Spending your first Christmas with baby is undoubtedly exciting and magical. However, it can also be extremely stressful! There is so much to do and organize during the holidays, making it a hectic time, even for those who don’t have a baby to look after!
So, how can you ensure you enjoy your first Christmas with your little one without having a nervous breakdown? Here, you’ll discover some of the top tips for surviving Christmas with a baby.
Don’t Attempt To Be Overly Ambitious
It’s your first Christmas with baby and you obviously want it to be as magical as possible. However, it’s important not to become overly ambitious. The reality is, there is only so much you can do on Christmas day when you have a baby to look after.
You also need to remember that your baby isn’t really going to know what’s going on. They don’t realize the day is supposed to be magical and happy. So, they may not necessarily be in the best mood! You aren’t going to magically wake up and everything will run smoothly simply because it’s Christmas. So, be realistic and don’t expect too much from either baby or yourself!
Do Your Christmas Shopping Online
One thing that’s going to make your life so much easier this Christmas, is doing all of your shopping online. This is especially true when it comes to buying groceries. As Christmas draws nearer, the stores start to become a lot more crowded. When you have a baby tagging along, this can make for a very stressful shopping trip!
So, do as much of your shopping online as you can. It’s amazing how much stress this simple tip will save you.
Ask For Help
Another important tip to follow is to ask for help. Whether it’s help from your partner or help from a family member – you don’t need to do everything by yourself. If family are coming to you for the holidays, get them to bring something with them. For example, to cut down on the amount of cooking you need to do, get each family member to bring something t contribute.
You can also ask for help with looking after baby. Whether you need a little time out on the big day, or you could use a helping hand in the lead-up to the day, don’t be afraid to ask.
Stick To Your Baby’s Routine
It’s tempting to forget baby’s routine during the holidays – it is Christmas after all! However, if you start to alter their schedule, it’s going to cause major disruption to your life long past Christmas.
Babies thrive on a routine. They get used to eating at specific times, taking naps and having a set bedtime routine. If this is suddenly altered, they aren’t going to like it and you can bet they’re going to let you know!
Even just allowing baby to stay up later than usual, or waking them super early, could have detrimental consequences. You could find yourself struggling to get them back into a routine for days, if not weeks after Christmas. So, always stick as close to baby’s routine as you can, even on Christmas day.
Make Sure You Get Plenty Of Sleep
This one may be a little tricky, especially if baby isn’t sleeping during the night. However, making sure you get plenty of sleep before the big day is crucial. You may even find it beneficial asking someone to babysit for a couple of nights in the lead up to Christmas day. This would give you plenty of time to catch up on sleep, leaving you feeling much more relaxed and energized once the big day arrives.
If you can’t get anyone to have baby overnight, you could ask your partner if they could watch baby on Christmas Eve while you have a power nap or three!
Keep Festive Excitement To A Minimum
No, we’re not trying to be a scrooge here. It’s encouraged to get into the festive spirit this Christmas. However, it’s also important to remember that for baby, it can quickly become overwhelming.
They aren’t going to understand why everything is different. While they will no doubt love the sparkling Christmas lights and the festive music, it won’t take long for the excitement to become too much. This is especially true on Christmas day if you have lots of family members over. Seeing so many new faces and being passed around so much can cause baby to quickly go into meltdown mode.
So, watch out for signs they’re getting too tired and make sure they have plenty of breaks from the festive excitement.
Don’t Forget To Take A Break
On Christmas day, it’s really important to take little breaks. Remember, when you become stressed, so does baby! They will soon pick up on your heightened stress levels, so it’s a good idea to take a break whenever you feel your stress building up.
Of course, you’ll also burn out pretty quickly if you don’t take regular breaks. You want to be able to enjoy the day, not end up so burnt out and stressed that the day becomes ruined.
Conclusion
Overall, your first Christmas with baby should be magical and exciting. However, unless you plan ahead, it can actually end up being super-stressful. The tips above will help to ensure that you survive Christmas with baby without losing your sanity. Do you have any additional tips? Share them in the comments below!
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