This is a great idea.... except the beer.

So very sweet. Love it!

I asked ahead of time what her favorite foods were and then made a 4 course meal. Mexican macaroni and cheese (with ground beef), a greek salad, cheddar garlic biscuits, and an almond pound cake. They loved it!

Love the Taco Box idea. I have been doing boxes like these for about 15 years; new parents LOVE it! I make a Pasta Box. Homemade pesto or pasta sauce; great pasta, mixings for a simple salad (with dressing), baguette, cheese, lemonbars or brownies, wine and flowers. If there is another sibling in the house, I include a little something for them.

I do salad nicoise with grilled salmon ...since they usually receive many of those nice, comforting casseroles...I like to do something fresh (while making sure they can eat it that night), plus a warm apple pie and ice cream. I do love your box idea!

I love this idea, ESPECIALLY the beer.

I deeply appreciate my friends who brought dinners over for me after I had my daughter. I was glued to the couch breastfeeding her every hour and I was getting tired of takeout. It was so nice to get homecooked meals and see familiar faces after being cooped up in the house.

I often do a breakfast casserole (with egg, cheese, and chicken or pork sausage) which freezes well (I leave instructions). I also do it in an aluminum pan so the new parents don't have to stress about what dish belongs to whom! It's great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and since those meals frequently run together in those first few weeks, they often love it!

Even if Mom can't have the beer, Mom's partner sure could.

@Thepeppershaker: Guinness is recommended for breastfeeding mothers. Not only does it help a lactating mother's milk "let down", it also gives much needed iron, and helps with relaxation. All three are integral to breastfeeding. It takes approximately 30 minutes for the alcohol to reach breast milk and about 2 hours for it to wear off. So a lactating mother can safely drink a beer and never worry about the alcohol reaching her child.

These Taco Boxes rock! I love the vessel and the ingredients, it's really the greatest thing.

Bringing someone with a new baby a meal is truly one of the most thoughtful things ever. My dh's aunt and uncle brought us spaghetti with sauce and a salad and bread when my first son was born and I could have cried because I was so tired and overwhelmed. Because of this, I always bring new parents food. I really appreciate the suggestions and love the box idea. I'll keep it in mind next time somebody I know has a kid.

In advance of a friends' new arrival, we got together one evening, and together, prepared quite a few meals for the freezer! Imagine doing this with a few gifted friends - to build the emotional and nutritional support needed in the transition to parenthood. Now I am sure their freezer is empty and we are due to bring some takeaway over. Gotta go!

So thoughtful! I'm due in July and can only hope this shows up at my front door!

A good friend of mine had her baby 3 weeks ago and meals were brought over quite frequently however I think this just is the perfect time for the "Taco Box" as Dad is now back at work and she is on her own with a newborn baby girl , a 2 1/2 year old, 5 year old, and a 7 year old (all boys) So yeah I think she would enjoy this right about now!

What a great idea. I've turned up at new parents' houses with bags of ingredients and cooked a meal in exchange for baby cuddles - food it always very well received by the sleep deprived and overwhelmed!

This is fabulous and I will certainly be doing this. Thanks for reminding us to take care of each other.

What a great idea! I know this is a cooking site, and I should say that I cook a meal to take to new parents, but the truth is, I usually hit up Costco before visiting friends and relatives with new babies and deliver chicken alfredo, a big bag of salad, giant muffins and fruit.

This is wonderful idea. Thanks for posting this one. So many persons think of a baby shower which is good. However when the new mom or not so new mom comes homes she needs not to be worrying about meal prep for the family. With my first child I was in labour for 24 hours and thought that was long, but 50 hours!!! Glad you came through it with your bungle of joy

Lovely! We had few to no meals come in with our first babe, and hit the jackpot with our second. We live in a community with a vibrant meal wheel tradition (this month I am delivering three meals to families in need). I posted about it here if you want to start a meal wheel tradition of your own. Because dinner is the Best. Gift. Ever.

http://lusaorganics.typepad.com/clean/2011/12/what-is-a-meal-wheel-.html

Tacos are a great idea for a new family. when I had my son a friend sent over a never-ending stream of pasta and chicken dinners. It was very much appreciated.

