My due dates the 18th and I was 10 days late with DS so I'm thinking I could be in the hospital or just a few days out for Christmas. I'm actually excited to have a "get out of jail" free card from Christmas Day. My husband's huge family always has a big all day event that we have hosted for two years at our house. And each year there is obnoxious drama about who is buying presents for who and how much we're spending and when we're going to church (which they are especially adament about although they know I'm not religious) It's exhausting!
My "favorite" SIL said, "Oh wow you better get ready and do your Christmas shopping early!" And my response was, "actually I'm not even going to stress about Christmas shopping for anyone but my son this year, my husband can do the rests since I will be crazy pregnant and have other things to worry about". She was appalled. My evil grinch self was smiling on the inside.
My EDD is at the very end of December. I announced my pregnancy to my family by saying, "We need to figure out Christmas plans" because I wasn't going to be able to go anywhere. I'm guessing I'll actually deliver in January, but at the same time, I don't really want to set up Christmas decorations and either be freaking out about them as I'm nesting or have them still be up in March because I went early. The good news is, H's family is thinking of renting an apartment in our building so they can stay for awhile after the baby comes. If they do that, we'll set up Christmas in there, and everything will be fine.
Other than that, the only thing I'm concerned about is flu season and the baby. Bleh.
Me: 31 | DH: 31
Together since 2003 | Married 2010 TTC #1 January 2016 BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016 Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018 BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
This is one perk of living across the country from family I guess, don't need to worry about this. We have never traveled back for Thanksgiving, and typically no one comes to us then either, unless a random visit was scheduled. My brother, his wife, and two kids are local to me so we usually get together with them. It's super low key, sometimes we cook, sometimes we order a meal. No big deal there.
My parents plan to visit after the baby is born, so we'll just celebrate Christmas when they're here, if it's a few weeks early or whatever. Due date is the 12th, Mom is thinking of booking her flight for the 15th. My in-laws also want to visit, but I'd like to ask them to wait until January if possible (DH is gonna have to work that with them). If there's no visitors on actual Christmas Eve/Day, that's okay, we're used to it. I like to go and see my niece and nephew open gifts, so I imagine that will still happen.
In the future we'll likely take the little one back for Christmas a few times. Let her see the snow, visit other family, let Grandma show her off, but no worries about that when she's tiny.
I'm not due until the end of December (12/30), but because my family lives 5+ hours away we will not be visiting them for Thanksgiving or Christmas. My sister will be staying with us the first week or so after she's born, so her little family (my BIL and 18 mo. nephew) will most likely be with us for Christmas and/or New Years. And SO's parents live only 15 minutes away so I'm sure they'll be stopping by. The family already knows that if they want to be around baby then they need to have had their flu and tdap shots. Both sides had babies born last summer so the rules are still fresh in everyone's heads.
I'm going with a laid-back approach to the holidays this year. I'm due the 12th but will have a scheduled CS at 39wks so, early Dec. We'll do a modest Thanksgiving at my house and my sister/BIL will come over but my parents are in NC and DH's family goes to the mountains, where we will not be joining them. This baby should be about 3wks old at Christmas so we'll play it by ear. Christmas day will def be at home, as DS will be nearing 3yo and I want him to have Christmas morning here - we established last year that we will have every Christmas morning at our house for the foreseeable future - I want that for him, and now this one, and refuse to haul 'Santa' and Christmas to someone else's house to boot. There's something magical about waking up in your own house on Christmas morning and I want my children to have that while they are young. DS was born 3wks before Easter and we took him to a family gtg weekend at the lake that Easter weekend; I'm not opposed to taking this one to the lake house btw Christmas and New Years if that's what the family does, we'll just have to see how things are going.
I'm due the 23rd and we will be staying away from certain members of our family who like to lie and say they aren't sick when they really are. I won't be asking anyone to get a flu shot because I don't feel like that's my choice. I will be enforcing hand sanitizer and not getting many people hold the baby. If we have the baby before Christmas the baby will probably just be a few days old so we won't be going to any parties. I told my in-laws and my parents that they can come to us of they want to see us.
