Embracing The Festivities At Christmas When Pregnant

Hello, and welcome to my blog. As Christmas is fast approaching, it got me thinking about being pregnant or having a newborn during the festive period. My son is a November baby, so I remember too well all the overwhelm I had during this period. It’s one of my favourite times of the year and usually I would spend an evening with my husband beginning of December with lots of wine and put our tree up with a bit of Mariah playing in the background! However, when you have a newborn baby it’s just so hard to keep up with traditions and plod along as normal so soon after delivery. I remember my mum looking after my son and my husband and I getting everything down from the loft and putting everything up but this time there was no wine and I was still sore, fatigued and overwhelmed as a new mum who had a newborn baby who didn’t sleep well. I was also breastfeeding so felt like I was really ‘on the clock’. It ended up the house a total mess and me sitting crying in amongst a box of Christmas baubles – I look back and laugh now (with the postpartum fog now lifted!), but more importantly I think back to that time and think why on earth did I bother?!. I could easily have just popped up a small tree, spent those precious few days off with my husband enjoying our baby. Of course, it was nice once it was up, but it was a lot of work and there was no need to put up every single decoration I’ve collected for the past few decades!

So, fast forward a year and now my son is on his feet and tends to pull everything apart that comes into his sight. I’m starting to think I need to get everything down from loft, I feel like I’m the only one in the street without decorations up. However, my son has been poorly with tonsillitis and I’m back at work and life is VERY busy! So, taking learnings from last year I’m thinking just STOP. Life has changed, priorities change. Will I get my tree up – of course! Will there be wine – of course! BUT, I won’t be rushing about trying to do it all in one evening and will be going up later in the month.

Anyway, enough about me! This is your time!

Here are some recommendations for you and your growing bump or for those who have a newborn at home at Christmas.

Festive Preparations for Expecting Parents

Pregnancy adds a unique glow to the holiday season, but it also brings new considerations. Here are some tips to enjoy the festivities while prioritising your well-being:

Simplify Your Celebrations: It’s okay to scale back this year. Focus on meaningful traditions rather than an exhaustive to-do list. This is definitely what I’ll be doing.
Be comfortable: you can still dress nice during pregnancy but make sure that you are comfortable. Leggings under a festive dress is a winner – make sure you can eat your Christmas dinner with enough room for your bump and pudding.
Mindful Eating: Christmas treats are always a winner, but balance indulgence with nutrition. Include seasonal, pregnancy-safe dishes that nourish both you and your baby. Trust me, you will thank me later when you aren’t lying with painful heartburn after overindulging (I may be speaking from experience here – oops!).

Christmas with Babies and Toddlers

Even if your baby is too young to remember their first Christmas, it’s a special time to bond and start new traditions. Here are some ideas:

Decor with Baby in Mind: Opt for safe decorations, soft lights and unbreakable ornaments (hard to find, I know). Those precious ornaments that you have cherished for years – I would recommend keeping them up the loft or wherever you store them until baby is bigger to be safe. I’ll find this part difficult as I love all my ornaments.
First Christmas: Capture the moment with lots of photos. Babies don’t like to be too hot or too cold so just bear in mind with some of the baby Christmas outfits – some of them can be roastie toastie especially with the heating on!

Self-Care

Caring for a baby or being pregnant during the festive period can be overwhelming. Remember to:

Delegate Tasks: Let family and friends help with cooking, shopping, or childcare.
Schedule Rest: Balance festive activities with downtime to recharge.
Stay Hydrated and Active: Drink plenty of water and take gentle walks to stay refreshed.
Set Boundaries: Communicate with your friend and family about your wishes, keeping get togethers short or ensuring everyone is feeling well before meeting the baby. Remember you may have been up all night with baby so you can’t be expected to do a full Christmas day as you normally would on no sleep.

Looking Ahead to the New Year

The close of the year I find is a beautiful time to reflect and set intentions for the year ahead. Consider:

Writing a Letter to Your Baby: Capture your hopes and dreams for them in a letter to read together in the future.
Gratitude Practice: Cheesey, I know. But it’s SO easy to get caught up in the commercial hype and everyday stress. Sometimes it’s important just to stop.
Setting Family Goals: Plan for milestones or activities to look forward to as a family in the coming year.

At Stork Beginnings, we understand that the Christmas holidays are a time of change and magic. Whether this is your first festive season as parents or you’re preparing for a new arrival, take time to soak it all up and don’t overdo it!

I’ll be working over some of the festive period but grateful to be off on Christmas day this year. I can’t wait to visit all the newborn babies – it’s always such a magical time to be in people’s houses.

If you know of any pregnant ladies who are overdoing it, we have a few pamper 'mum to be' presents for sale. Email to enquire or send a message via FB or Instagram. Included in a beautifully packaged gift box is a luxury candle, aromatherapy roll-on oil, heated face mask and a few other little special added extras.

Have a beautiful December.

Louise, Stork Beginnings! 🎄🎁✨