6 EASY Ways to Support Another Mom (NOT a home cooked meal)

Supporting other moms always sounded like something I’d magically know how to do once I became a mother, but I wasn’t taught any of it.

Once I had kids, I went from being the “dude chick” with mostly guy friends to realizing I suddenly needed women — real community that understood the chaos and joy of motherhood. Through being supported and learning to support others, I’ve realized there are so many simple, realistic ways to show up for another mom without burning yourself out.

1. Share Your Favorites

One of the easiest, sweetest ways to support another mom?
Share the things you love.

My friend once dropped off a little postpartum bag for me. And honestly, I forget everything in it except two things:

1. Homemade banana bread
2. A hemorrhoid balm (Yes. We bond over our hemorrhoids. Motherhood is intimate, okay?)

It was so thoughtful because it was her favorites. Things she genuinely loved and used.

A couple of my go-to favorites to share…

1. The Huckleberry App – This is my holy grail baby sleep + diaper tracker. As a new mom (and also as a third-time mom), when the pediatrician asks how many diapers your baby had, my brain just goes: “Uhhh…some?” Huckleberry tracks it all for you and gives you “sweet spot” nap predictions, which feel like magic. If you want to try it, I have a link for two free weeks
2. Big-ticket baby items – Things like the BabyBjörn bouncer, You only use it for a few months, so share it! Swap it! Keep it moving! It’s one of the easiest ways to save each other money and sanity.

2. FOOD

Food is the go-to support solution, right? Except… I can’t even cook for my own family half the time.

So bringing someone a perfectly assembled, homemade meal? Not in my capacity. Not in my joy. Not in my wheelhouse.

But then someone brought me:

• A gallon of coffee
• aApre-made Costco meal to warm up
• A frozen soup I could just drop into a pot

And I was like… OH. This counts. This is genius.

So here are four food categories that all count as support:

Meals

• Homemade (if you’re into that — bless you)
• Pre-made Costco/Trader Joe’s meals
• Meal delivery (choose pre-made ones, not kits that require chopping)
• Grocery delivery with one meal included
• Setting up a meal train (lifesaver for postpartum families)

Drinks

This is slept on. A growler of cold brew someone dropped on my porch is still living rent-free in my heart.

Other ideas:

• Starbucks gift card (you can text it straight from your phone)
• Coconut water
• Bone broth
• A fun drink you love

Treats

Healthy food is nice. But treats feed the soul.

• Cookies (homemade cookies, just the dough, or store-bought dough)
• Chocolate
• Something decadent you know they'll love

Snacks

Especially great if:

• They have other kids
• They’re breastfeeding
• They’re sick

My favorites: nuts, berries, protein balls, Kodiak mix, granola bars.

And if you want the ultimate hack:
“Hey, I’m going to Target tomorrow — can I grab a pickup order for you?”
Moms who hate asking for help will say yes to this.

3. Help With Their Kids

This one is huge (and often easier than cooking).

Ideas:

• “Can I walk your kids to the park for an hour?”
• “Can I come over and play with them while you nap?”
• “Can your husband drop the kids at my place so you two can have alone time?”

If there is illness involved and you want to avoid the spread of germs:
Send a new toy from Amazon addressed to the kids. Kids lose their minds with joy!!!

New toys = new entertainment = new pockets of peace.

4. Don’t Forget Their Pets

As someone who doesn’t have pets…this one never crossed my mind.

But apparently this is a thing:

• Walking their dog
• Taking the dog for a weekend
• Paying for a doggy daycare pass

If they love their pet, this will mean so much. And, be so helpful to them.

5. Cleaning (Choose Your Comfort Level)

Okay, this one’s tricky.

If someone offered to come clean my house, I’d be like “absolutely not, we’re fine, this house is chaos but also please never look at my baseboards.”

But if someone said:
“Can I come hang out and do some chores with you while we talk?”
Yes. Easy yes.

Ideas:

• Fold laundry together
• Help declutter one space
• Do tiny pick-me-up tasks while visiting
• Hire a cleaning service for them (my mom gifted this and it was incredible)

Again…choose what feels natural for you.

6. The Bonus Support That Every Mom Loves

Two underrated but powerful ways to support another mom:

Take candid photos of her with her kids

She might not love them now (pajamas, messy bun, spit-up), but she will love them later. They’re priceless.

Send a thoughtful text after you leave

Something like:

• “Your kids are so sweet! I loved seeing the way you talk to them.”
• “You’re doing such a good job.”
• “You are an incredible mom.”

Moms rarely get compliments. We think about them for weeks afterward. (Don't underestimate how appreciated this one is).

Last Thing: If They’re Venting, Check What They Need

New moms are flooded with advice all the time.

So before you offer it, ask yourself: Are they simply venting? Or, are they looking for help?

One of my favorite ways someone started advice to me was:
“What worked for me was…”
So gentle. No pressure.

Sometimes they want solutions.
Sometimes they want someone to listen.
Sometimes they want validation: “You’re not crazy. This is hard.”

Sometimes you don’t need to fix it. You just need to show up.

Read the room, or if you really need to, ask them what they want from you (a listening ear, some help, etc.).

The Heart of It All

Supporting another mom doesn’t mean cooking every meal, watching all their kids, spending hours upon hours helping, or being superwoman.

It means choosing something that feels doable for you. Something that comes from joy and the intention to support.