If we haven't had the baby we will play it by ear. I might feel too crappy and I don't want to risk my kids or DH and I getting sick before the baby comes so I'm 99% sure we will be staying home no matter what.
I'm also getting my Christmas shopping done early so that I don't have to waddle through the crowds come November/December.
A couple years ago I started Christmas shopping in the middle of October, and for me it's been awesome. I don't feel pressure to drop a whole bunch of money at once, and I can also price shop for the more expensive gifts. We also set aside Christmas money starting in June, and that helps offset costs.
Then, all the presents are wrapped by December 1st and put under the tree the same day (our anniversary tradition!). I can enjoy the season without being stressed, and it still leaves time for any last-minute gift ideas.
We are also taking a wait and see approach for Christmas but are all in for Thanksgiving at my parents two hours away! @LauraH22, I don't think two hours is considered "traveling" in this sense. I wouldn't think twice about driving two hours away until like 38 weeks. If you do start having contractions, two hours would be plenty of time for you to get home. You should do whatever you're comfortable with though!!
All of our immediate family at the dTap with our first in 2014 so if we do go somewhere for Christmas, it would only be with them. I THINK that the babies would have our immunity from getting the flu shot (which is highly recommended for pregnant women) but I'm not positive.
@aframe77 we always do our Christmas shopping on Amazon! Friendly to the pregnant and non-pregnant alike
I do about 90% of my Christmas shopping online. If there's one thing I cannot stand, it's dealing with the crazies coming out of the woodwork for holiday shopping.
@beff12 I love Amazon prime! It's especially great in Alaska since the shipping is free. And I agree with @dmontgo it would be much less stressful to start early whether I'm pregnant or not. The truth is I fully plan to do some christmas shopping early. I was just giving my SI something to complain and gossip about because I get tired of the way her and my brother in law focus on material things and pushing their beliefs on me around Christmas. It was bratty and unproductive, but I couldn't help myself. I'm going to do the honorable thing and blame my pregnancy hormones;)
My family is only 30 mins away so I will be at thanksgiving but will be staying home for Christmas. I'm Hispanic and Christmas usually turns into a drunk hot mess so I won't be taking my newborn around that lol.
@aframe77 I am stress prone, so starting early has helped me enjoy the season a lot more than how I used to do it...like a chicken with my head cut off! And I hate it when people don't understand that you're not interested in what they're selling. I'm very happy, thank youuu.
I am due December 31, but my doctor is preparing me that it could be more like early December since its twins. Either way, I am going to be in need of relaxation and sleep, and the last thing the babies and I need are to be stressed and around people carrying diseases. My husbands parents are divorced, so holidays are hectic and irritating moving between three houses. I have made the choice that I am not participating in festivities this year, and we'll have small groups of people over to our house on different days. I'm accommodating to the families all other times, but this is our time to be with the babes and I am not going to let them control it. I am honestly looking forward to it, it will be quiet and peaceful, like the holidays used to be for me.
luckily both our families are in town. We will probably make a short appearance at both Thanksgivings if I haven't had the baby yet and feel up to it. I'm due on the 3rd. Not sure yet about Christmas. Last year we were at my in-laws in the morning making tamales, then to my parent's, then back to my in-laws.It was a long day! I definitely don't want to drag a new born out and about all day, but I also don't want to miss out on the holiday with our families. Might just have to invite our immediate family over to see baby sometime Christmas Eve or Day, and then stay home from all the festivities. But we'll see what I feel up to!
@Kacie209 As a FTM, I'm also hesitant of everyone's advice that traveling with a newborn is easy. It just seems so overwhelming. We're moving halfway across the country which involves a 24 hour drive. We're going to do it when I'm 23 weeks or so, but I have people telling me it will be easier with a newborn than while pregnant. I find that hard to believe. Haha.
