The first few weeks, when nobody is sleeping

For the ones who have just arrived, and the ones who are exhausted

New parents receive a great deal of equipment and very little addressed to them. The clothes are for the baby, the toys are for the baby, and the two people doing the actual work get congratulated in passing on their way to the next feed.

So write to the parents. A page they can open at 4am with one hand, that says something to them rather than about the baby, is worth more in that particular fortnight than another set of onesies in the wrong size.

Templates that suit it

The Love Note keeps this short, which is right — new parents are not reading long things at the moment.

What to write

Use these as they are, or as a running start. Every template also has a draft-it-for-me button if the words will not come.

  • To the parents, not the baby

    Everyone is going to talk about her and nobody is going to ask how you two are. So: how are you two? Congratulations. Sleep when you can.
  • From far away

    I cannot get there for another two months, which I am not happy about. Congratulations, both of you. Send photographs constantly and I will not complain once.
  • For a first child

    You are about to be very tired and very happy in a proportion nobody can describe in advance. Congratulations. You are going to be good at this.

Works for: New parents · A sister or brother who has just had a baby · Close friends

Questions people actually ask

Should I put the baby’s photos on it?

Only ones the parents have already shared themselves. Some are private about it in the early weeks, and a page is easy to make later — there is no deadline on this one.

Is it private?

Yes. Pages are unlisted, not in any gallery, and search engines are told not to index them. Only people you send the link to can open it.