All New Parents Want for Christmas is Time: How to Survive Christmas with a Newborn
While everyone else is busy decking the halls, many new mums and dads are juggling a lot more than just tinsel and turkey: night feeds, broken sleep, and a long Christmas to-do list. A recent survey by breast-feeding experts, Lansinoh, found nearly two-thirds (63%) of new parents in the UK are struggling to find time for themselves since the arrival of their baby, and over half (54%) say they feel constantly rushed, with not enough hours in the day.
It’s no surprise that all new parents want for Christmas is time. With a little planning and a wellbeing-focused mindset, Christmas can still be fun and festive for new parents, especially if they put self-care and simplicity at the top of their Christmas list. Here are Lansinoh’s top tips for surviving – and enjoying – the festive season with a new baby.
5 tips for surviving Christmas with a newborn
1. Start early and keep things simple
If the Christmas Day cooking still falls on you, prepping and freezing food in advance can save precious time. Some parts of the traditional Christmas dinner – like roast potatoes, stuffing, pigs in blankets, and even the gravy – can be whipped up in quieter moments, like when baby is napping, and frozen ahead of the big day. If time is of the essence, the supermarket frozen food aisle can provide everything from turkey and trimmings to party food and puddings.
2. Pick rest over perfection
Your wellbeing and your baby’s needs come first – Christmas can wait! There’s no need to strive for the ‘perfect’ Insta-ready Christmas, especially if hosting. Instead, delegate tasks to willing loved ones, and make the most of online shopping to take the pressure off. It can be tricky to stick to the usual routine at Christmas but cut yourself some slack by going with the flow if you can.
3. Create a cosy hideaway
Nearly 7 in 10 parents (69%) feel relaxed and enjoy spending time with their baby. To make the most of these moments, find a quiet, calm spot in your home where you and your baby can take a peaceful break from the festivities. Whether it’s a nursing chair in your baby’s bedroom or a comfy nook in the corner of your lounge, a cosy retreat will help you both escape the Christmas excitement for a short while.
4. Take control of your plans
As the parent of a newborn, it’s okay to decline social invites over Christmas. A quiet, low-key Christmas might be just what your family needs. Equally, if friends or relatives offer to host or help out, let them – a little extra time for yourself could be the greatest gift this Christmas. As a new parent, asking for help – especially during the festive period – is absolutely your right. As the saying goes, “it takes a village,” and there’s no better time than Christmas to lean on your support network. Let your loved ones step in to make the season a little easier and more enjoyable for everyone – including you.
5. Embrace tech to save time
This Christmas, a wearable breast pump can make everything easier for new mums – from wrapping gifts to chopping carrots, watching Christmas TV to playing board games. Lansinoh’s new hands-free Wearable Pump is designed to give mums the freedom to express breast milk on the go, whether spending time with family, ticking off to-do lists, or enjoying a few minutes for themselves. Worn discreetly inside a bra, the new cordless Lansinoh Wearable Pump includes an innovative new memory feature, so you don’t have to re-program the pump every time you use it (particularly useful during night feeds). Its timer and clear LED display help you to keep track of your baby’s feeds and with 4 pumping styles and 9 suction levels, mums can customise the pumping experience to suit them and their baby’s needs. With only four parts to clean, it can be easily taken apart and loaded into the dishwasher alongside the pots and pans after Christmas dinner.
For many new parents, the pressure to create the ‘perfect’ celebration can add more stress to an already busy time. Lansinoh’s latest findings reveal that nearly a third of new parents say their entire day revolves around feeding. A quarter haven’t even managed a proper sit-down meal since their baby arrived. With the new Lansinoh Wearable Pump, Christmas time could mean more time for new mums.
“We know time is the most precious gift a new parent can receive,” says Sami Joyce, midwife and advisor for Lansinoh, “The right tools can make all the difference, which is why Lansinoh has developed the new Wearable Pump to be as comfortable, convenient, and stress-free as possible. Time to yourself can feel like a luxury, especially over Christmas, so we want to remind parents to prioritise their wellbeing – after all, a happy, well-rested parent makes for a happy, well-rested baby.”