Very cute idea - I usually make meals for friends with new babies, but I love this presentation. I'd be interested to know how you prepare the chicken - is it just marinated, or fully cooked? Recipe?

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has given Guiness to new moms. Well, there was a friend of mine who made me bring margaritas over when she got home from the hospital. Maybe I'll do the taco box with margaritas from here on out.

I think this would work with Chinese food too. "The Chinese Dinner Box": takeout containers of homecooked vegetable or meat chow mein, chicken or beef broccoli, fried rice, and a six pack of soft drinks (for the kids). Some alternatives: egg drop soup, stir-fry vegetables, etc. You can even add fortune cookies for dessert.

You are a wonderful friend! I appreciated all the food we were brought SO much, though nothing was this cute/creative :)

I usually just go to Kroger and buy all kinds of fresh stuff from the deli/bakery + some fruit for new moms. Honestly, though, before I was a mother I wouldn't have done that. I would have taken an outfit or something. I couldn't have imagined how hungry a new nursing mother would be, ha ha.

Oh and I think the Guiness is awesome. Someone did bring me a bottle of wine (along with a huge thing of homemade lasagna and some cookies - mmm).

God yes! When I am done being pregnant this summer, I want one! No chicken, but beer or wine, thank you, that is really what i want

When we had our daughter I was soooo thankful for all the great meals that people brought. I especially appreciated when people brought full meals -- including salad and dessert -- so I love love the taco box idea. And the beer is perfect. :-)

One thing to note: the first week we were home from the hospital, I got a lot of e-mails from people saying, "we'll bring you food in a few weeks, when you're ready for visitors." In the first few weeks I was totally exhausted and didn't have much energy for visitors, but I had even less energy for cooking. Everyone was being so polite, staying away, that we didn't get many meals in the time we felt we needed it most! So now I make it a point of heading over right away, in the first week if possible, and just dropping off the food without even coming in the door. Visiting, and holding the baby, can happen later, but food is necessary right away!

I've found that lunch packages are very welcome too. Dad are often around for dinner (even if they just order take out) but new moms are usually on their own for lunch. I focus on foods that can be stored frozen easily heated in single servings and eaten with one hand. Burritos, spanikopita, quiche, soups all fit the bill.

Wonderful idea. It IS such a cliche, but when we had our baby I was particularly grateful for two friends, one of whom dropped of a ridiculously large foil container of fried rice (with lots of veg) and a long-distance friend who sent us a huge basket of muffins and bagels and whatnot (both of which also helped to feed visiting parents). But if you're local, as someone above mentioned, what I really craved was fresh things like fruit and Greek salad. I was a little carbo-overloaded, plus the fresh foods were hard to keep in stock in the early weeks when I rarely left the house.

We live really far from family (across the ocean) so I don't expect to get one of these when our baby comes in July. But, the hubby and I are planning on doing a lot of stews in advance and freezing them before the baby comes. Also, my husband is taking off work for a few weeks when the baby arrives so hopefully one of us will be well-rested enough to cook for the other!
P.S. I also love the Guinness suggestion--my sister was in Ireland last year and told me about it's usefulness for breastfeeding moms!

Love this! I was thinking of something similar for a different scenario. My MIL is coming to stay for 2 months. She's coming from South Africa and I've been thinking of a care package to have for her when she arrives. Magazines, Jam, Coffee, Toothpaste...this all could go nicely in a crate!

Fresh foods and favorite snacks would have been welcomed when I had my son.

If the mom doesn't drink beer and is having problems with her milk supply, toss in some Fenugreek caplets and mother's milk tea. Those helped me!

I love, love, love this idea! I believe so much in the power of food to heal, comfort, and nourish both our bodies and our souls. The extra thought of packaging this up in a box and adding fresh flowers makes it extra special. This is also a great idea for a grieving family. Perhaps with a few different additions, but the same concept.

