Preparing Postpartum Meals Before Baby
When our daughter was born, my wife and I cooked every single weekend in the weeks leading up to her due date. We made casseroles and huge batches of soup and stocked our deep freezer almost to capacity with ready-made meals. We did this ourselves because we didn’t expect anyone to do it for us (my parents were too far to bring frozen meals back, and my in-laws were unlikely to do something like that).
It literally killed my parents that they couldn’t contribute as much as they wanted because cooking for the baby is a tradition shared by most: the family makes meals to store, and then brings more food once the baby comes. It just never occurred to my in-laws to bring food.
This time around, my MIL has been preparing food since the middle of the summer. (Our theory is that since our daughter’s birth some of her friends have become grandparents, and they cooked for their kids, so now she realizes that’s what most people do.) So, we haven’t been making as many meals as last time. We did, however, make a batch of cheddar potato soup this weekend (and some of it actually made it past my wife into the freezer!)
What about you? Did your family and friends cook for you prior to the baby coming? What about after? Did neighbours show up with the cliched pan of lasagna or tuna casserole?
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Secret Mommy says...
I don’t know why, but I was annoyed at the end of my pregnancy when my mother in law called and said she was cooking up a bunch of food to bring when they came after our baby was going to be born. I’m a bit of a control freak – especially in my kitchen – and I could not imagine why I would need someone to cook for me.
After having an emergency c-section and not feeling so great for a week or two after the baby came, I was grateful for my MIL and her casseroles and meatloaf.
I had to apologize (if only to myself) for being such a pooh, and I bought her a nice thank you gift and mailed it to her after they left.
Secret Mommys last blog post..Baby Grippy Fingers!!!!
Wendy says...
We probably will make some meals ahead of time, but not too many because we don’t have an extra freezer. I will be happy to accept meals, cleaning help, etc, when our twins arrive next spring. I know I will be busy caring for them and need such help.
I’m more opposed to the parents who are already trying to insist on practically living here. WE, my husband and I, need to learn and adapt ourselves. We don’t need people in our faces constantly telling us how *they* did it.
But please, feed us. Clean for us. Run our errands while we sleep. I promise to let you hold the babies too!
Wendys last blog post..Babies, not Beans!