Christmas with a newborn

[Tofu35]

I have waited until September to start this thread but I've been trying to figure out how to keep some of the Christmas festivities and cosiness going when we will be parents of a 1 week old baby!

I'm already buying Christmas gifts for my nearest and dearest (thanks to the Christmas bargain threads on MN!) and told our families who we usually visit that we'll probably stay home and figure out what on earth we've gotten ourselves into.

So far my mum has offered to cook some Christmas food for us and drop it round (although she lives an hour away) and she'll probably come in for a cup of tea and a grandchild cuddle. Same with the in-laws.

But, experts of Christmas, what should I be doing to make sure Christmas stays alive among the chaos of new parenthood? Is it buying lots of party food for the freezer? Getting the tinsel and lights out in November so the house is decorated? Only sing the baby Christmas songs while he wears a tiny Santa hat?

I'm joking, but I'm also interested. For those who are going to be new parents, and those who have older December children, what does tiny baby Christmas look like?

@Simplelobsterhat the idea of you decorating a Yule log in early labour is up there with "decorating the tree when my waters broke". This thread is basically a festive romcom of Christmas mishaps! You are all Christmas queens! Although that beef stew sounds like a delicious idea, no faffing but a lovely gravy dinner? I'm in!

@mam0918 I hope you have some festive jammies for your festive lounging (or a nice big box of Christmas shaped snacks!) although sounds like you have a house full so maybe that doesn't happen! Wow a month early, that must have been a surprise.

I like what some of the posters said about this Christmas not really counting because he'll be so small so it doesn't really matter. But nice to think what we'll be up to, hopefully not driving to find a chemist on Christmas day but sometimes that's what happens, and that becomes part of the 'first Christmas' story 😅

@mam0918 it's ok to say you've got no friends or family you know.

Christmas is for family but here on mn new parents stay inside and alone for 4 months after the birth so I'm not surprised.

No doubt you'll regret your decision when you don't have any baby sitters

My niece was due dec 12th but was comfy in there, induced on dec 23rd but baby didn’t come out til Christmas Day! So make sure you keep those plans flexible!

We have plenty of friends and family... we see them every day and they are super close to our kids, my IL pick them up from school and babysit for and hour after school and love to see them on weekend for sunday dinner.

Xmas is our day of so we can relax.

Sorry no body has time for you in normal life so you have to wait for xmas for people to begrudginly spend time with you.

@WaltzingWaters sounds like a comfy baby 😂 maybe not so comfy for the mum though, must have been ready to serve eviction papers! Did she try and put cookies and milk out for your niece to lure her out like Santa- haha!

What a great idea for a thread @Tofu35 😍 I’m due on the 7th so loving hearing all the different stories and perspectives.

@Simplelobsterhat Could you please post the recipe for that stew?

Hahah I think she tried everything possible. We thought we were safe with her not being a xmas day baby as due date was on 12th but she was far too comfy in there!

I believe it was this, or a simpler version of. www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/guinnessbeefandchest_93084

Ooh a hairy bikers recipe! Proper comfort food 🥰

Our first baby was born on 23rd December, after being late. We went to in-laws for Christmas lunch, and kept it very low key. I would keep it simple. Be fully prepared beforehand with buying presents. Have a tree up, but accept the world will change overnight, and your life will be turned upsidediwn.

I've had 2 December babies. Get all your Xmas shopping done by at least mid November.

If possible spend Xmas at someone else's house. My girls were early December (bdays 2 days apart, nearly shared a bday!) so around 2 weeks old at Xmas so we stayed at in-laws both times (but even just the day would be good!) and I did nothing and I was not expected to do anything. I got to sleep whenever I fancied and was well fed to "help with the milk" (love my mil for giving me an excuse!)

The only downside is that we had older kids and my in laws have a very low key Xmas. They made our perfectly ordinary present piles feel obscene!

But definitely worth it!

Do I recognise this username from the TTC pages? Congratulations! Having just had a newborn I would say how your day goes depends how well you function on terrible sleep. If you're breastfeeding you'll probably have lots of time to watch Christmas films, the first 6 weeks were mostly me sat in one spot with a boob out and regretting any attempt to do anything else!

Sorry not RTFT but first off-congratulations! My baby was about a month old at Christmas and I echo pp idea that you might enjoy spending the day staying with family if possible. I would have loved extra folk to man the baby while I slept!
Also-lots of Christmas films,get a tree up, easy tasty food!

Lovely idea for a thread! I’m due 6th December so it’s great to read all these lovely experiences.

@fannyfan it's sad you felt the need to comment so negatively. This thread was meant to be joyful and exciting 😕

You will be too tired to care its christmas just have a very nice and relaxed one and next Christmas go mental lol

I'm due twins on the 31st Dec but they won't let me go past 38 weeks which is the 17th December. I'm hoping they stay nice and tucked up until at least December! I have a 3yo DS. We usually put our Christmas tree and decorations up last November but I think I'll do it a bit earlier this year.

Last year we done Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and that was nice. My parents have kindly offered us round for dinner but I have said with having newborns if anyone is feeling under the weather we won't see them as just don't want to take that risk of anyone being poorly.