We got a freezer full of food from a co-worker, which was lovely and amazing! Don't forget your friends who became parents through adoption, as we did. In spite of not having had labor and delivery, those first few weeks were really intense. We were really grateful that all we had to do was focus on our baby and not the day's menu.

When I was a new mom I LOVED that people brought me beer and wine in addition to food. I'm not a huge drinker, but being able to drink after months of not doing so made me feel like my own person and not just a mom.

this( *This is not meant to spark a debate on drinking while nursing, though I will offer that my midwife and my pediatrician both encouraged a short beer at the end of the day.) statement took me back to when i was pregnant with my daughter and went in to labor early and one of then things my Dr. told me was to have a glass of wine in the evening.
it helps with relaxing, and the contractions would ease off a bit. she was still a month early. stubborn child!! she still is and she's 24ys old! LOL

VERY cool idea. Love this!

An alternative: ask them for a shopping list and hit up the grocery store for them. And include some fresh fruit. Every woman I know craves it post-partum.

What a great idea! A friend is having a baby next month. I will use this for her and her family.. I also like the pasta box idea. Who doesn't like pasta?..... I may use a paper box and either cover it with gift wrap paper or just decorate with paint or markers. I will also include gift for her other two children. Husbands will enjoy having the beer.

My plan is usually to deliver something before the baby is born; first I confirm with the expectant parent(s) that they have room in their freezer, then drop off some dinners in solidly frozen, ready-to-reheat disposable containers.

My SIL and BIL gave raves to the pulled pork sliders I made them: smallish Gladware containers of saucy (onion- and garlic-free, just in case) pulled pork ready to pop in the microwave and a bag of small rolls, just the thing for a midnight snack or a quick dinner. She actually teared up with gratitude when I brought a second batch shortly after the baby was born.

And that's part of my usual plan, too: deliver some food before the birth, then another batch after: another home-made, home-frozen dinner ready to heat, some bagged salad, and usually a quiche and a coffeecake or muffins, also in disposable pans. That way, the exhausted parents have something on hand for breakfast or to offer visiting family and friends.

Fab idea! I'm bookmarking this one. And I've got a friend who's pregnant, so perfect.

I love this, and the presentation is wonderful. Who wouldn't feel spoiled and taken care of if something like this showed up on their doorstep? The flowers are a lovely touch.

I have a few new baby dinners I like to bring. One is a hearty soupe au pistou, the other a healthy take on baked burritos, filled with black beans, corn, quinoa, and spinach.
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2010/05/soupe-au-pistou-and-new-baby-dinner.html
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2011/01/new-baby-dinner-adams-enchiladas-2.html

I always try to make it a complete meal, with greens or side dishes and dessert. People tell me later it makes them feel so civilized in the midst of new baby chaos.

Another option I love, for new babies and also for families going through hard times, is to stock their freezer with homemade tamales. They can be heated up in the microwave for quick lunches or dinners and almost everyone likes them. They are also gluten-free, for those who need it.

What a wonderful post!

Love the taco box idea - I made something similar for the family across the street who had a new baby last spring and have made tacos a lot! I also added a green salad and more than enough for left overs. In addition I've found that if I am pressed for time I can purchase part of the meal (the salad, good guacamole, or I purchased a corn salad at the deli once) which helps out. I think new moms like any meal so I have also done something as simple as picking up a rotisserie chicken and make the sides. A friend brought me meatloaf and twice baked potatoes for me when my second child was born and it was perfect for February. New moms are hungry so don't skimp!

I love this idea! Unfortunately I'm too far from my loved ones to give or receive these (not that I'm expecting a baby). Does anyone have suggestions for something equally useful/thoughtful to send when you're bestie is about to have a baby in California and you're in NYC? Grocery baskets from Safeway?

I'm a mom, I know that beer can be helpful not only in milk production, but also in mama relaxation and milk letdown (thanks to a really great LC I consulted with when my first was about 5 days old and having latch problems), but it had never occurred to me in the many meals I've prepared for friends in their babymoons to include a six pack of beer.

What genius!!!!

I usually make brisket but love the taco idea. Sometimes though instead of food I treat the mom and dad something at a spa so they can relax and give them bath products as well to wind down with when the baby is napping.

