Christmas/new years with a newborn.

[BT11]

I will have a newborn over Christmas time this year. I am 41 weeks today.

It's my first and I'm not going to be getting drunk etc but just don't know how I'm going to get the baby to sleep/ don't want to interrupt getting a good breastfeeding routine going. I'm worried it's going to be too much work to try and celebrate with everyone. We have a lot of family visiting from overseas. I am supposed to be staying over my parents with DH for a few days over Christmas and New year's. People have said newborns sleep a lot - is this actually true? 😂

Any tips or advice would be great!

If not it might just have to be a quiet one at home with DH this year. Everyone is so excited to spend a few days with the baby though!

Some do. Just stay out of the way - let others do the work! Also let others have the baby - it doesn't have to be glued to you.
Don't worry anticipating what may or may not happen. Accept help if offered or tell people what you need them to do to help you!

Some newborns sleep a lot, others don't (I've had one of each). A tiny little newborn is so special. Use this as an opportunity to have lots of people to look after you and help with the baby. Hopefully you can get some rest and it will make it easier to get BF established.

Don't let people act like they are 'helping' by holding the baby while you run about doing everything else.

Thanks everyone! The advice is really positive and I feel much more at ease.

I will take each day as it comes and see how I'm feeling after the birth.

DH is so excited for everyone to see baby but I feel he doesn't understand as much as I that we may not be able to do everything planned.

Very exciting times ahead!

They sleep a lot… on you! As long as you’re around relaxed, lovely people who’ll bring you all the Christmas foods and go with the flow, it could be lovely – lots of sleep for you as everyone will want a “go” with holding the baby.

Physical recovery can be tough depending on the birth and there’s an awful lot that’s just unpleasant – sweating buckets, leaky boobs, lochia, postpartum pooing, etc – where personally I’d be more comfortable at home or at least with as few people around as possible! But it’s very personal.

I’m having my baby on 23 December so also a Christmas/new year newborn – sadly without the army of family help but I have doubled the quantities of chocolate we’d normally buy!

Dd1 was exactly 1 week old on her first Christmas. We went to SIL's with the whole family and Dd slept pretty much all day, except for waking for a bottle and nappy change. It was amazing! I got to eat my lunch in peace with a glass of champagne and then people got cuddles when she woke up.

I would recommend just not stressing, if baby needs to be fed, have a comfy spot to go to, pre prepared with drinks & snacks for you while baby feeds. Don't let family badger you to wake her up for cuddles, they aren't playing pass the parcel. But do allow them to hold her if she wakes during lunch so you can eat something proper (as long as she's happy with it)

I'm not sure why I've decided your baby is a girl, but congratulations!

At this rate your baby will be max 14 days old by Christmas day. Personally, by that point I was still suffering from hefty baby blues, couldn't make it out of the house without military style planning, and was bleeding heavier than any period I'd ever had.

HOWEVER, what kept me going were the constant visits from family and friends, being able to show off my wonderful baby to them, and the joy of seeing them spend time holding him.

Mine slept pretty much constantly, waking every couple of hours for bottle and nappy.

Assuming this is your first, your life is going to change in the next couple of weeks in a way you cannot even imagine, it's impossible to tell what you and baby will be capable of on Christmas day, personally I wouldn't have managed staying at someone else's place but everyone is different.

It might be nice to get out and have a break but you won't know until baby is here. We have a 6 month old and are going to the inlaws for Christmas Dinner, mainly so we can have a break from cooking
The only problem I could see is if you are breastfeeding, my little one was nearly permanently attached to me for quite a while and it took me a little bit of time to feel comfortable feeding in front of people (family included) so spent a few feeds in a different room but if you have a relaxed atmosphere, this might not be a problem and might be a nice excuse to have a break.

Depends what your situation is. I had a 1 week old for Christmas and we went to my parents. 6 adults total and a newborn and it was wonderful. I gorged on all the cheese I'd missed out on when pregnant and plonked myself on the sofa, enjoyed some champagne (I was breastfeeding). Didn't get much nighttime sleep but they literally sleep all day at that age. My family also got precious time to bond with their new grandchild/niece.

regarding the PGP, I had it too when pregnant both times. It disappeared as soon as the baby was out.

Stay at home, let people visit you (but on your terms, and probably short visits that don't require much catering, unless they do it for you!).

How far do you live from your mum?

The thing that would concern me at such an early stage would be a long car journey.

I'd also want family to be honest if they were feeling unwell and stay away from the baby, but I appreciate that it's not that easy when people are travelling from overseas.

Otherwise, your baby probably won't even notice they're in a different place!

It rather depends on your family . I hosted extended family for Xmas when my twins were newborn and it was fab - lots of extra pairs of hands to cuddle the babies, lots of emotional support etc. I would have hated being stuck at home in our own little bubble.