Baby Etiquette – Visiting new parents

I recently had a family member give birth, and two weeks later I found myself going to visit the new born baby. Now welcoming a brand-new baby can be very exciting.  But for the parents who have just had the baby, there are also few things that are more stressful and exhausting.

But before you go pop in for a visit, please read these necessary tips on the basics of newborn etiquette. Trust us, the parents of the newborn will thank you later.

If you’re sick, don’t visit

This may seem like common sense, but this rule is often forgotten with the excitement of the new born baby. New born babies have barely developed any immunities to fight off a cold so, even a minor cold could make the baby sick. So just wait till you are back to full health before you visit.

In addition to this rule, wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before touching the baby.

Don’t wear out your welcome.

In the beginning stages the parents are usually not getting much sleep, so try to keep visits to new parents on the shorter side, nothing more than an hour or two. Trying to nurse a baby or put him down to sleep can be extra challenging and stressful if there’s people around.

Give unsolicited advice

Parenting advice is sometimes more common, and annoying than a baby crying. A lot of people who have their own children try to force their opinion on new parents, and that usually doesn’t help. The last thing the new parents want to hear is what they are doing wrong.

So as much as you would like to give advice, rather wait to be asked for it. If you are asked for advice, please share your experience. If not, please don’t.

Don’t pick up the baby

Or rather don’t pick up the baby without the parent’s permission. Especially in the first couple of weeks as the baby is still getting accustomed to their new body and can be easily bruised by people constantly picking them up and putting them down.

As you would imagine these bruises can cause the baby considerable pain, and result in more sleepless nights for the parents. So until you’ve been asked, it’s better to just marvel from a distance.

Now that we have established the basics, it’s important to know that despite all the rules the parents of a new born baby are excited for visitors and want to share this special moments with friends and family.

If you’re able to follow these simple rules, I have no doubt that the new parents will appreciate your visit and will  likely ask you to come back again.