This reminds me about the acronym the birthing class I went to used to remind the moms to be about what to remember when your water breaks:

T - time
A- amount
C- color
O - odor

I have brought homemade pasta sauce, boxes of pasta, good bread, homemade vinaigrette, and washed, torn romaine in ziploc bags. It's the closest thing to a homemade instant meal.

I have also given "breast feeding bags." I didn't realize until I nursed how FAMISHED I would be in the dead of night after nursing. She would eat, burp, poop, and husband would change her and in no time both of them were blissfully asleep while I raided the fridge in tears. So now I bring nursing moms crackers and spreads (hummus, artichoke, ajvar, goat cheese, nut butters), fruit, whole-grain muffins, Greek yogurt--the key is high-nutrition items that need ZERO PREPARATION. Mom needs 3 a.m. feedings, too.

I made a dinner of Tamari Maple Glazed Salmon, Brown Rice and Steamed Green Beans for friends who were welcoming their second baby to the family. I cleared the menu first and had everything prepped and ready to go. I arrived at their home, cooked them dinner, cleaned everything up and then headed home. We enjoyed a little time together and they had a delicious dinner without any work. I made the same meal for my brother and his wife when their 3rd baby arrived and they loved it too!

Another great suggestion if you are expecting is to pull some of your favorite recipes and share them with friends so you can enjoy some comfort food as you settle in with your new baby.

Who drinks Guinness with tacos - what a bunch of weirdos!

Cute idea. I understand that Guinness is good for Moms, but c'mon - if you're serving tacos, at least throw in a Corona for Dad!

I love this idea, however, it can be taken even further....I have a friend at my church who's husband just had a stroke. He's currently in the hospital, then will go to rehab for a while. She has children at home. Why not make a Taco Box for delivery to a family in need - besides just a new baby? If kids are in school, could add pencils/pens, note pad, etc along with food items. This would help out "Mom in distress" a lot while she worries about spouse and caring for her children. Could get very creative with decorating too! Thanks for the nice idea!

This is SO lovely! I made food for my best friend when she had her second (the lamb ragu on this site freezes beautifully). I also went over the week after the birth and cooked since her husband had to work. There is nothing more rewarding then helping a new mom take care of a new life! This box is going above and beyond. I adore it!

PAMTT you're totally right, this box could be for anyone (at any time) who needs a little pick-me-up!

Besides food, my Mom would ensure that the siblings of the new baby got something special (toy, book, movie, etc). It made them feel special when all of the attention is on the new baby. Reading this article was a great reminder of my mom's great tradition that I will now make my own.
Thank you for the post.

Blessing others with meals is one of the most basic & beautiful things you can do. I was on the "meal ministry" team at my old church, and as others have mentioned, we did it not only for families with new babies, but families with illness & other crisis situations as well. With my 4 children, people have always done this for me, and it's always been wonderful. For my 4th, a friend actually coordinated both neighbors and people at church (via facebook & email) and set up a schedule; I had a steady stream of meals for 3 weeks! (I'm hoping it happens again when my 5th arrives this July!)

I like to make large batches of something that will yield leftovers or food for visiting families, like casseroles, veggie lasagna, or soup. Add in some fruits & veggies, dessert, and muffins for the next morning. (If they have older kids, I like to include a treat for them as well to make them feel special and thought of.) For friends that live out of town, you could order food from a company and have it shipped; my aunt & uncle did this for me (they live out of state) with my 3rd. When he was a week old, a whole cooler from Omaha Steaks arrived on my doorstep--best baby gift they could have given!

I love the presentation here! I second Elsa's suggestion of checking in with the parents beforehand to be sure they have room in the freezer. Recently some bowling buddies had a baby, and they live about 20 miles outside of town, so we invited everyone on our bowling league to drop off meals at our house. We left a plug-in cooler on the porch on a Friday, and by Sunday had six great meals to take to the family, plus lots of goodies. We emphasized freezable (so the family can choose when to have what), and in recyclable/disposable containers, because the last thing they needed was to remember whose dish to return to whom. The parents appreciated everyone's contributions, but also appreciated that it was only one visit instead of many (they were exhausted after having family around the days after the birth).

