What did YOUR parents do that helped you after the birth?

[luna moth]

Brought me lunch -really healthy lunch- while I was pinned to the couch. Ditto for cups of tea. Vacuumed, did loads of washing. Encouraged me to have sleeps, and praised me for doing so. Did an emergency chemist run for dummies. Went out to the shops and came back with mountains of fresh beautiful food. She was staying with us, and for at least a few hours a day she kept to herself so DD and DH and I could have our own time to get to know each other.

[Gigi]

i would have loved to have parents around. It felt really sad to have no grandparents to show bilby to, to delight in her, to be glad she was earthside.

[sloane]

my parents were lovely but i really, really wished they'd brought us some more meals! i think we were given 2 meals - one from my parents & one from DP's mum. not that i expected heaps but i didn't realise what a struggle dinnertime would be & that it was when a NB was often the most...vocal alot of it's my fault though - i am useless at asking for help & if people said anything, i just said we were fine. my mum has bad arthritis so as much as housework-type of help would have been great, she's not able to (but she is a great cook!)

ETA - what i loved about DP's mum was that she would come & offer to help by hanging out washing, doing dishes etc but would also offer to hold DS - because sometimes i just really wanted the opportunity to do a mundane task like the dishes instead of being stuck on the couch!!