Baby's first Christmas can be a surprise. The lights, the noise, the people and the colors all play a role in over-stimulating the child. Knowing what to think about ahead of time and how to avert crankiness will nip it in the bud.
Making Christmas Easier for Parent and Baby
Whether a child is one day old or one year old, baby's first Christmas will be much different than any the family has experienced before. Parents need to be aware that the chaos of the holidays can cause the baby to be upset. Here are a few tips to help make Christmas easier for parent and baby. Both can get through of the day and be happy and content at the end of it.
Joy With the new Baby
When the family gets together at Christmas, there will be a lot of joy with the new baby. Everyone will want to take pictures, but it's important to keep flash photos to a minimum. It can hurt the baby's eyes.
All the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents will want to have a turn holding baby. Constantly changing hands could upset the the child, and especially with so many people leaning in for a peek and a kiss. There's no need to be over-protective, but try to keep the changeovers to a minimum.Offer hand-sanitizers to young cousins with sticky fingers.
Sticking to the Baby's Schedule
Try to stick to baby's schedule for eating and sleeping. The parents can always lay baby down in a quiet place for a nap, away from the overwhelming action. If nursing baby, try to do it away from the chaos. Babies will settle easier. Some babies get over-stimulated on Christmas Day and need some alone time with mummy. It's important the usual routine doesn't stray too far off schedule.
Mobile Babies
If baby is walking, remove the bowls of candy and nuts that are within reach. Too many "No,no's," will make baby cranky, so for sake of everyone at the gathering don't deny the child everything. Parents can help an infant open his or her presents and the child will likely enjoy playing with box it came in. Add a plastic stirring spoon the mix and the child will be over the moon, playing happily and content.
Mobile babies get into things. Even though there are lots of adults around to watch, they may not be watching. Keep a watchful eye on mobile infants. They love the bright colors and sparkles of Christmas and will pull things down at the first opportunity. Be prepared to make an early exit. Babies don't understand how special the day is. For them, it's simply noisy and overwhelming.
The Stress-Free Christmas
According to Dr. Richard Woolfson, in his article "Christmas Toddler Tantrums," published at Made for Mums, infants can become overwhelmed with the sights and sounds of the day. When the child cries or gets cranky, he or she is telling the parents it's just too much stimulation. Sticking to a schedule, keeping the occasion shorter and soothing the baby with some alone time, will lessen the stress.
With a new baby, parents will be starting a family tradition of their own. Making baby's first Christmas as stress-free as possible is a good way to begin.
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