This is adorable!! None of my friends have babies yet, I will just have to randomly surprise someone with this!

I'm a birthcenter midwife and our new Moms go home 6 hours post partum. We stress to them thru the pregnancy that they need someone to feed them in the first couple of weeks at home with that new baby. They will be way too busy to cook nourishing meals. Some of our families have a "baby shower" where friends either sign up to bring a meal, or bring meals that can be frozen and reheated by the family as needed. Love the taco box. I'm a soup fan too and have often brought a big pot of soup, a loaf of homemade bread and dessert to a new family.
And I just recommended Guiness to a patient today !

SAME here! new baby; no parade of homemade goodness. I probably got the expectation from all the birthing books I was reading that, surprise!, my then-childless friends didn't have much interest in. if my husband wasn't such an able and willing cook I would have really been in a pickle. thanks for the fresh idea!

This is a terrific idea for a new mom and her family! I love the idea of a food "baby shower" as suggested by Alliecnm. I have made a huge batch of chicken pot pie - put into canning jars and beer muffins (never thought to also give a few bottles of beer) or fresh homemade bread. I love your idea of a Taco box with fresh flowers - so pretty. Thanks for reminding us all to bless those young moms with comfort food and care.

I love this idea. When my friends got married I would make a similar gift bag of goodies for the new bride and groom to share when they finally retired to wherever they were going (who actually gets to eat at their own wedding). BTW when my Nana had her babies she was told to drink a beer everyday to help with milk production (this was in the 1920's). She never lost her taste for a cold one.

Wow, I love this BOX itself. It's awesome.

I submitted an idea here in January to spark a discussion on what are good foods to bring to parents of newborns, based on my blog post on the subject (linked below). I can't wait to read through all these comments and get some new ideas.

http://bloggingcornerblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/menu-bringing-food-to-parents-of.html

"Blissed out and hungry, we assumed there would be a parade of lasagna and casseroles — isn't that how it goes in the movies? — but alas, the goods never arrived. After that, I swore that from then on I would always cook for my friends when they had babies"....

I think this is an awesome idea and what is even more awesome is that you took the time to think about what others might need in your time of need. What a selfless act of kindness.... u rock! You need a good human award!

Love this idea! It is so easy to customise and it honestly could save a new Mom's sanity! As for the Guinness, my Grandmother gave me the same advice when I breast fed. <3

Our Sunday School class scheduled and brought meals for more than two weeks out when our son was born. Leftovers lasted nearly another two weeks. One of the best gifts was someone who came to mow our lawn! And while it was all wonderful, I would have foregone one of the dinners for some grocery basics: milk, OJ, eggs, bacon, cereal, loaf of bread, so if you're going to lend a hand, remember breakfast is also a meal. One meal was a restaurant gift card.
Very good friends scheduled their meal delivery for the 2nd weekend after Dillon was born and insisted we come to their house for dinner. Perfect timing to get out of the house and everyone wanted to hold the new baby so we didn't even have to change a diaper.
They brought similar meals when my dad died 4 months before Dillon was born.
Everyone appreciates a gift of food during times of stress.
Jan

You're so right; new parents don't need advice (they'll get plenty of that through the years!) when they bring home their baby! The best gift we received after the arrival of our first son and then our twin boys were the daily meals that arrived by 5. The other piece that I still remember is looking forward to the arrival of a friend with said meal when my day had been exhausting and sometimes lonely. I can still remember meals that were brought to us and by whom! It truly is a great gift to give!

While I would have LOVED such a box after my son's birth, its content would not have been the best for me. I'm not talking about the beer (I don't like the taste and would rather have had wine, but that's not my point), but about the rest of the content. After 5 days of badly tasting, incredibly heavy hospital food, I was craving fresh veggies and fruits: something light and fresh. I could have killed for some grapes, orange or ripe tomato. Tacos and guacamole... thank you, but can I have an apple ?

