Struggling postpartum mom sent a silent SOS text to her dad — his instant response showed why she'll always need her dad
A new parent might need all the support they can possibly get. So it could mean a lot to them if their loved ones show up for them. A new mom experienced that firsthand after her dad showed up at her doorstep to keep her company just because of one text. The mom, Shelby Olive, had been feeling really lonely because her husband was at work and she didn't want to put her daughter down for too long. So she texted her father, who showed up to help just minutes later, according to Shelby's TikTok post, where she goes by @shelbyolive. The series of texts received over 1.6 million views.
"Two weeks postpartum and I was feeling lonely. Texted my dad asking what he was doing..." the text overlay of the video read. The woman asked her dad what he was going to do after school. "No big plans. Hope mom and I get to do a grocery run at some point. Why? I can be free if you like," the man responded, immediately recognizing that his daughter needed his help. Shelby explained that her partner, Jimmy, won't be home until 5:30 and she was feeling a "little cooped up/lonely." She added, "Was gonna try to bake some cookies, or something, but don't want to set Eliza down for too long because she has been sleeping for a while already."
Shelby continued, "Didn't know if you wanted to keep her and me company for an hour or so, till Jimmy gets home. We could play Sushi Go, or watch something, or just hang out. Just feeling like I want some company, haha." The dad remarked, "I'll be over soon." Minutes later, he was at his daughter's door and holding his granddaughter while wearing a mask. The caption read, "Love him more than words." Shelby told Newsweek, "I think anyone who has gone through pregnancy and postpartum can relate to feeling lonely in the newborn trenches. The first few weeks of being a mom have been so beautiful and cozy, but at times it's isolating being cooped up in the same four walls all day."
The woman shared that her parents had always been there for her and her brother. It was second nature for them to drop everything and show up for their children. "He was surprised when the video went viral, saying, 'Well, of course I was going to come over, that's what any parent would do when your kid says they're lonely!' That's just the kind of parents they are." Her dad made sure that both Shelby and the baby were okay and it helped her feel calm and less anxious. "Even though I'm 30, I'll always need my dad." People appreciated the dad's sweet gesture in the comments section of the post.
@courtneybrown187 wrote, "I'd call my mom at 2 AM, sobbing because I wasn't sleeping and neither was the baby...she came right then and took over while I slept. When my mom is around, I get to be the 'daughter' again. Not mom. Not girlfriend. A daughter. Never been so grateful." @sy.mary commented, "He is taking care of his baby, who is taking care of her baby." @gweiners2022 remarked, "This is how my parents are. We had to move across the country for my husband's job and my parents ended up building a house on our street. We see them daily and best of all, my kids get to grow up with them just a two-minute walk away."
You can follow Shelby Olive (@shelbyolive) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.