How Do I Ask Friends to Help Deliver Food After Pregnancy

I agree we just passed around a sheet at my book club for a gal who had twins. We just talked about it and everyone was willing and able to help. I would just send something out asking if anyone was interested...if email is the best way to do it construct it as if you were in the room with them. No formalities. People love to help! Especially when babies are involved! :)

Just a different perspective here... but just make sure you make it a "suggestion" to help out, and maybe say something like "For anyone who is interested in bringing a meal to ___, here is the info..." Some people do not like to cook, and/or may have a tight budget so you don't want to make any one feel obligated. I belonged to a mom group and one of the moms who I'd barely ever met had a baby and I got a direct email saying that since I lived so close to her that it would be great if I brought her a meal. I HATE too cook but felt obligated so I delivered her a steak I'd had marinating for my own family. She really appreaciated it, but I was resentful that I didn't have the choice to opt out without feeling like a complete jerk.

"Hey Ladies. As you are aware Kelly is due any day now. As we all know as females, little cute outfits are nice, but what is so much appreciated are meals they do not have to prepare. It would be a good idea for us to organize meals for her and WIlliam to have after baby takes up 29 of the 24 hours of the day. It is known that many new parents resort to microwave meals and fast food in those early days which we all know does not heal the body nor does it make adequate milk for baby. So I have come up with a schedule. If we can reply all to the emails, let's plan for them at least 3 weeks of meals.
Here is the schedule:
Day #1 home postpartum: J. A.= Mexican Hot Dish, Pressed Beans and Spanish Rice. Ice Cream for Dessert.
Day # 2: __________________
Day #3: __________________
Please fill in the day you are able to take and the meal you can prepare. Thanks so much ladies. She will be forever greatful and so will hubby & baby... Please call before you arrive. I am so excited."
J.; now take that and copy and paste to a group email if you want. I think you will be suprised at the response! Good Job and Good Luck!

Just ask! No special wording needed. When my co-worker was going to have twins, I asked at work if people would be willing to take food to her family, and everyone was happy to. It is not an unreasonable request of friends, so please do not hesitate to just put it out there. You might add a few suggestions for meals they might be able to do, like spaghetti, enchilada casserole, quiche... all these things can be frozen and just popped into the oven.
People love to do this kind of thing!

Good luck.

.

Hi Mama-
The Church I work for does this for new mommies, people who have recently experienced a death in the family, or people who have just come out of the hospital. We call it meals to bless. Here is a very rough sample of what I might say.

Basically, you want to send a letter saying
"we are so excited at the arrival of Lisa's baby, Jack.
Right now, Lisa is worn out from bringing her new (or newest) bundle of joy home and could really use our help with family dinner time. It is hard to adjust to haveing a new baby in the house and getting back into routine and allowing your post pregnancy body to heal. As a gift to her, I am setting up meals to bless for ______ weeks. The program allows for one person/family to provide a dinner for the family for one night during the week. You would also need to deliver it to her house. If you would be willing to bless her with dinner one night this week, the new family would be so grateful.

I am signed up for the first 2 days to get the program going, and I would love to have you join me.
To sign up, please visit the website at ___________________________.
If you know of someone else who would be interested in helping out this new mommy, please contact me at __________ or have them sign up on the website as well.

Thank you so much for your support!
-J.
P.S. After Lisa has had time to recooperate and get her routine back, we are going to have a potluck for all the ladies to meet the new baby! Watch for your invites via e-mail!

The thing is to make it personal, but also make it about the new mommy needing some help for the first few weeks. Also make it clear that the food is to be dropped off, but the person delivering is not to stay. This is mommy daddy baby bonding time. In a few weeks/months, the new mommy will be more ready for visitors, and then all the ladies who helped with meals to bless could do a finger food potluck/luncheon hosted by you or one of the other ladies to welcome the new tyke into the fold.

I hope this helps
-E. M

Ditto to Dita D! Just ask!

Many would probably LOOOOVE to have an excuse to drop in to see the precious new bundle. (I know I would!) Bringing by a meal sounds like the perfect reason to stop by! I like the idea of having some suggestions, maybe listing family favorites, along with any allergies, and don't forget healthy choices ESPECIALLY if Mommy is nursing Little One!!

Tell people what you plan to do and ask them if they want to help you out by preparing a meal. That is so nice of you, I was in a moms group where they did this, I gave a mean to someone and was also on the receiving end. I have a young neighbor that needed some help and I made her a meal.

I use to cook my meals ahead of time and then use that supersaver machine that sucks all of the air out. Then I would stick them in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave. It worked good.

Hello J., Hey this is an easy one to answer as I have been doing it all day for my own daughter.
I have a list of people that have said they;d like to help. I have also found just how many days I need help for and how many people so we don't end up with to much food.
I figured everyother day is good enough and for 4 people. We are doing this for 3 weeks but you may not need it as long.
I then sent a letter out saying that as people have offered to be of help this is what is needed and put out the days we needed. Told people that they could even prepare it early and freeze it so it can be pulled out of the freezer when needed and that it can be delivered frozen at any time to me. I had 2 weeks filled in a matter of hours. So far we have 3 frozen meals and 3 soups and gift certificates for pizza . It was surprizing how many just wanted something to do for the new family to have this time to bond and enjoy one another without the added stress of meal planning.
If she is part of a church, you may contact them and see if they already have a way to do this as a welcome home for the baby.
Let me know if I can be of any more help.

My best freind from College (who is baby crazy) walked around to everyone at my baby shower and asked if they would like to be part of my 'baby brigade.' Basically, everyone had to go thru her to visit me, no one could just stop by without signing up to bring me food - and it was for Mon, Thurs and Saturdays- so I had some down time in between.

Basically, it really spoke to ever with or without children to have a schedule to come see the baby - and in return they brought some food, or milk and eggs, fruit etc - it worked great, and she did it all by email, and no one seemed put out as they opted in to it anyway.

I have since been to 2 more baby showers, I gladly signed up on the clipboard for a date, and have happily thought about what could be the best postpartum meal I would want to eat (namely pasta with a crapload of fresh organic veggies from each color group, and sausage - I was VERY hungry postpartum) and it has worked just great.

I think when you are at a shower, and right before the baby is due, the anticipation is huge - everyone wants to know how you are doing and the best thing you can say is I really need help after this baby comes feeding my family!! Thanks!

I work at a school and we have had some parents who have gotten ill or needed support. We use http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/ to organize the support. It makes it easy, you can forward it to others and either opt in or out.

http://www.mealtrain.com/