The trouble is, fresh food doesn't freeze, I know. But you can keep it for a few days at least, don't you think ?

Still, I wish someone had done the same for me. I had frozen tons of meals that I baked in advance for myself, but it wasn't the same. My mother-in-law had asked if there was anything I wanted after the birth (very nice of her !), and I asked for their visit as soon as possible and for a jar of her fantastic pear jam. She was so happy she forgot the jam, and I forgave her on the spot as I saw her smile over my son, but I'll ask for it again when I'll have my daughter in May. I'll also ask for any fruit she can spare from her wonderful garden. I imagine myself eating freshly picked strawberries while nursing my girl...

As the "no baby" person in my friend group, I have taken on this duty for a number of friends who are bringing home little ones. Fresh food for now always and oven-ready freezer food for a few weeks down the road. The other things I think are important to do is a.) don't pack the food in anything that new mom will need to wash, keep track of, and return to you and b.) tell new parents that, under no circumstances should they sit down and write you a formal thank you note--that their verbal thanks, this time around, is more than enough, and use the time to shower or whatever. I have said that in the past to my very well-mannered friends and have been amazed by their gush of appreciation and relief at bein let off the etiquette hook for a few weeks :)

I always make something that they can eat that night, but that also freezes well, so they can put the leftovers in the freezer. I also make a dozen pb&j sandwiches to put in the freezer, because some days you just know that if there's no a sandwich already made, the new mom is just not going to eat lunch.

Excellent idea! Also good for someone who is sick.

I lurve this .... And am 20 weeks preggers .... Hope I get lotsa taco boxes .... Hmm ... Now I'll share this article on FB.

Irish and Mexican! So there are 2 of us out there! Hooray!

I love this post and all the comments!

Just before any of my friends have given birth, or adopted a baby, I have planned a menu and then went to Christmas Tree Shoppe to buy an appropriate cooking/transport vessel. Very often they sell Anchor Hocking casserole dishes (freezer safe) with plastic lids for a few dollars (almost the same cost as a disposable version!). I simply include a note that the family should keep the dish or pass it on.

Now that I've had my daughter and nursed her, I know how hungry and thirsty a new Mom can be. I usually include a separate "midnight snack" bag for my breast feeding friends. This typically includes homemade cereal bars (Nigella Lawson has a great recipe that's easy to adapt), string cheese and crackers plus some vitamin water or coconut water.

AWESOME Idea. Thanks for posting!!!

If you're not in the area, you could do some internet research for restaurants that deliver in the family's area, and make them a little "delivery" book you can mail them, so if they don't have food and don't want to go out, they can order in. You could also check with them to see if they have enough fridge/freezer space, tupperware, etc. If they don't have enough, you can order some for them online and have it shipped to them.

Excellent idea and I hope it reminds people that guests should always bring something. Also consider bringing something to serve those guests. A batch of cookies or if you are busy hit a bakery. New parents are the most challenged when it comes to hosting.

@loora, 5 days in the hospital? Whoa. Either that was very complicated, or not in the US (hope it was the latter). I had a long, long labor, several last-ditch efforts, and an eventual C-section. I walked out of the hospital 48 hours later. That's the USA!

I may borrow this concept for my contribution to a meal train for a sick friend. Love it!

@Mangomo Find a deli or upscale grocery market or restaurant near where your California friends live and call them to explain the situation. Let them make up a box for you and deliver it. I used to do this for my daughter during finals week, when she was in college in a different state.

True, it's not as personal as delivering a homemade box in person, but it's still a relief and a pleasure to have someone else think about dinner for once.

Brilliant!

This is a lovely idea. A friend once brought me over a dinner care package when my husband was away on a business trip and I was home sick with the kids. It was very kind and thoughtful.

We never got any food from friends either though when we had our babies... and our families live too far away to help. Our post partum doula fed us when we came home from the hospital -- we are beyond exhausted, and so it was particularly lovely. She also made muffins and other meals every few days for the first month; she was a godsend.

