The Holidays And Being A Breastfeeding Mom

Welcome to the Carnival of Breastfeeding for December! This month’s theme is, “Taking care of yourself during the holidays.” You can see lots of other great posts by following the links at the end of this article.

Being a breastfeeding mom during the holidays can be very stressful for some moms. You might be traveling to see family – which puts you out of your normal routine, or you might have guests coming over – which puts you in overdrive! You also might be faced with the presence of friends or family who aren’t as comfortable with your breastfeeding as you would like them to be. Below are a few tips and tricks to help you get through the next few weeks.

Traveling

If you are going to be traveling for the holidays, be sure to plan ahead. Take lots of water and healthy snacks with you and be sure to allow extra time for baby changing, taking a break to nurse and some rest room visits (after all you’ll be drinking lots of water!). Drinking water is so important. Your whole schedule is going to be out-of-sync from what you are accustomed to – so you’ll want to be sure to take good care of yourself and your little one! If you are traveling by car – bring lots of water and have it easily accessible so that you can reach it from the front seat. Bring healthy snacks like grapes, granola bars, even pack some sandwiches. Having some of your favorite foods around will make the trip more pleasant and will help you to stay nourished during your journey. If you are traveling by plane, you won’t be able to bring as much with you, but be sure to stock up in the airport so that you have plenty of snacks and liquids for your flight. Be sure to look here for more holiday travel tips.

Having Family Come Visit

If you are having family or friends come to your house for the holidays – try not to stress about it too much. You are a new mom – no one expects you to have a perfect house. Hire a cleaning service to come over and help you out or convince a friend to come and help you prepare for your guests. Try to get as much of your shopping and cooking done ahead of time so that you can enjoy your time with your visitors. Remember – this is a time to enjoy your family and friends – so be sure to take some time out for all of the fun parts of having holiday visitors!

Less Than Supportive Voices

If you think you might encounter some “less than supportive” comments about your breastfeeding during any of your holiday events – the best thing you can do it prepare yourself ahead of time. Decide now – who might say something, what might they say and how will you respond to it. If you go over the scenarios in your head before-hand, then you will be better prepared for if and when something happens. If you are traveling, look up your rights before you go. Know what the laws are of the state or country that you might be visiting. If it is a family member – go through the scenario in your head ahead of time. And if you are pleasantly surprised – embrace every moment of acceptance!!

I remember when my son was 5 months old, I was visiting my family out of state and my entire extended family was there for Christmas Eve. I was nursing my son on the sofa sitting next to my very conservative Aunt. I had a festive nursing top on – which I don’t think anyone even realized was a breastfeeding top! My aunt looked at me and said “Is he nursing?” and I answered “yes” and then she said “Well you can’t even tell!” It was about the nicest thing I could have expected her to say to me. I was so happy and relieved and it made for such a wonderful experience!

Most importantly – during all of your holiday festivities – if you are traveling or staying home or having visitors – remember that this time is about family and about enjoying yourself. So take some time away from the hustle and bustle and be sure to take a moment to just enjoy the holiday!

Do you have any great holiday tips that have helped you to enjoy this time of year? Please leave a comment and share them with the other moms reading this article!

And don’t forget to visit the other Carnival of Breastfeeding Posts at the great blogs listed below (NOTE: this list will be updated throughout the day, so please check back often!):

• Cave Mother: A Mother’s Christmas
• Mama Knows Breast: A Breastfeeding Poem: Twas the Breastfeeder’s Nighttime
• Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: Don’t Forget the Pump!
• Blisstree.com’s Breastfeeding 1-2-3: Breastfeeding and Dehydration
• Accidental Pharmacist: Motherhood Statement
• Hobo Mama: Breastfeeding and the holidays: How to take care of yourself
• The Adventures of Lactating Girl: Breastfeeding And Holidays
• Happy Bambino: How To Take Care Of Ourselves During The Holidays
• Breastfeeding Mums: Looking After Yourself During the Holidays: 7 Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers
• Motherwear Blog: Taking Care Of Yourself And Your Baby During the Holidays
• Breastfeeding Moms Unite: Caring For A High Needs Baby During The Holidays
• Blacktating: Advice for the Holidays