That's a bunch of balogna in my oppinion. Traveling with a new born is not something I would relish doing... Even since I've had 6x experience doing it. It's really far more about savoring what's truly important during that SHORT season and remembering that you also have a lot of healing to do. I don't even go to church (much less travel) until my baby is 3-4 weeks old! I will hibernate this winter.
I'll probably be having the babies around Thanksgiving, if not before. I guess I'm not that paranoid about it? Our family is local, and I never even considered not going to family things for Christmas.....
We live on the east coast and both our families live in the Midwest (different states). We've always had thanksgiving at our house with friends, so this year won't be any different. DH is already planning on smoking the turkey so I'll have one less thing to cook.
Christmas is a different story. We usually end up at 5 different houses in 3 different states over the course of a week. It's been just me, DH and the dog for the past 4/5 years and we'll have to reevaluate how we plan to do things in the future. This year we plan on staying home for Christmas. My parents and ILs will probably come soon after the baby is born, EDD 12/8. My mom has said she's buying us plane tickets as a Christmas gift to use to fly to the Midwest when the baby is a few months old.
@maamawaabangi Re: the church thing--in my tradition the mother doesn't even go for the first 40 days after birth. It's super nice to have that license to stay home!
Me: 31 | DH: 31
Together since 2003 | Married 2010 TTC #1 January 2016 BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016 Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018 BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
I told DH I don't want to go anywhere. We have family in NC, Jekyll Island, New York, and Alabama. I refuse to really travel to any of those places so close to/after delivery.
@maamawaabangi Re: the church thing--in my tradition the mother doesn't even go for the first 40 days after birth. It's super nice to have that license to stay home!
Are you Jewish or is that a cultural tradition you follow? I've read about the 40 or 60 day window (for boy or girl) of rest in scripture and try to follow that wisdom because its good instruction and only can be of benefit! I started "laying in" when I had my 3rd and really stay in or near bed for about 3-5 days... Then typical stay close to home for 3-4 weeks, and phase back into "normal" by about 6 weeks. Last year after I had had my 6th two of my friends hemorrhaged postpartum. One lost her life when her baby was a week old and the other had to have a transfusion and it was very traumatic. More than ever I'm convinced that taking it easy is not just wise but ought to be mandatory for new moms. Its just not worth it!
The past 2 years we have had Christmas at my house. I am the only one of my siblings with kids so it is just easier. My immediate family will stay with us and we will celebrate together. I am due on the 26th so I may be in the hospital. My IL's will probably come to visit after the baby is born for a day (they live 2 hours away) and we will celebrate Christmas with them at that visit. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and we switch every other year my parents come to me or I go to them. This year we are going to them (3 hours away).
What is everyone thinking about Christmas decorations? I am dreading putting up a tree and decorating. I am thinking I might just skip it all together.
@ve304856 I hadn't really thought about decorations. I love having my Josie all decorated though so I think I'll find some way for it to get done. FI is terrible at that kind of stuff though so I may just drag my mom over to help. Getting them up probably won't be as big an issue for me as getting them down. It may be Christmas tree Easter =\
@ve304856 Would your other children be upset if there is no tree? Personally I love turning the lights off at night and sitting in the glow of the tree, snuggled up with DH, Furbaby, and cocoa! But I can also appreciate the work involved.
We set up on our tree and decorate everything on December 1st. Fortunately it's a few weeks before baby arrives. I know some people don't decorate until Christmas Eve, but to me that's kind of a waste. In the end, you have to do what you are most comfortable with---I'm all about minimizing stress over the holidays!
We put all of our decorations up starting the Friday after Thanksgiving and try to be finished by the beginning of December so we can enjoy everything the entire month and don't take it down until a few days after Christmas. DS will be almost 3 this year and I don't want him to miss a "normal" Christmas so we are going to do things as usual. I'll be a week or two from delivery when it's time to put things up and we'll have around a three or four week old when it's time to take things down so I think we can pull it off
I hadn't even thought about Christmas...I don't have to worry about Thanksgiving because that's in October for us Canadians...Although I won't be able to do any all night Black Friday shopping like my mom and I used to We don't have too many big get togethers for Christmas so it will just be immediate family we will spend time with
What is everyone thinking about Christmas decorations? I am dreading putting up a tree and decorating. I am thinking I might just skip it all together.
