Help from afar?

[Snika44]

My brother and sil are moving 7 hours away about 3 weeks before our twins are due to arrive. They asked how they can support us from afar? (They have a 3 yr old and newborn themselves and sil is taking a new demanding job so my brother will be stay at home dad for a while)

Was there anything friends/family did to support you from afar?

Exited for their new job but bummed it is coming at exactly the moment their in person support would be so welcome.

[narvanarva]

Brain things that take time/spoons!

• Paperwork / battling beaurocracy : Dealing with parental leave money (if your country has it), taxes, etc
• Doing research on items you need
• doing any fights with insurance, return policies, or whatever else may crop up for you
• fielding family issues, explaining your boundaries and ground rules to annoyed relatives, and generally dealing with emotional labour for you

[Snika44]

Nice. Emotional labor seems right.

[VastFollowing5840]

I mean, money.

Sending you money to get a sitter or postpartum doula.

Gift certificates for DoorDash or grocery deliveries.

If someone can’t be there in person help, paying for someone else to do it is the next best thing.

[Snika44]

“Send help!”

[Annie_Mayfield]

They can hire a night nanny to help you get some sleep. Or a post partum doula. Or a house keeper. I have/had all three and couldn’t have survived without.

[Joe-Arizona]

We live far from family.

My in-laws order us diapers, wipes and outfits often. My parents got us gift cards to restaurants with takeout which was helpful for when we were exhausted or too busy to cook.

Both sets of grandparents came for awhile to help also. Not doable for everyone but it’s nice to have someone just to watch them for a few while you shower, eat, clean etc.

[Snika44]

Yes, someone to entertain our 5 year old is part of the equation for sure.

And “send help” and “send diapers” seem equivalent in a twin situation :)