Written By: Jeni Gentry, Crescent Moon Advanced Clinical Intern
Celebrating the holidays with a new baby can be a time of magic, joy, and excitement.
This time can be even more exciting when it lines up with introducing solid food to your little one. Unfortunately, multiple schedules, expectations, and personalities can make for stress during the holiday season. How can you enjoy the festivities while ensuring your and your baby’s needs are being met?
Things to consider to maintain boundaries at holiday gatherings:
Set realistic expectations:
- Try to remember that there will be things that are out of your control.
- This holiday season may look different from usual and that’s okay!
- Don’t put unwanted stress on yourself by trying to make everything perfect.
Create a feeding plan
- Have a plan for nursing, pumping or preparing formula.
- Talk to the host about finding a space where you are comfortable expressing milk or breastfeeding.
- If you are starting solids, this may mean prepping and bringing first foods to the party.
Find a teammate
- Whether it’s your partner, a sibling, or a parent, having someone to take some of the burden off of you can make the experience less stressful.
Give a heads-up
- Send an email or group text to inform your family of your expectations ahead of time.
Opting out is an option
- If you are unable to enjoy the holidays in an environment where you can maintain your boundaries, skip the big party and enjoy a smaller version at home.
Introducing solids around the holidays can be very exciting and stressful! The hope is to strike a balance between the two.
Here are some strategies for reducing stress:
- Communicate Your Approach: Share your feeding plan with family and friends so they understand your baby’s specific dietary needs and restrictions.
- Empower Grandparents: Offer them guidance and resources to help them support your baby’s feeding journey.
- Bring Baby’s Food: To ensure your baby has appropriate options, pack a selection of baby-friendly foods.
- Polite Refusals: When well-meaning relatives offer unsuitable foods to your baby, politely decline and reiterate your approach and the importance of safety.
If the thought of celebrating the upcoming holidays with an infant is bringing you anxiety, consider working with a Perinatal Mental Health Therapist. Therapists who specialize in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) are educated on the full spectrum of challenges of the parenting experience.
