or assumed this is what life is like forever. lol

Answer 2

You can request meals for the first two months, because that's how long it takes for the mother to recover from childbirth and learning to nurse the baby on a schedule. I would request meals for every other day. They can eat a meal and then have leftovers the next day. Request that the meals not be too spicy in nature, if she is nursing the baby. It will give the baby colic, which leads to miserable nights of walking a crying infant. I would have the list ready to go before she gives birth, and then call so that there will be a meal when she gets home from the hospital. The first couple of weeks are the worst.

Answer 3

Never heard of that before something like a natural childbirth. I could see it for a C-section. I think it's a very nice thing to do, and I guess I would ask the new parents first how many meals they want delivered.

Most parents with a new baby in the house just want to settle into a normal routine.

Answer 4

Ask the mom how many meals she thinks she could use. Remember: there tend to be leftovers that a new mom has to find room for. As a mom of 5, I've been treated to meals 3 or 4x a week for the first two weeks OR when I requested them to start, i.e., if my family was going to provide the first week or two of meals after the delivery. Thanks for taking care of a new mom, too :)

Answer 5

I am wondering why you would need to coordinate meals in the first place. having a baby is great; but unless you have a C-section or a repair because the baby's too big; the mother should be fine getting up to get a bite to eat for herself. In fact, she needs exercise.



Maybe this is just an American thing; but I never ever did that in the UK!

Answer 6

There is a site for freezing meals in a bag to be put in a crock pot for cooking. These could be prepared, put in her freezer and she can pull out as she wants. Play it by ear and you can't miss.

Answer 7

That's really nice of you...and news to me. I was putting screens on the house when I was in labor..drove myself to the hospital 12 miles and then back to work when I got home the next day. I think my husband picked up a pizza.

Answer 8

steak peas corn