newborn & holidays

kmwz

I'm due December 12th so of course everyone's like YAY CHRISTMAS BABY! But I'm seeing different things as far as exposing the baby to germs, especially in winter with flu season. I was curious what opinions were on this situation.. Are any of you planning on having your baby around all the family and stuff on the holidays or are you planning on keeping your baby away from all of the germs for a few weeks? 

Catherine1021

I'm due on the 14th, and it will depend on when she is actually born, but I will probably have the baby around family during the holidays. We've had quite a few late Nov-early Dec babies in my family over the last few years, and my extended family has been very careful not to be around the babies if they are sick. Plus my parents and siblings get flu shots every year. I also have school-age children, so I'm actually more concerned about what illnesses they might bring home from school.

4puddleducks

STM momma here. I'm due a week before you. We are doing the normal Christmas routine with my in-laws as long as everyone is healthy at the time. If they are sick, we may just stop by for just a bit. With DS, he was released from the NICU on New's Eve Day. My in-law's were having a New Year's Eve party for their closest friends (who are like extended family). We still went, but kept our son upstairs and people kind of peaked into see him. Only my hubby's "aunts" held DS after they washed their hands.

Gingermom15

I'm due the same day and depending on how things go and if baby and I are up to it, we may spend an hour or two with the family. We plan to play it by ear.

mj6247

I'm due the 11th and we are planning on joining the in-laws at their home for Christmas (about 2 hours away from home).

I am pretty sure it will just be us, FIL/MIL, and DH's brother and sister. No huge family gathering with tons of extra strangers/kids/germs/etc.

Also, his family is very Catholic but I come from a more relaxed Christian family and almost always have some level of awkwardness when attending their church. Having LO there will give me a more legitimate excuse to skip mass and rest a bit without anyone feeling weird about it.

VesperLove

I'm due two days before Christmas. My family already knows that if that is accurate, we probably won't be a major part of holiday festivities unless people come to our house. I just don't think I'll want to travel.

If we do end up going to any holiday get togethers (deliver earlier or having people come to our house) then our approach will depend on if our family decides to listen to our request to get vaccines. If our family has gotten their flu and tdaps then we likely will just make sure people wash their hands and don't have any active cold symptoms. 

If our families decided NOT to get their vaccines then we'll likely have baby in their car seat or carrier of some sort and covered. If people want to hold him then we'll be super cautious about hand washing, cold symptoms, and length of time baby is held. 

We have to go on living our lives and we aren't the type to get too worried about this stuff but we'll definitely pay attention to it. 

hjcook

I'm having a scheduled c-section on Dec. 17th. My MIL may or may not come to help. she is VERY germ-phobic, so if I want anyone to come, it would be her!!! hahaha. Not sure if I will be mobile over the actual Christmas holiday, which is somewhat disappointing, but after lots of fertility help - I'm am soooo happy to have a child. We will have limited visitors to the hospital so I can rest. Not too worried about getting baby sick I guess.

cav4christ

I'm due the same day. Obviously we aren't traveling, but all my family lives within 30 minutes. So depending on how I'm feeling, I was thinking quiet Christmas Eve with just us, and maybe spend a few hours with extended family on Christmas Day. At this point, I think I will want to show off baby But we will see how I'm feeling.

snooker51

I'm due Dec 12th and am planning on doing everything Christmas wise that I normally would including a small 2 hour car ride to my nans on boxing day....I'll use common sense for other people handling the baby. my family always admires from afar when they know they are sick so I'm not worried about them wanting to touch them if they are.

ssn109

I'm due 12/12 also, and at this point my family knows we're playing Christmas by ear. If he decides to come a little early, we'll probably make the 4.5 hour drive to see the extended family in Michigan. DH and I switch off families for holidays each year, and this year it was supposed to be my family's turn. We live about 20 minutes from his family, but my family is 4.5 hours away. If he's on time, we'll see how LO and I feel when it's time to travel. If he's late, it's probably not happening, and we'll spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas with DH's family. My parents are talking about the possibility of spending Christmas here with us if we don't go to Michigan, but then they won't get to see their families for the holiday (sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, and last living parent). It's a tough time of year when you don't live close to your family for sure, there are so many things I want to do but may have to give up for my son. But he's worth it

*edited bc autocorrect now makes up words...wtf?

