The holidays are painted as a time for rest and relaxation, yet as any parent of a newborn knows, this isn’t always how it pans out!
While we can’t promise to cure those middle-of-the-night crying sessions, we can offer some of our top tips to enjoying as stress-free a holiday period as possible with your newborn. Trust us - we’ve been there too! Following our own advice over the years has helped preserve our sanity, and we hope it brings you some peace, too.
Do One Thing at a Time!
The holidays can feel overwhelming at the best of times, and when you're still getting used to your new life as a parent, having more frequent feelings of stress is a very real thing.
To help reduce holiday anxiety, it's important to manage your own expectations of the holidays - and remember that not everything needs to be perfect. So, whether that means decorating the tree in stages, not having matching outfits, putting up less Christmas lights than usual, keeping your gift wrapping simple or spending less time shopping for the perfect gift - the most important thing is that the holidays remain an enjoyable time for you and your family! It’s very common for new parents to feel the need to adjust during holiday seasons - you’re not alone!
Try to Keep a Steady Supply of Milk Available
Breastfeeding parents can often feel tethered to their baby’s feeding habits - especially those of a hungry newborn! If you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, December can be a busy time and it can be hard for new parents to carve out time for themselves. One of the ways around this is to pump milk in advance, to make sure you have a steady supply available for babe.
This way, other caregivers can bottle-feed the baby, which gives one parent the freedom to spend an afternoon or evening away from the baby. It also makes it easier for parents to take those middle-of-the-night feeds in turns!
Use Your Joeyband™ to its Full Potential!
One of the reasons the Joeyband™ is so popular among new parents is its versatility. By allowing parents to practice safe, secure skin-to-skin contact with their babies, the Joeyband™ helps babies feel calmer (babies held skin-to-skin are 12 times less likely to cry!), and they are more likely to breastfeed - among many other benefits.
However, it also allows parents and caregivers peace of mind and a little independence as they practice skin-to-skin. This holiday season, safely practice skin-to-skin with baby while sipping eggnog (some of us are fans of it over here!) and watching Christmas movies, or even enjoying your dinner using both pieces of cutlery. Small wins!
Don’t Feel Pressure to ‘Perform’
Christmas is all about family - which is great! Sometimes, though, we put an unnecessary pressure on ourselves to make sure everyone else is catered for, and forget about our own needs. As a newborn parent, you’ve got enough on your plate!
Whether you feel up to cooking an elaborate meal from scratch and sourcing the best gifts, or you’d rather shop online and order in a takeaway, make sure it’s what you feel most comfortable with. And remember: it’s OK to ask for help, or to delegate tasks! We’ll be truthful, this one is hard for members of our team to remember - we find writing a gentle reminder by our bedroom door helps! Sometimes less really is more when it comes to holidays with a newborn.
Deep Breaths. Carve out Time for You
Caring for a newborn is hard work - especially if baby has older siblings that need attention, too! Missing your old independence is a common feeling among parents, and especially new parents! It’s a demanding time physically and emotionally - especially during what can often be an intense time of year - and doing your own thing can be really refreshing.
So whether you’re craving a long walk, an afternoon of treating yourself, or even just a midday nap, don’t be afraid to ask someone to watch baby while you switch off for a bit. Your body and brain will thank you!
Are you expecting a baby, or maybe you have a newborn? Follow us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribe to our newsletter for our latest news and updates, or for more useful, baby-handling knowledge from our experienced Joeyband™ team.