It can be difficult watching a friend bring up a baby alone. Being a single mum is becoming more common and as their friend, you will want to do everything possible to help them.
You could use family-friendly things to do with them, to get them involved with and take care of them like they are your family, or gift them something sentimental. There are many ways to care for and show love for your single mum friend. Here are some ideas.
Help financially
If you want to know how to help single mothers, you could donate to them so they have financial help when the baby arrives. Some pregnancies might be unplanned. Hence, the mother might not be in a position to buy everything they need for the baby.
Therefore, your donation will help them buy what they need so they have everything in place for when the baby arrives.
Spend time with them
Another great way to support your single mum friend is to spend time with them. Whether you think it is a good idea to get them involved in your family days out or spend alone time with them, it is important they spend time with more people than just the baby.
Ensuring you encourage them to do things and spend time outside the house will be good for their mental health. If you include them in your family days, it will show them you care and want them to feel like family too.
Help her find expert support
Although you might feel your support is all your friend needs, she might need expert help. Some mums find it difficult to cope with a new baby when they haven’t had a baby before, especially when being alone. Therefore, they might benefit from having therapy. Or, it could help them to seek help from a nanny.
Either way, it is a good idea if you encourage and help her find the support she needs. She might be afraid to ask for help or not have the time to look. Therefore, if you help, she can be a step closer to feeling more relaxed about being a single mum. She needs to know there are many people that will want to help her and encouraging her to seek support will show her it is normal and acceptable.
Offer to look after the baby
As mentioned, single mums might fear asking for help. They might have important meetings or appointments to attend. Yet, they might say no as they do not have anyone to look after the baby.
Therefore, it can be a good idea to offer to look after the baby. Doing so will give them time to themselves and ensure they are aware you are there to support them whenever they need it. They might not ask for help, so it is best to offer it. If they decline the offer and you can see they are struggling, ensure to enforce them as they will need it.