You always appreciate food more when someone else cooks it!

just one other thought for those making up meals but who have never had a baby.... pasta/meat/carbs are fantastic and fast but what alot of new moms need is FIBER. Fresh berries, veggies with hummus, whole-grain crackers or bread, homemade seasoned popcorn, a rice medley with dried fruit and nuts, and saladsaladsalad! (and whole grain tortillas, for making salad wraps).

And as for helping a friend who is far away...if you have another mutual friend in the area (or if they have a relative) enlist them to pick up/drop off the groceries and PayPal them the money. I have a poor college-student cousin in the vicinity of my inlaws, and she is a peach about doing these sort of favors (though usually I throw in a tip for her too, remembering my own starved college days as well).

I would also like the chicken recipe. Thanks!

that is the cutest thing ever- and so thoughtful!

Unlabeled but apparent: the love this gift shows.

I am so touched by all of your comments. This was a wonderful post to put together because I was doing what I do best, feeding someone: both in belly and soul.

Keep the ideas coming! This post seems to want to live on!

@ CMCINNYC : Yes, I'm French, and 4 to 5 days in the hospital is standard here. You can ask for less if you already have a child, but no hospital will let you go out before 48 hours have passed, and you'll have compulsory medical visits at home to check both the baby and the mother. I had no complication whatsoever during both pregnancy and birth, but it's considered good for the mother to stay a few days quietly in the hospital, so she can rest, ask for advice if she needs it, and get to know her baby in an environment where she has no other care. In most cases, as long as you are not in a specialized ward, the husband is welcome to sleep in the hospital too, although my husband said that army campaign beds were more comfortable than his bed at the clinic.

Still, I experienced nothing remotely close to those wonderful attentions you guys seem to consider the norm. I guess it's a cultural thing. Visitors brought beautiful gifts for the baby, such as clothes, but nothing for either me or my husband. Luckily, I had filled my freezer on my own long before the birth ! (the pasta and butternut squash recipe coming from this very website was my favorite frozen meal).

I really enjoyed reading the post and the comments. I plan on implementing the "American way of treating mothers" for my friends. Until I read that post, I found it natural to cook in advance for myself and had not expected anything from others, but this is such a fantastic (and delicious !) attention that I'll devise my own "lunch box" for my friends. I'm thinking: fresh fruits, depending on the season, a few two-persons frozen meals, and maybe a huge pasta and veggies salad for their next meal. Beers, if the mother likes it. Maybe a batch of home baked cookies to survive the hardest nights. Containers the parents can throw away, and a plea for no etiquette-observing thank you card.

@Loora

Thank you for sharing your experience of giving birth in France. I think the practice of staying longer in the hospital is very wise (so long as it is what is best for the family). Your comment about starting your own tradition of caring for new moms "American style" was so thoughtful.

There is often a lot of negativity expressed in the comment section of AT and Kitchn blog posts. I just want to take a moment to remind everyone that there are many ways of doing things and very often there is no "best" or "right" way. Every culture and family has their own needs and values. Some women may choose to enjoy a Guiness while nursing, others may not - but this site is for sharing ideas, not for judging other users.

Fabulous!!! Both in design and execution. Though my husband and I were super thankful for every single gift given to us when expecting our first baby, those who gave food earned a special place in our hearts. No matter how cute those onesies and tiny socks might be, they tend to lack flavor and I'm unsure of their nutritional value ;) ...and to any reviewer who scoffs at the inclusion of beer - a big HA! One occasional beer totally helps with let down. I was a birth center mom like @ALLIECNM mentioned and we were beyond thankful to go home, sleep in our own bed as a family and know that we had a nice meal waiting in the kitchen.

For those who don't like the idea of giving alcohol to new moms, there's a non-alcoholic beverage called "malta", which can be found in the Latin food section of the grocery store. It's said to increase milk production, much like Guiness. I know this because my mom used to drink it for that purpose. Forty-some years later, she still drinks it because she loves it. Goya is the brand I see the most at the grocery store.

Any help, even dropping off some groceries, would be welcome after a new baby. I remember rushing out to the shops the day I came home with my youngest (she was born earlier that morning) because there was no food in the house, and the other kids needed feeding! A friend of mine kindly did the school run for me for 3 weeks - she was a godsend.

