The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, right? But when you’re freshly postpartum, whether it’s days, weeks or even months after birth, “wonderful” can also feel a lot like “overwhelming.”

Between figuring out sleep (or lack thereof), feeding around the clock and healing your body, the idea of juggling family gatherings, travel plans and holiday pressure can make anyone want to hibernate until all the germs are gone and the pressure is off. 

As a mom and doula, I want to remind you: it’s okay to slow down. You don’t owe anyone a holiday appearance, a perfectly dressed baby or matching family pajamas if that’s not where your energy is. What you do owe yourself is rest, nourishment and boundaries that protect your peace.

Here are a few gentle, realistic tips to help you navigate the holidays with a newborn — and feel supported in the process.

1. Decide What Feels Right for You

It’s so easy to get caught up in what everyone else wants during the holidays — grandparents eager to visit, family insisting on a big gathering, or friends hoping to meet the baby.

But here’s the truth: you don’t have to go anywhere or host anyone when it doesn’t feel right.
If travel feels like too much, say so. If you’re craving quiet, honor that.
You can even plan “holiday visits” on your own timeline, once you feel more settled. Use your partner to help advocate for your boundaries. Communicating with your friends and family doesn’t just fall on your shoulders. 

If you do decide to travel, think ahead about comfort — for you and baby. Pack cozy nursing-friendly layers, plenty of snacks, and all your feeding and diapering essentials. I always recommend bringing a little hydration insurance, like Needed’s Hydration Support, to keep your electrolytes up, especially if you’re breastfeeding or juggling time zones and holiday chaos. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference.

2. Babywearing is Your Superpower

One of my favorite postpartum hacks for the holidays? Babywearing.

It keeps your baby close, helps regulate their body temperature and offers that sweet skin-to-skin connection — while also creating a natural barrier when you’re around groups of people.

Let’s be real: no one can ask to hold the baby if they’re snug on your chest. Plus, it gives you two free hands to sip cocoa, hold your plate at a family dinner or just feel like yourself again for a moment.

My favorite baby carriers for newborns are wraps. I have loved the soft breathability of the Solly Baby Wrap with my own kids, and many of my clients also love the Boba Wrap. 

3. Support Your Recovery (and Sanity)

Postpartum healing doesn’t pause for the holidays. You’re still nourishing, resting and rebuilding. And your body deserves ongoing care.

If there’s one thing I wish more moms understood, it’s that postpartum depletion is real. You’re giving so much, physically and emotionally, and it takes consistent nutrients and rest to truly recover.

That’s why I love Needed’s Fourth Trimester Plan. This 8-part plan supports mood, restful sleep, tissue repair, healthy hormone production, and increased hydration needs in the Fourth Trimester and Vitamin D3/K2 and Choline+ to support breastfeeding. Think of it as giving your body back what birth and sleepless nights take away.

Even if your holiday meals are a little sugar-heavy (because, hello, Christmas Cookies, my old friends), these small daily supports can help you feel more balanced, focused, and nourished through it all.

4. Create a “Health Bubble”

Flu season + newborn = stress. But there are ways to reduce exposure without isolating completely. Here are a few ideas that have worked for me and the families I support:

• Keep visits short and limit crowds when you can.
  
• Don’t skimp on hand washing. Keep hand sanitizer near for visitors and encourage everyone to stop by the sink to wash their hands right when they get to your house.
  
• Take turns getting fresh air — even a short walk can reset everyone’s mood.
  

Stay consistent with immune support (hydration, nutrient-dense foods and maybe an extra boost from Needed’s Collagen, which supports pelvic floor health, immune function and gut health).

5. