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Christmas can be a lovely time of year, lots of socialising with family and friends, special events and parties. But for some new parents it can be a tricky time. New mums are still recovering during the postnatal period. The last thing some new parents will feel like doing is celebrating Christmas.
Here are a few top tips to surviving the Christmas holidays with a newborn baby.
Christmas Tree/ Decorations
Keep it simple, ask yourself, "Do I really want to put a Christmas tree up? "
There may be older siblings in the home to consider. But if not, give the traditional tree decorating a miss this year. You can always opt for a simple pre decorated tabletop one. However, if you do decide to have Christmas lights around the home, your baby will enjoy looking at all the pretty lights.
The Big Day
Consider if it would be easier to stay at home or go out to family for Christmas dinner. There are pros and cons to both. But if you do decide to stay at home, keep it simple. If family are coming over ask them if they can do the food shopping and cooking. They will totally understand that you have just had a baby and will be feeling exhausted.
Christmas Gifts
Plan ahead and be organised. This is something that can be done months before Christmas. Maybe during your maternity leave, keep it simple, maybe order online and wrap presents before the little one arrives.
Gifts for the baby
Newborn babies don't know it's Christmas, and you will have probably already bought a lot of things for the little one, so you can always give it a miss this year. If family and friends want to buy a gift for the baby, make a list of some of the things that you need, maybe some suitable baby toys or the next size up baby grows. The last thing new parents want to do after Christmas is to queue in busy shops, returning duplicate gifts or clothes that are too small.
Christmas Traditions
Now that you have your own family, especially if this is your first baby. This is a great time to think about any Christmas traditions that you would like to have as a family. Maybe it's something that you remember from your childhood or a new tradition.
Don't feel guilty
There may be a lot of invites that you will have to decline, and that is totally understandable. Find out what works best for you. Most importantly, don't allow any stress associated with Christmas to spoil this special time of enjoying your baby.
Have a wonderful Christmas with your new baby and family.