How to Navigate Christmas with a New Baby 🤶🎅

Christmas can seem overwhelming at the best of times, but throw in a new baby and it can start to feel like a lot before you have even said the word Christmas!

With well-meaning family and friends asking when they’ll see you at Christmas, with thinking of gifts, decorations, photo opps etc it can quickly feel like there is a load of things to sort out. Here are some of our tips on how to have the best first Christmas with your baby.

Expectations!

Setting realistic expectations is the number one thing we find to be the most effective way to ‘cope’ with Christmas. Accepting that this Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect and being more able to ‘go with the flow’ might mean that some of your best laid plans might not go to plan (especially with a new baby in tow) but allows you to take each day as it comes and helps focus on those precious little moment.

Maybe try thinking of what is important to you for Christmas, remember less is more 💖.

Prioritise Rest

Your baby's routine, even if you don’t have a specific routine (and that is OK and completely normal if you don’t have a ‘routine!) can get thrown all over the place especially if you are staying with friends or family over Christmas or if you have guests staying with you. This can then make your baby over tired, fussy and a bit overstimulated but let’s be honest, don’t we all get a bit like that over Christmas!?

• Familiar rhythms: Try sticking to a familiar rhythm for your baby, whether that is the sequence of events when feeding, putting to sleep or playing with them can help them re-connect with you and feel something familiar.

• Take home with you: If you are staying away from home, bring some bits from home like a blanket, sleep bag and anything that they find comfort in as it will help them to get a sense of security from a familiar smell, sight and touch.

• A Quiet Space: If you are surrounded by a lot of people it can be a good idea to find a little quiet space where your baby can switch off and have some calm time. You could even go for a walk with your baby and get some fresh air.

Don’t be Afraid to say No

A bit like a wedding, sometimes as new parents we don’t want to upset any well-meaning family and friends. You may not want too many visitors or visit too many people so prioritise those close to you. Try not to pack in too many outings/visitors in one go to minimise your baby becoming overstimulated which can lead to over-tiredness.

Some babies love all the cuddles and are very social and for others this can be too much for them. You know your baby the best so follow your baby's cues and if you find that they just want to be held by you, don’t feel guilty about it! Just simply explain that your baby is getting a bit overstimulated and wants comfort from you.

Capture the Simple Moments

Amongst the chaos of Christmas, don’t forget to take some photos or ask someone to take some for you! Photos can often be forgotten when there are lots of things happening so make sure you grab a few lovely photos to look back on. You may also want to create a keepsake of your first Christmas to remember. Etsy has some great first Christmas ornaments although you may have to order early for it to arrive on time. You could also look out for a local pop up event or your nearest craft places that often have foot/hand printing of different Christmas keepsakes!

Less is More

Especially when babies are little, they don’t really get the whole present opening and actually don’t need a lot of toys. It may be easier to make a list of some practical things your baby may need or some new toys for when they are older to put away. Although having a list may take the joy out of it a little, it also means you don’t end up with lots of the same toys (it does happen!) or lots of things that your baby doesn’t need. Gift cards can also be a great idea so that you can get them something when they need it. You could always make a note of what you bought, send a little photo and thank them so the gift giver knows that your baby has something they needed/wanted! Check out the Early Learning's baby’s first gift guide for inspiration on what to buy your little one.

Finally….

Navigating Christmas with a baby can be beautiful, especially if you can go with the flow and keep things simple. Remember there is no pressure to have the “perfect Christmas” and forget what you see on social media. For every perfect picture moment there were several photos taken between crying, not looking at the camera, baby needing a feed and meltdowns!

Remember it is your Christmas too, prioritise what is important to you and your family and enjoy your Christmas as a new family!