DS will be happy with whatever we decide but we usually do Santa's Grotto and woodland walk in December so will try book it for November this year! Although tickets are sometimes like gold dust to get hold of and you can be on the website for a couple of hours in a que 😩.

Late**

Don't bank on your due date - you're not a microwave that goes ping, nature is not that exact! I went almost two weeks over first time, those were looong weeks.

Stick easy food in the freezer, easy little tree, don't go overboard on anything. Newborns are exhausting, you'll barely register Christmas!

Following for ideas! I’m expecting my first baby at the end of November and have already resigned myself to the fact this Christmas will be very different for myself and DP 😅

Have told my family I can’t commit to any firm plans for what we will be doing Christmas Day until closer to the time. Depending on how late or early baby arrives/ how I’m recovering and feeling/ how well feeding etc is going. But will still definitely want to see them at some point! This is the first grandchild on both sides so think family (and I!) would be sad if they didn’t get to see us at all over the Christmas period.

Think I might start putting up decorations at the start of November too 😅 which I never do, but want to have it all sorted before I pop!

I was due 1st of Jan this year, but vsby made their arrival on the 22nd, he just couldn't wait for Christmas!! It was an extremely different Christmas, but still lovley. We didn't even have Christmas dinner because we couldn't face cooking we didn't get invited anywhere and no offers of getting anything dropped off which makes me a bit sad seeing all these other stories.

I was super prepared though, all presents were wrapped and we even had presents for the baby from santa to keep up the pretence for our toddler!

My little boy was a few days old his first Christmas. We sorted presents and visiting everyone the week before he was due. Decorations done 1 st December.

He was born by c section to Wham Last Christmas playing on the radio. Came home from hospital the 22nd, first weigh in at the maternity unit Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we spent snuggled on the sofa watching Christmas movies. Didn't leave my pyjamas or dressing gown. DH cooked xmas dinner - we deliberately bought pre made stuff you can just throw in the oven so no prep. Tin foil trays so no cleaning up. Bit like a normal Christmas but no visitors that year. We saw everyone New Years instead to introduce the baby.

My favourite Christmas so far.

@imnotthatkindofmum while it would be lovely to sleep over at a family members home, that's not possible for us! But I will be reminding anyone who will listen that they should feed me "to help with BF". Someone previously said fancy party food is great for that, maybe I could get some system on the go for constant delivery of pigs in blankets!

@rathernotshare yes hello! I was on the TTC board for like 2 or 3 years, so very happy to be able to write about Christmas and babies :) your post reminded me of all those channels that are dedicated to made for TV Christmas films. That may be my go to channel for those early wake ups.

@wishing3 thank you! The posts here are definitely making me think about who comes over/for how long or even if I go to them. Especially if it means I could get some sleep! Twinkly lights, lots of food, naps seem to be the Christmas themes of the thread!

@abblie I love all the full on Christmas threads on MN, with the crafting and cooking ideas. This baby doesn't stand a chance in the years to come! Although maybe I should take up knitting and make him a wee Santa hat- it looks like a relaxing hobby, how hard could it be 😂

@PinkButtercups I've read a few posters that have at least one other child at home but are expecting a wee Christmas baby. It must be a weird one to balance having a chilled one with getting all the Santa excitement! Aww hope they decide they want to wait until December to make their entrance. We usually buy a real tree so we have a few weeks of hoovering needles and saying "oh that smells like Christmas" but we'll just need to wait and see if that happens this year or if it's a reusable one (either small and potted or from a box). As long as there's tinsel and lights, I shouldn't be precious!

@Dogtooth jeez imagine when my waters broke I did go ping. Questions would be asked 😂

@Beanniebaby22 yay excited for you! Also if this thread is still functioning (or findable) in a few months I would love to see us heavily pregnant standing next to our trees in November!!

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee I'm very happy Santa remembered about your new wee one, his elves wouldn't have done their due diligence if he'd arrived empty handed!

@etchysketchy88 if we don't get a good delivery from my mum, I think your premade foil tray idea is definitely the way forward. Also I love that you had a quiet Christmas and then used new year to be with wider family. Think there's so much pressure on that one day, but then there's a full week after it that (for us anyway) is a bit slower and involves a lot of leftovers and Christmas films. Imagine being born to Last Christmas though, what a wee legend. I'd need to make a Spotify playlist with only that song on it to try and make that Christmas magic happen!

So grateful for you all coming here and sharing your tips and lovely stories. It's a great way to start the weekend.

I have 2 Christmas babies, my first was 4 weeks old and because I’m a Christmas lover I stupidly insisted that I wanted to cook the dinner (only me, DH and my parents) but of course the moment we sat down to eat DD woke up screaming to be fed and I burst into tears!

Second time around we learned our lesson, I always have my decs up early anyway because I love it, but we had a very quiet Christmas, just me DH, DD1 who was 3 and my 2day old DD2!

I left all the cooking to DH that year and he did a bang up job, but we also took it very easy, watched tv and ate biscuits all day essentially

What I actually find hardest is now I have 2 birthdays right before Christmas that I have to try and make special 🙃Expensive time of year!

I’m due on the 11th myself so I’ve had similar questions! I plan to not overdo it this year with Christmas presents etc. Due to maternity pay. But I think it’s a good idea to get everything ready a little earlier than you normally would.