LMJL

I'm due on the 12th & I've decided to see how I feel when the time comes. It's hard b/c I don't really want visitors in the hospital, but our families live at least an hour away in separate directions. And we can't visit one without the other. We used to go to his family on Xmas eve, stay the night with his mom & then drive home in the morn., do our own present exchange & then go to my family for dinner. However, my MIL died & we sold her house, so we'd be driving 2 1/2-3 hrs both days. Who knows? I might be up with people, & driving, but I'm anticipating a hermit-like desire to stay home. The whole added germ thing is also an added sway to stay away. I'm not asking for tdap vaccines from extended fam, though most get flu vaccines anyway. I am concerned about the fact that they are saying its effectiveness rate is way down this year, though. All combined, I'm leaning towards staying home for the holidays, but I know everyone will be dying to see baby. It's not an easy decision to make & not going can be very unpopular with some. I've told some family that I might stay home & some are totally understanding, others not so much. with most of them I'm not even getting into the whole germ issue as they don't understand/ think I'm overreacting. I'm just explaining that we might not be up for that much car time in 2 days so early on. Can you play that angle or are you close to family? good luck with making your decision! And know you aren't the only one debating over this stuff!

JElizbetty

Skipping Christmas eve with my big family this year, just to many people to much of a risk. But still doing Christmas day/night with my immediate family then off to husbands family, he has a smaller more intimate family so its not so overwhelming. But definitely making sure if any one is sick they are hands off baby. 

mrs14678

I'm due the 14th, and we will be moving to a different town for hubby's job the week between Christmas and New Year, so we will take all the help we can get. That will probably be family. So...our holiday will be unconventional, but definitely people around. I've asked my family to all get the flu shot.

Ccat1977

I'm due 12/17 and the in-laws arrive 12/15. I'm nervous about having them - part of me will be grateful for help (and cooked meals in particular) but part of me likes alone time. I'm also paranoid about someone being sick. They'll be staying almost a month too at our house. Wish me luck! I'm hoping baby comes a bit early so we can get a few days to ourselves.

ChiccoBeanz

I'm due the 13th, personally I am not going anywhere that takes me an hour or more to get to. That's just my preference. I'm also not having more than the family members I see on a regular basis see my LO so soon after birth, with the exception of certain in-laws. My family and I live on the same street, literally the same block. I have to travel to my in-laws. DH'S aunts and grandma's can come over to his mom's to see baby, but that's as far as we go. The weather, sick people and just the prospect of people passing around my son is off putting. Especially to family I don't know or met once. Call me a b*tch, but my son's health matters more to me than hurt feelings.

navyblueladybug

DH and I just moved in with my parents since we are relocating to another state in January and couldn't find a decent place to rent for 3 months. It'll be nice this Christmas since we will already be with my family and only have to make 2 trips to see DH's family (we normally make 3 trips since his parents are divorced plus my family). We will be seeing them over the holidays, especially since we are moving... DH wants them to spend as much time with LO as they can while we are still here since it's a short time that they get to see her, and I'm ok with that.

dec15mum

I'm due the 12th as well!
I don't plan on going far for the first few months anyway, especially since I can't drive. I'll be having family over for Christmas though.
I'm worried as well because I'm prone to chest infection during winter and my asthma plays up in winter so I'm sooo hoping I don't get sick!

beckifrasoer

I'm due the 13th, but also have a 2 year old son who was born on the 21st of December. We stayed home Christmas morning and had a small dinner provided by my in laws later that evening. We pushed back festivities with my family until a month later because they all got a nasty stomach flu (which my daughter and myself got anyway). Nobody worried about doing things a little later because of the baby. Do what makes you comfortable.

fashiongirlsteph

FTM and due on Dec 2nd. All of our family is out of state, so no travel for us. (We have traveled for Christmas every year for the last 19 years!!)

Gonna just enjoy our first Christmas together, just the 3 of us! 

 

ketobaby

I am due a couple of days after Christmas. If baby comes early I am not planning on attending any Christmas or new years parties. If our parents want to come visit at some point that's great but having a newborn at a huge party (my family is large) would bother me.

bekaadams49

I'm due 12/20 and it will be Christmas as usual for us, if we are not in the hospital. But ours is very simple, only my parents and siblings the Friday before Christmas and my husbands parents on Christmas eve. All I ask, wash your hands, no kissing baby on his face and if you are sick, stay in the other room.

celainev

I'm due Boxing Day and decided it would be best if my in laws came here. They live an hour away (longer if there is snow) and they usually have Christmas Eve up at their cabin, which is another hour away plus snow and scary roads! I asked my MiL if we could have Christmas Eve at my house instead and she loved the idea! And she invited my parents and siblings as well. I am okay with having everyone over and in case I go into labour I am 15 min from my hospital. And if baby is already born, then I have my mom here to help clean things up for the party.
Christmas Day we spend with my extended family on my side. We are planning on staying for a couple hours, and will cut it short if baby is already here.

groovylocks

I don't know what to do, really. My parents are going to come here from Canada for the two or three weeks after her birth (give or take a day, you know..) and they'll surely bring lots of flus from their area. There's always something going around back home. And my inlaws own a restaurant so they spend all day handling money and talking to everybody in the world. Her uncle (my brother in law) is a student who is also around everybody in the world. And when he's not in class, he's at the restaurant too.

