Surviving the Holidays with a Newborn: Essential Tips for Stress-Free Celebrations
The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and connection, but for new parents, it can also bring unique challenges. Balancing festive traditions with the demands of caring for a newborn may feel overwhelming, but with a little planning and a lot of grace, it’s entirely possible to savor the magic of the season. In this updated survival guide, we share refreshed tips and advice to help you enjoy your first holidays as a family with your little bundle of joy.
In 2011, my son was born two days before Thanksgiving and we have a huge family and many holiday traditions. Looking back on this time as a new mom, I believe I handled a lot of the holiday chaos and joy the best way I knew how. There are definitely a few things I would change and this post will help you navigate this time with less stress and more ease, from a seasoned mother’s perspective.
1. Prioritize Rest and Self-Care
The hustle and bustle of the holidays can take a toll, especially when you’re already adjusting to life with a newborn. Here are a few ways that you can reduce stress and prioritize rest.
Make a parent sleep schedule with your partner. Sit down and write out a schedule for nighttime feedings, so that each one of you can get a somewhat solid stretch of sleep. For example, if you go to bed at 10:00pm and your baby’s first night feeding is at 1:00am, write “ME” on the schedule and let your partner sleep. If the next feeding is at 4:00am, write “YOU” on the schedule so that YOU can sleep. THis allows for longer sleep windows for each of you.
REST when your baby naps. Notice that I didn’t say “sleep when baby sleeps”, which can feel like frustrating advice to new parents. Prioritizing REST during their daytime sleep can look like laying down, NOT scrolling on your phone, NOT rushing to get chores done, taking a bath or shower, listening to a guided meditation and working on finding some deep and restorative breathing. Rest does not have to be complicated but I find doom scrolling on your phone or watching TV does not equal GOOD rest.
Saying "NO" to activities that feel like too much effort. As a new mom, I thought I had to go to all the family events. I also thought that if I didn’t go get the perfect Santa picture, I’d be a bad mom. Trust me- you are NOT a bad mom if you don’t get out to these things. You can have fun with your partner or a family member taking some cute pictures of your baby at home.
2. Be Mindful with Visitors
Your baby’s first holiday season is exciting for everyone, but it’s important to manage visitors thoughtfully. Especially because this time of the year is a germy one. Lots of colds and respiratory illnesses going around that can be very dangerous for a newborn baby. It is OK to do ALL of the following.
Set clear boundaries about who can visit, when they visit and for how long they can visit. Do not be afraid to ask your visitors to bring a meal for the new family.
Protect your baby’s health. All visitors should remove their shoes at the door when they come in, wash their hands immediately, and NOT come if they’ve been feeling unwell. You would think this would be common knowledge but sometimes people forget, so do not be afraid to remind them.
3. Create a Festive, Cozy Space at Home
Instead of feeling pressure to attend every gathering, bring the holiday magic to your own space. This step doesn’t have to be complicated to be extra special. The year my son was born, instead of going to a tree lot, buying a Christmas tree, and hauling out the ornaments, we opted to purchase a miniature, pre-lit tree and asked our family members to bring a “Baby’s 1st Christmas” ornament. Here are a few other sweet and easy ideas.
String a few soft, twinkle lights around your living room or bedroom, or bring out a few family holiday heirlooms (like a Menorah).
Take time to snuggle with your baby, sip warm cinnamon tea or hot cocoa, and treasure these intimate moments.
4. Simplify Your Holiday Traditions
Embrace simplicity.
Pick one or two traditions that hold the most meaning to you and let go of the rest.
I wish to stress the importance of letting go of any and all hosting responsibilities. If your home is where people gather, allow everyone else to do the cooking and opt for a cozy potluck. However, as a first time mom who hosted holiday dinners when I had a newborn, I want to share with you how draining and stressful this was fro me. This is one thing I would have definitely done differently.
Focus on presence, not perfection—your newborn will remember the love, not the details. This goes for cleaning too. The house does not need to be spick and span- your baby needs a calm parent, not an overtired one.
5. Travel with Caution and Care
If holiday travel is necessary, plan carefully to keep things as smooth as possible.
Consider your newborn’s age and immune system—brand-new babies are more vulnerable to illnesses.
If traveling, pack thoughtfully without overpacking: include diapers, feeding supplies, extra clothes, and items to recreate a familiar sleep environment. Newborns don’t need as much as you think.
If driving, plan to stop every couple of hours to snack, hydrate, stretch your body, and feed your baby.
Do not be afraid to POSTPONE a holiday trip. Sometimes, postponing big trips and staying closer to home might be the best gift you give yourself this year.
6. Delegate and Accept Help
This season, let others support you.
Delegate meal prep, decorating, or errands to family and friends who want to lend a hand. My mom and MIL ran all of my holiday errands and we organized a Meal Train to keep us well fed by family and friends.
Accept offers to babysit or help with household tasks so you can have a moment to recharge. If you don’t have family or friends nearby- ask co-workers or church members to help. People love helping new families feel cared for and loved.
Ask friends to bring you Christmas cookies to feel in the “holiday loop”.
7. Embrace Flexibility and the Unpredictable
The holidays with a newborn will likely look different than past years, and that’s okay.
Be prepared for last-minute changes, spontaneous naps, or even skipping an event altogether.
Instead of gift shopping outings, shop online. I did my best to support local businesses that had online shops as a new mother, but I also relied heavily on Amazon, and that’s OK too!
A lot of the holiday “chaos” is the rushing and planning woven into everyday life. Hopefully, you are on maternity and paternity leave. Enjoy this time to not have extra work and try not to add tasks to your “to-do” list.
8. Consider hiring a Postpartum Doula
Here at One Love Doula Services, we have an amazing team of highly trained, professional postpartum doulas who have served Tampa Bay families for the last decade. If you’re interested in learning more about these services, click HERE.
Your first holiday season with your newborn is an opportunity to start new traditions and celebrate the joy of parenthood.
Our holiday wish for you is that you are able to prioritize rest, embrace the simplicity, joy and love of the holiday season.
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