Christmas with a Baby

With December well and truly here, things may be feeling a bit more busy at your house. Throw in a newborn, baby and the Christmas period can feel even more hectic.

As a postpartum doula and a mum who has had a baby on Christmas Eve I am even more aware of how busy and crazy this time of year can be. 

However, it doesn’t have to be this way and here are a few tips to help you navigate and make your Christmas break relaxing and enjoyable: 

Relax your Christmas Expectations  

If you are the family member or friend that usually brings three meals for Christmas, this is the year to let it go. Don’t go over the top, take an easy to make meal (if you are desperate to cook), bring a roast chicken from the supermarket, buy a cheesecake or buy a pavlova base, cream and fruit and ask someone to put it together and you have a crowd pleasing dessert. 

In terms of gifts, you and your  baby are the gift. This is the year to drop gifts and just show up. You have just birthed a baby and being there to celebrate with your family and friends is the most amazing gift you can give. 

If you want to purchase gifts, online shopping is your best friend!

Think about not hosting Christmas, unless your family is going to clean your house beforehand, bring everything and leave when you tell them too. If this is your second, third or fourth birth get everyone to come and remind them that they need to bring all the food, clean up before they leave and give lots of love to the new older siblings. This isn’t the day to fawn over the youngest family member. 

But mainly be kind to yourself! Let go of expectations and enjoy your baby. And if that means not going to a big Christmas lunch, don’t do it. Your baby, and you will thank yourself later on.

Create Christmas Memories 

Get in the pictures with your baby and remember this first Christmas. It doesn’t matter how old your baby is and if you are up to it, get that Santa photo. Don’t worry if your baby is screaming you will look back and laugh at the picture in years to come and be grateful you are in those photos.  

Babywearing

Babywearing is the ultimate way to say “stay out of my bubble or don’t touch my baby” without using those words with family and friends. Bubs is close to whoever is wearing them (either, mum, dad or anyone else) and you can monitor feeding, sleeping cues and prevents baby from being overwhelmed. In this post COVID world it prevents germs and family members trying to kiss babies. No one wants RSV as a Christmas gift.

Pass the Food Not The Baby 

Decide between you and your partner if you want other family members or friends holding your baby before you get to the Christmas event. Whatever you decide, communicate it with everyone and stick to it. 

Passing the baby around increases exposure to germs, exposes your baby to different scents and perfumes but you can also miss those feeding and sleeping cues if someone else is holding your baby, which can lead to a tired, unsettled, hungry and cranky baby. 

If you are comfortable with family and friends holding your baby, let them know and just ensure that everyone is washing their hands really well and not kissing your baby. 

Ignore Unwanted Advice 

Christmas can bring together family members that we haven’t seen in a long time and sometimes unwanted advice. If you are on the receiving end of advice that isn’t helpful, smile, nod, and ignore it. Remember you know your baby best and lots of things have changed in parenting in the past 30 years, no matter what your Aunty or any other family member or friend is telling you.

Most of all enjoy the Christmas period. If you are looking for a gift idea remember I offer postpartum support for the first year of your babies life. For that first year, I can be your warm hug to help you navigate the challenges and be that helping hand. A gift voucher for support, or to have me Stock Your Freezer is a great gift for yourself or anyone in your life that you think could benefit from this and can be purchased by visiting my shop.

🎄Merry Christmas xx 🎄