But there is no question - i want them all to be here for this. I'm going to discuss this with my doctor today - thank you for this post as a reminder - to see what I can do to help mitigate the chances of her getting ill right out of the gate.

mscicluna979

Due on December 2nd. My family leaves two hours away. I would like to still go to all the Christmas activities. My 18 month out nephew passed away in August. It is already going to be a hard Christmas. My DH wants to stay home. Still trying to convince him to go.

krick43

I'm due Dec 19th and as long as no one who will be at Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations is sick (and she's here!) we will be there. My family is all being vaccinated for flu & TDAP prior to her arrival so I'm not too worried. I know our family will be very careful if they are sick to not be around her.

One thing I am worried about and maybe you UK mamas can help! My in laws and sister in law are coming over from London after she arrives. They are planning on coming dec 28th for 2 weeks and they think I'm crazy about my parents and siblings getting vaccinated for flu and TDAP. Is this something recommended by your OB's?

Cjaff70

If you get the flu vaccine won't that protect the baby because it passes on the antibodies?

whitneyannhargraves

I am due on the 2nd which would seem like plenty of time to fit Christmas in.  However, it means traveling on two planes, not really having a place to stay that is comfortable and multiple family parties some of which include all 20 of my younger cousins who are sooooo eager to see a new baby in the family (the first great-grandchild and first baby in 10 years).  I feel like skipping the whole thing but I also kind of want to show up my new little guy.  Any suggestions?!

amye02

krick43 said:

I'm due Dec 19th and as long as no one who will be at Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations is sick (and she's here!) we will be there. My family is all being vaccinated for flu & TDAP prior to her arrival so I'm not too worried. I know our family will be very careful if they are sick to not be around her.

One thing I am worried about and maybe you UK mamas can help! My in laws and sister in law are coming over from London after she arrives. They are planning on coming dec 28th for 2 weeks and they think I'm crazy about my parents and siblings getting vaccinated for flu and TDAP. Is this something recommended by your OB's?

I'm due the same day as you, I'm planning on Christmas as usual since my parents live not even a half mile away. My family is HUGE so I will not be allowing LO to be passed around assuming he's here.

I'm in the US but I have asked immediate family on both sides to update their vaccines because we live in a colder area of the country.

Arizonamommy1595

I'm due December 24th so I probably won't be able to attend any of the family gatherings as much as I love them and want to go but hopefully he comes before christmas!

TomekiaB

@krick43 I just moved to the UK for my DH job and asked for him to get an updated TDAP... The midwife refuses saying you only get them once as an adult here so even if they want to NHS is unlikely to do it. My husband is going to use our private insurance and see an American provider to get it done.
Edited to add they shouldn't have any problem getting the flu shot though. I was told the flu shot is for your protection the TDAP gives baby a little protection (not great which is why you want any caregivers to update too).

krick43

@TomekiaB thank you so much for the reply! It's amazing how different the recommendations are depending on where you live. My OB recommended all caregivers get the vaccine because pertussis was a big problem where we live in the last 2 years. Hopefully explaining our stance will help!

On a good note- hope you're loving the UK- my husband is from London and it is one of my favorite places! We're planning to head over next spring with the baby...we might be totally nuts but we're going to give it a shot

armywife8289

I'm due Christmas Eve! I won't exactly have a choice! But most people who visit will be my sister, and the grandparents! (In the hospital, I can control that much easier!) Im a STM. I don't worry about germs. Heck I didn't with my 1st. ( only the first few weeks, with the hand washing) But I'd say if they choose to visit, or ask!(hopefully they ask!!!) I'd ask several things, are they, have they, been sick in the past week, or been around someone who has been. Then I would make them wash up to elbows before holding the baby! Your baby will be fine! Don't ground yourself from Family fun because of baby!! Just maybe not stay so long! But that's my opinion! Do what is comfortable to you!!! When they ask or say something about plans, just tell them you are unsure because of the baby, germs, and how you will feel!!! Promise it will be totally fine!:)