Best time and place to visit new mom?

I have quite a few friends having babies in the upcoming months, and I was wondering where and when is the best place to visit them and their new baby.

Should I go to the hospital? If so, what should I bring? If I can't make it to the hospital (or you think going to the hospital is a nuisance or something) when should I visit at their home? I don't want to be a bother but I do want to be there for my friends (and of course, I wouldn't plan on staying too long).

Thanks for any advice!

Re: Best time and place to visit new mom?

I would definitely ask your friends up front. I was in the same situation (and having a baby myself) within weeks of my friends and some wanted visitors in the hospital some didn't. I felt like the best time someone could come to visit at home was mid-late afternoon. I usually would go back to sleep with the baby in the morning if it was possible. HTH

Re: Best time and place to visit new mom?

I enjoyed having the visitors more at the hospital than at home because I didnt feel guilty telling people to leave because it was hospital policy that they had to be out at a certain time. I was tired to have vistors right away at home because I felt the need to entertain them even though they didnt expect me to. I was about 2.5 week post pardum and a old co-worker told me she was coming by to see me with lunch and I really enjoyed that because I would forget to eat. I would call and ask her when she feels ready.

Re: Best time and place to visit new mom?

I had good friends visit me in the hospital and I was so happy, but I was in the hospital for 5 days. No one brought gifts except for clothes (toys are too much to take home).

Other friends came to visit me at home. It was also very nice.

Re: Best time and place to visit new mom?

Ok, I will answer based on ME, so I dont' know if it will be right for your friends, but it was good for me.

As much as I loved all the visitors in the hospital, I REALLY loved when Ava was about 2 or 3 weeks old and all the hoopla died down because friends would come to visit and want to hold the baby, and I was gladly passing her off at that point. You get by on adrenaline the first week or so as a new mom, and then it fades and you are just exhausted. If you want to be a REALLY good friend, you should visit and offer to watch the baby for an hour or so while mommy takes a nap. Or bring lunch or something she can have for dinner, or maybe offer to vacuum or straighten up. Something along those lines.

Re: Best time and place to visit new mom?

I wanted to add after I read Rache's post that I would have been in heaven if someone would have watched DS while I took a shower. I know it may seem silly but it was every difficult for me to shower every dayand sometimes I didnt shower for 2 or 3 days. I would get excited when my mom would stop by durning lunch because at that time i was able to shower or if I did that already then I had lunch.

Re: Best time and place to visit new mom?

I agree with the previous posters- ask your friends before the babies are born- what would they prefer.

I had my best friends come to the hospital but everyone else visited us at home in the first few weeks. I really really appreciated when friends/family came over and brought lunch (and sometimes left dinner for us too!) and watched the baby so I could shower & even take a nap. That was helpful because the exhaustion is overwhelming in the beginning. Meals were the best gift they could bring us!

For those friends who I wasn't as close with, I always preferred that we keep the visits short (about 1 hour, no more) because I had to nurse DD and soothe her crying, etc. My friends were very understanding and helpful.

Re: Best time and place to visit new mom?

Thanks for your replies! I think I'll visit at home and bring a meal and offer to watch the baby for a little bit.