I love Christmas decorations, and DS is 7 and would definitely miss them if we skipped, so we'll be doing our normal decorations. I put them up right after Thanksgiving and usually take them down after New Year's. I'm thinking of asking my mom to help take them down after January 1, as I'll be recovering from a c/s and if I leave it up to DH there's no telling if we'll have decorations on Easter.
@SarahF8611 I was wondering how far away "traveling" would mean. At Thanksgiving, I would be 38w3d, so I'm thinking we may try to do it a week earlier just for peace of mind. As a FTM, I would probably have time to get back home but am already anxious about it.
Appreciate all the advice from y'all. I think I'll just wait to see how I'm feeling closer to time. I started having cravings for holiday foods, which prompted the original post as I stressed we may not be able to participate this year!
I'm still unsure of if I want baby around so many ppl at Christmas time yet. We'll just wait and see how we feel!
@ve304856 Would your other children be upset if there is no tree? Personally I love turning the lights off at night and sitting in the glow of the tree, snuggled up with DH, Furbaby, and cocoa! But I can also appreciate the work involved.
DS will be 5, DD will be 2. DS would be the only one who really misses it. I guess I will just wait and see how I feel when it is time. All our decorations are upstairs in our storage space and it is a lot of work to get to it and dig it out. I am exhausted just thinking about it.
@ve304856 made me think-DS will be 1.5 ish around this time and was not even crawling last Christmas. What do you do for the tree for your toddler? Just a gate around it or something? Or do you not decorate the bottom half and watch them like a hawk?
@SmashJam last Christmas my DD was 19 months. We put the tree up with her "help" and let her put soft unbreakable stuff near the bottom. We didn't put a gate up or anything because she actually used to listen when we said no. This year we may need a gate haha. We let her turn on the lights every day (we had a remote) and she never really had a big desire to mess with the actual tree. But she would through a fit if she couldn't turn on the lights every day.
@SmashJam the bottom half of the tree was usually bare. Last year my 4 year old kept taking the ornaments off or playing with them, DD didn't bother it too much, maybe took a few off here and there. That is another good reason for me to consider skipping the decorations this year...
@PensiveCrayon that's a beautiful tradition with important significance. Thanks you for sharing. I've always taken those same verses and sort of self applied them. But it's nice to have a church who supports a new mother in the work of rest (sabbath). I have a close friend whose Eastern Orthodox. Her husband is a priest.
We had DD #1 in the start of November 2006. We lived in San Diego at the time and decided to travel up to Rosemead, Ca (east of LA by 10 miles) for Thanksgiving. It was a 2.5 hr drive. While it was great seeing my family and eating the best Mexican food, it was soooo hard. I was exhausted, DD was crabby, she was only 3 weeks old. As we drove home late at night DD started wailing in the backseat for the last 40 minutes. I had fed and changed her right before we left, but we were reluctant to stop because it was so late at night and only gas stations were open. It turns out she had a poopsplosion all us her back. I regretted going so far from home for that holiday, it just wasn't worth it. Also, you are going to be exhausted and possibly a little grumpy during thanksgiving. Once we reach 8 months, life gets a little rough. You will be carrying an infant around in your body and it's not easy. Plus if you go into labor, you'd be super far away from the doctors and hospital that you trust. There are many reasons that we love to see our family during holidays. But the end of pregnancy and newborn life is exhausting and rough, you just want to be home or at least near home. We usually have a Thanksgiving at my moms, which I'm lucky is only 25 minutes away. And the. Another that I host for my in laws in that Friday. Let me tell you, the Friday one ain't happenin this year. We can go eat at a restaurant, but I'm not breaking my back to feed 15 people when I'm 9 months pregnant! I'm due Dec 10, but will have the baby no later than the 6th (scheduled c-section, large babies, small mommy, this is my 3rd and last). I won't be cooking anything crazy for Christmas. If my family wants to, great. But I'm driving no further than 30 minutes from home. Also, I'll still be recovering from a c-section and have limited energy. Keep that in mind, c-sections happen, I absolutely did not want one, but I had no choice. It happens and is worth it to be able to hold your LO safe and soundly.
