728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
Get Pregnancy Information
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Holiday: Winter › 'Tis the Season

'Tis the Season

The Nursing Mother's Guide to Surviving the Holidays

By Teri Brown

Pages:  1  2  3  

Learning to breastfeed may have been more challenging than you thought it would be for you and Baby! But you finally have it. Baby is gaining, and you have learned to relax. It looks like smooth sailing ahead! But wait, the holidays are rushing upon you. Parties, get-togethers, schedule changes and rich holiday foods are on the horizon. How can you and Baby survive the holidays without throwing your breastfeeding savvy into turmoil?

Norah Piehl of Wellesley, Mass., noticed that her baby seemed to demand more breastfeeding than usual. "I think he nursed more often than usual due to the excess stimulation of being around so many people during the holidays," says Piehl. That worked out, because leaving Baby behind wasn't an option. "My baby was so little at the time that I just took him everywhere I went," she says.

The Party Circuit
Unfortunately, there may be holiday parties that don't necessarily welcome children with open arms. Do you have to forgo all of your holiday festivities in order to keep your child fed?

Dr. Michelle G. Brenner, IBCLC, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia, believes that a phone call to the hostess might be in order. "Speak with the host or hostess in advance and let them know that you are nursing your infant," says Dr. Brenner. "With advance notice, it should be acceptable to bring the infant along."

Most hosts or hostesses have no problem with this as long as you make clear to them that you will leave if the baby makes too much of a fuss. Be courteous and remember that other adults might be taking a well-deserved break from their children.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?
To keep your routine from getting too out of whack while attending the party, excuse yourself as close to your regular feeding time as possible. "Recognize that busy environments can be over-stimulating for you and your baby," says Dr. Brenner. "Take the opportunity to escape the festivities, to nurse in a quiet and peaceful place. This will not only relax you and your baby, it will ensure good breastfeeding, milk production and prevent engorgement. Any opportunity to maintain a routine will make the day easier for all."

Dr. Brenner says there are other things to consider before taking your infant to a party. "This time of year is wrought with illness," she says. "You might be more comfortable finding a sitter and not exposing your infant to other guests who might be under the weather and asking to hold your baby. Keep your stay at the party brief, and return renewed to enjoy your infant."

Pages:  1  2  3  


Want to see more?