I love this idea! Our church organises a meal drop-off every second day for the first two weeks after a new baby arrives. Those who drop off meals are instructed to simply arrive at the home, greet the father, give the food and depart (unless invited in). This way, the mother doesn't have to worry about entertaining guests when she might not feel up to it, but the family still receives this wonderful gift! It was one of the greatest things done for us when our dottir arrived.

I will certainly put together a taco box for the next babe to arrive!

This is a great idea, particularly because of the theme--if you have a standard concept that you can vary based on the needs of mother and baby, it's much easier.

When I had Baguette, I realized that the thing I liked about being in the hospital was the food--someone told me to order meals and reminded me when I forgot, and then someone else brought the food to me. After I got home, eating became very difficult to accomplish. It was much better when the food just showed up.

So when one of my friends has a baby, I send her a basket of organic fruit.

I brought a casserole (a family traditional recipe), salad, apple crisp, and lemonade over to some brand new parents the other day. AND I made some bean-kale-tomato soup and put it in separate containers so they could freeze the soup for a time when they're famished and need something hearty. It was very appreciated! YAY FOR BABIES!

My favorite gift was two little bottles of champagne. On the fifth day home we popped them with some grilled salmon - HEAVEN!

this is just darling and oh-so thoughtful! if i knew you, i would NEVER let you have an empty fridge!

@mangomo (and others with mom friends far away)

My dear friend had twins last Novemeber and I sent batches of these granola bars every couple weeks to help them keep their energy up.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/thick-chewy-granola-bars/

I double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan (also omit the sugar and corn syrup, honey or maple syrup make it plenty sweet enough) and I cut and individually wrap them in press-and-seal wrap. They also freeeze well.

We had people bring over food when our daughter was born which was wonderful, BUT it was even nicer a year later when we were going through a series of health crises with her and our friends showed up on different nights with food. I found it even harder to think about dinner when I was so worried about her, and it was wonderful to feel so cared for in those days. She's totally fine now, but I still remember how thoughtful the gift of food was for us.

I was blessed to have meals delivered to me by friends after the births of both my girls. The most important thing to do is to ask for it! Identify the most organized of your friends, send them e-mails of all your friends, and have them go to it. Seriously, it's not imposing. Your friends will be grateful to have something concrete to do. Using mealbaby.com is the absolute easiest way to do it I've found. We use that site for my moms group when any of us have a new baby.

Just have to let you know that my friends and I absolutely LOVED your idea. We decided to get together and make one and it turned out better than we planned. We each made a different dish so they had food for the entire week and we called it The Friend Box since it was coming from a few of us. Besides feeling good about doing something nice for our girlfriend, it was a GREAT chance to get the girl's together on a Saturday night for cocktails, cooking, and crafts! We posted on our website but made sure to credit you in the first sentence! Thanks again for such a thoughtful gift idea!

Shauna@thefriendcollective.com

http://thefriendcollective.com/the-blog/2012/7/18/the-friend-box.html

Very cute! I posted recently about bringing new parents dinner (http://www.realmomofnj.com/2012/06/13/visiting-new-parents-and-bringing-dinner/). Love the Taco Box idea.

What a fun idea! Except the beer needs to be Mexican! Can I get a Corona!? :)

Guinness s very high in iron too. So it'll definitely help Mom :)

Like everyone else, I just love this! Sara Kate, I can't believe you decked out that box in five minutes; it looks fabulous. I, too, was advised that beer would help with nursing. I have a go-to meal for new baby deliveries. It's teriyaki meatballs with rice plus salad plus fruit for dessert. I like to include disposable plates and silverware, because it's also hard to get the dishes done sometimes when you're taking care of a baby. The taco idea is really fun--maybe I'll switch.

I'm super jazzed at this idea- I saw it when the post first came out, but now I actually have a pregnant friend AND a wine crate. Hurry up, baby- here comes the taco box!

Love this idea. Anyone have a recommendation for sending food via overnight mail to a new mom?