@beff12 I love Amazon prime! It's especially great in Alaska since the shipping is free. And I agree with @dmontgo it would be much less stressful to start early whether I'm pregnant or not. The truth is I fully plan to do some christmas shopping early. I was just giving my SI something to complain and gossip about because I get tired of the way her and my brother in law focus on material things and pushing their beliefs on me around Christmas. It was bratty and unproductive, but I couldn't help myself. I'm going to do the honorable thing and blame my pregnancy hormones;)
I wish I could make myself start shopping early! I always have grand plans that never quite play out the way I want them to so I've stopped trying to kid myself. Maybe this year will be better...ha!
June Siggy Challenge: Dad Fails
Married 7.28.2012 DD born 7.27.2014 BFP 09.2015 - m/c 10.21.2015
Re: decorating - we will decorate because I am a Christmas freak. We always have our tree up before my bday (12/4) and keep it up until after New Years. It may stay up a little longer this year, but that's no big deal DD really loved looking at it last year and I think she'll appreciate it even more this Christmas!
June Siggy Challenge: Dad Fails
Married 7.28.2012 DD born 7.27.2014 BFP 09.2015 - m/c 10.21.2015
DH and I love hosting holidays. EDD is December 29 and as per my request (well really I won't take no for an answer) we are still hosting Christmas. Everyone always brings their favorite dish, so cleaning is really the only major concern and my husband does all the cooking. Hopefully I'll have nested by then and the house will be spotless. My mom is backup in case I happen to be in labor on the day of Christmas. Whether or not baby is here by Christmas it's just easier to have everyone at the house, especially with an at the time 18 month old. .
@beff12 What helped me get into the habit of shopping early was marking down a day in October on my calendar (phone and physical calendar), as well as I started a secret Amazon list for Christmas presents. So I would make a note of things DH or a friend mentioned they liked or thought was awesome throughout the year. Each time I heard them say it, I would see if I could find it on Amazon, then I'd add it to the list. Then by the middle of October, I could start getting presents, or at least stocking stuffers. Of course I'd ask for a wish list, too. But for starting out, I would just mark it on your calendar.
Re: Pregnant/Newborn at Holidays
My "favorite" SIL said, "Oh wow you better get ready and do your Christmas shopping early!" And my response was, "actually I'm not even going to stress about Christmas shopping for anyone but my son this year, my husband can do the rests since I will be crazy pregnant and have other things to worry about". She was appalled. My evil grinch self was smiling on the inside.
Other than that, the only thing I'm concerned about is flu season and the baby. Bleh.
TTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
My parents plan to visit after the baby is born, so we'll just celebrate Christmas when they're here, if it's a few weeks early or whatever. Due date is the 12th, Mom is thinking of booking her flight for the 15th. My in-laws also want to visit, but I'd like to ask them to wait until January if possible (DH is gonna have to work that with them). If there's no visitors on actual Christmas Eve/Day, that's okay, we're used to it. I like to go and see my niece and nephew open gifts, so I imagine that will still happen.
In the future we'll likely take the little one back for Christmas a few times. Let her see the snow, visit other family, let Grandma show her off, but no worries about that when she's tiny.
DD born 7.27.2014
BFP 09.2015 - m/c 10.21.2015
If we haven't had the baby we will play it by ear. I might feel too crappy and I don't want to risk my kids or DH and I getting sick before the baby comes so I'm 99% sure we will be staying home no matter what.
