The Holiday Rush... With Baby In Tow

Getting through your first holiday season with a newborn can be a trying experience. Jessica Hartshorn, Sr. Lifestyles Editor of American Baby Magazine, has some tips for keeping your cool through New Years.

First, set realistic - that means lower - expectations. "You just want to enjoy the holiday," says Hartshorn. "Don't put too many pressures on yourself to try to go crazy and try to make it perfect in any way." Instead, try focusing on your family. Suggest that relatives come to your home this holiday instead of you dragging your infant out in the cold. Hartshorn suggests taking advantage of all those extra hands. Let your relatives hold the baby while you grab some much needed shut-eye.

Do your best to prioritize your usual holiday rituals and traditions. Figure out what's really important to you and set goals for yourself to only accomplish those few things. "I have to do sugar cookies, even if my kids are too young to really help," says Hartshorn.

If it doesn't feel like a holiday without lights outside, set aside time to put them up. If personalized greeting cards are especially important to you, send them out. Try "cheating" where you can; put your presents in gift bags instead of wrapping every single one. Let less important tasks fall by the wayside so that you have time to focus on what's important: your growing family and the spirit of the season.

Also, pay attention to the decorations you decide to place around your home. While candles and fresh-cut evergreens are great for an adult-only household, unsteady toddlers may burn themselves or try to eat pine needles. Try using felt ornaments on your Christmas tree or an electric menorah instead of one with real candles.

Keep in mind too, that babies find sparkly, glistening decorations fascinating. "They'll stare at the top of the tree forever," says Hartshorn. Decorate safely, then supervise them while they take it all in.

But don't worry too much. Having a new baby around during the holidays can add an entirely new element of wonder to the season. "Santa comes back to the house," says Hartshorn. "Giving your child a gift is so much more fun than giving another adult a gift." Despite all the stress, take a moment to sit back, relax and see the holidays through a child's eyes all over again.

For more information on this and other parenting topics, click here.

By Erin Petrun