After the birth of your child, did you have any extra help? I love when relatives stop by, hold the baby for abit, then leave in an hour. :) Thats not really help, that is more of a nuisance for a new parent.

When my son was born, his grandmother invited all three of us to come live with her and her husband for the first two weeks. They both worked night shift at a hospital, and even since they slept during the day, and worked at night (off a week, on a week), they still helped out SO much!

Sons father went back to work about 3 days after he was born, so having two extra helping hands was the best for me, esp. this being my first pregnancy. I remember falling asleep on the couch alot, or where ever I had stopped at in the house for more than five minutes. :)

With the birth of my daughter last year, her father took off the first week. Sadly, fathers ears don't work like mothers do - and he never heard her wake up. He helped out as best he could, and he was a great new daddy. His mother came to visit when our girl was about 2 weeks old, and came to visit for 2 weeks, so we had extra help then too.

It just bugs me when people say "Call me if you need anything", you call, and get voice mail and no phone call returned. Help is the best thing you can offer for parents, even with my second, I still needed some naps myself to catch up. :)

For the time being, I have moved back in with my mother until my boyfriend and I can find a place that is suitable for our son and ourselves. She doesn't mind at all, I think secretly she missed having a baby around. She has a younger sister with two children, but they live far away. Her other sister has no children, and being my age now, and my younger brother - it has been a long time since she has been around babies. She is trying to quit smoking right now, and the only time she is nice/clam is when she is with the baby. I have a good bit of help, but sometimes I still feel lonely, the Daddy works alot to save for the money we will need to move, but I don't honestly know where I would be without my "Mommy". :)

With my first child my mom took a week off of work to help me and it was a god send. I was totally wiped out and she would make sure I would wake up long enough to feed the baby, or sit there while I slept and he ate, lol- oh the joys of breast feeding.

With my second, I lived so far away that she wasnt able to do more than come visit for a few days. And dad was well, lol, dad. He did the best he could, but he falls asleep the second he stops moving, so sitting and holding the baby was not always good for him, lol. However I will say the baby didnt seem to want to sleep ON anyone but dad.

Since we were NEVER supposed to have babies, when dna tests proved that somehow, my sterile husband kicked out a baby, I couldn't get rid of the help. He's an only child, and boy was his family CLINGY! I loved it though. They are all so wonderful. I don't mind sharing the miracle. He really is a miracle to everyone.

I remember our real first outing at a restaurant with our girl, it was for my husbands cousin who had just graduated HS, and I must say, taking a baby out to eat, and having 6 teenagers fight over who gets to hold the crying baby - that was a good break I needed and the food was awesome too! :)