I'm also getting my Christmas shopping done early so that I don't have to waddle through the crowds come November/December.
Then, all the presents are wrapped by December 1st and put under the tree the same day (our anniversary tradition!). I can enjoy the season without being stressed, and it still leaves time for any last-minute gift ideas.
All of our immediate family at the dTap with our first in 2014 so if we do go somewhere for Christmas, it would only be with them. I THINK that the babies would have our immunity from getting the flu shot (which is highly recommended for pregnant women) but I'm not positive.
DD- 11/2016
I will hibernate this winter.
Due December 27th with baby #7
Christmas is a different story. We usually end up at 5 different houses in 3 different states over the course of a week. It's been just me, DH and the dog for the past 4/5 years and we'll have to reevaluate how we plan to do things in the future. This year we plan on staying home for Christmas. My parents and ILs will probably come soon after the baby is born, EDD 12/8. My mom has said she's buying us plane tickets as a Christmas gift to use to fly to the Midwest when the baby is a few months old.
TTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
Last year after I had had my 6th two of my friends hemorrhaged postpartum. One lost her life when her baby was a week old and the other had to have a transfusion and it was very traumatic. More than ever I'm convinced that taking it easy is not just wise but ought to be mandatory for new moms.
Its just not worth it!
Due December 27th with baby #7
What is everyone thinking about Christmas decorations? I am dreading putting up a tree and decorating. I am thinking I might just skip it all together.
We set up on our tree and decorate everything on December 1st. Fortunately it's a few weeks before baby arrives. I know some people don't decorate until Christmas Eve, but to me that's kind of a waste. In the end, you have to do what you are most comfortable with---I'm all about minimizing stress over the holidays!
BFP#1 & MC:August 2015 BFP: #2 10/01/2015 MC: 10/09/2015 BFP #3: 12/22/2015 @ 5 weeks MC/CP: 12-23-2015
Fertility Appointment: Feb 23/16, Hysteroscopy 03/02/2016,
BFP #4: 03/31/16 EDD 12/01/2016
Me: 33 H: 36
Married: 12/14/13 DS: 1/29/09
BFP2: 10/9/15 MMC: 11/12/15
BFP3: 4/6/16 DD: 12/12/16
Appreciate all the advice from y'all. I think I'll just wait to see how I'm feeling closer to time. I started having cravings for holiday foods, which prompted the original post as I stressed we may not be able to participate this year!
I'm still unsure of if I want baby around so many ppl at Christmas time yet. We'll just wait and see how we feel!
Edited bc words are hard.
TTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
This is all new to me, haha.
Due December 27th with baby #7
Also, you are going to be exhausted and possibly a little grumpy during thanksgiving. Once we reach 8 months, life gets a little rough. You will be carrying an infant around in your body and it's not easy. Plus if you go into labor, you'd be super far away from the doctors and hospital that you trust.
There are many reasons that we love to see our family during holidays. But the end of pregnancy and newborn life is exhausting and rough, you just want to be home or at least near home.
We usually have a Thanksgiving at my moms, which I'm lucky is only 25 minutes away. And the. Another that I host for my in laws in that Friday. Let me tell you, the Friday one ain't happenin this year. We can go eat at a restaurant, but I'm not breaking my back to feed 15 people when I'm 9 months pregnant!
I'm due Dec 10, but will have the baby no later than the 6th (scheduled c-section, large babies, small mommy, this is my 3rd and last). I won't be cooking anything crazy for Christmas. If my family wants to, great. But I'm driving no further than 30 minutes from home. Also, I'll still be recovering from a c-section and have limited energy. Keep that in mind, c-sections happen, I absolutely did not want one, but I had no choice. It happens and is worth it to be able to hold your LO safe and soundly.
DD born 7.27.2014
BFP 09.2015 - m/c 10.21.2015
DD born 7.27.2014
BFP 09.2015 - m/c 10.21.2015