Do you have any new parents in your life? Perhaps you have friends who just had a baby, or perhaps a family member or coworker recently became a parent?

If someone in your life is just starting their journey of parenthood, they’re going to need more support than they might feel comfortable asking for. If you want to help them, but don’t know how, here are some of the biggest struggles they’ll face and ways you can provide your support.

They’ll have low energy for basic tasks

New parents will naturally be low on energy, whether it’s from staying up all night soothing a crying baby, feeding every few hours, or stress. This lack of energy will make it hard for them to accomplish even the most basic tasks like doing the dishes and scheduling appointments.

One of the best ways to help a new parent is to manage the tasks they don’t have the energy for. Granted, this is easier to do when you live with them or if they’re a family member you see often.

The most important task you can take on is handling their appointments. Find out their schedule of availability and once you know their schedule, you can make all of their appointments for them. For instance, if they need lactation support from a professional breastfeeding consultant, schedule their consultation with an IBCLC so they don’t need to make the phone call or deal with the logistics.

In addition to managing their appointments, consider doing household chores like laundry and dishes. You’d be surprised to learn how the smallest tasks can help the most. Here are some more ideas for small tasks you can take on to help:

• Basic yard work
• Making school lunches for their older kids
• Picking up and dropping off older kids for school, sports, and appointments
• Coming over for dinner and cooking for the whole family
• Grocery shopping
• Run random errands like going to the hardware store
• Anything else that would alleviate stress and/or save time

They might be exhausted from breastfeeding

Many new mothers face unexpected challenges with breastfeeding. Sometimes they don’t have the energy to breastfeed throughout the day, but don’t want to depend on formula when it’s not necessary. In this case, you might be able to help make breastfeeding less exhausting.

One thing new parents can do is pump ahead of time to make sure they always have enough milk on hand for the baby. You can help with this process by feeding the baby for them and offering to clean the pump and bottles so they don’t have to work so hard.

They might need emotional support

Chances are, the new parent in your life will need your emotional support. The stress of being a parent can be extremely taxing and a little emotional support can go a long way.

You can spend time with them, share meals with them, or just make them a cup of coffee and talk. It also helps to simply be an ear or a shoulder. It never hurts to ask your friend or family member exactly how you can support them. If they know what they need, they’ll tell you.

Supporting a new parent emotionally is sometimes even more important than supporting them with money or taking over their household duties. New parents are going to be exhausted, and emotional support can sometimes be the magic pill needed to reduce stress and help them feel more rested and relaxed.

Ask what you can do for them

The number one way to support anyone is to ask what you can do for them. Most people know what they need and will tell you if you ask, even if they wouldn’t normally offer the information.

Ask the new parent in your life what you can do to help them while they figure out their new routines and get settled into parenthood. Let them know that no request is too small and if they don’t have any ideas in the moment, make sure they know they can reach out to you at any time.

Every ounce of support makes a difference

It doesn’t matter how much or how little you can offer the new parents in your life. Being a new parent is challenging, and every ounce of support will be appreciated.

Taking a vacation is supposed to be an opportunity to relax and refuel. But it’s not so relaxing if you end up getting injured during your trip.

This is what you need to know if you suffer an injury while you’re traveling, and which steps to take next.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time

Before you go on a vacation, it’s best to prepare in advance for any issue that could arise. If you plan to travel outside of the country, for example, make sure you plan ahead by having the appropriate international emergency numbers readily available on your phone.

You may also want to consider getting travel insurance. That can help to cover any medical expenses you may incur unexpectedly or assist if you should have to rebook a flight.

Though some countries have universal healthcare, they vary on how reliable and affordable they can be for travelers and ex-pats.

Don’t forget to look into insurance coverage if you’re planning to rent a car while you’re out of the country. Some rental companies feature great coverage, but others will insist you pay an outrageous amount out of pocket, and undergo an arduous process to obtain compensation.

2. Seek Medical Attention

Your health and safety are the most important thing here. Before you do anything else, always seek medical attention first. Follow the treatment plan prescribed by the medical professionals to ensure you enjoy the quickest and safest recovery.

3. Get the Details for the Others Involved

Some injuries that happen while you’re traveling may be attributable to the actions of another party, such as in a motor vehicle collision. In that case, make sure you gather all the details from the other party involved.

These will include the other driver’s:

• Full name and contact information
• Driver’s license number
• Insurance company phone number
• Insurance policy number

Depending on whether you’re in another state or another nation, various factors may become crucial when you fill out the insurance claim. You might be driving a rental car or under the auspices of an unfamiliar jurisdiction.

If such is the case, you’ll probably want to consult with a personal injury lawyer. He or she will be the professional who has a solid understanding of local laws and what your rights may be in this situation.

4. Collect All Documentation

Filing a claim to cover medical expenses or vehicle damage will require you to provide pertinent details to your insurance company. Out-of-state claims are filed similar to in-state claims.

You’ll have to provide vital data such as a police report and any photos or videos of the scene of the accident.

5. Talk to Your Host or Hotel

Getting injured might necessitate a delay in your return home. You may want to speak with your Airbnb host or hotel about the possibility of extending your stay.

The facility might already have booked your room during the coming days. Find out whether you may negotiate a room switch. Otherwise, you’ll have to look for another place to stay in the area during your recovery.

There is also the possibility that your injury occurred while you were on someone’s property. The owner could share some of the liability for the incident, and therefore your injuries.

Most establishments have protocols for these situations. Here again, you may want to consider hiring a lawyer if the incident happened on company property.

6. Go to Your Local U.S. Embassy

If you’re traveling abroad and didn’t obtain travel insurance, you should get in touch with the nearest U.S. embassy immediately. They’ll be able to assist you in finding the nearest medical and legal professionals who can address your situation.

The embassy may also have the ability to provide accommodations if you need them.

Summary

No one wants to get injured at any time, but especially while you’re on vacation. Always try to plan ahead by carrying the appropriate travel insurance regardless of where you may be headed.

Have local emergency numbers readily available. Most important, seek medical attention right away. You don’t want to find out you’ve had a traumatic brain injury down the road because you refused to seek treatment at the time.