The Baby Visiting Rules

I had a bit of fun with my friend Catherine laying out THE RULES for visiting brand new mums and babies. She's just had her 2nd baby and mine is due in 3 weeks.

For all those poor unsuspecting new mums and their well-meaning visitors, here is our advice for making the first visit an enjoyable, helpful and un-annoying experience for all!

Starting with what's most important -

Baby Visiting Rules - DON'T:

1. Suggest I'm suffering from postnatal depression at the first sign of a slightly hormonal outburst
2. Turn up unannounced and/or stay for ages
3. Give too much advice e.g. tell me "baby's hungry" or "baby's teething"
4. Over-excite our toddler
5. Bring loads of unhealthy cake, biscuits (and even worse say it's ok because I'm allowed to be fat)
6. Suggest meeting up miles away from home
7. Get offended easily
8. Don't listen, just tell us what to do
9. Criticise me, dad or our toddler

Baby Visiting Rules - DO:

1. Turn up when you said you would
2. Bring healthy food and treats then tidy up after your cup of tea
3. Sing cheerfully while you do the washing up, the washing, hang the washing up etc (to show how much you love all these jobs)
4. Offer to do the food shopping
5. Support dad
6. Respect our routine (well, the one we're aiming for anyway)
7. Praise how well we're doing/coping/thriving and how healthy/contented/happy baby seems
8. Offer to cook a meal while you're here
9. Offer to cook our toddler a meal/get them changed for bed etc.

A bit tongue in cheek, maybe a bit bolshy... but I hope The Baby Visiting Rules will offer some light-hearted help for visitors to avoid some of the classic mistakes!

"Sing cheerfully while you do the washing up"

What else needs adding to The Baby Visiting Rules?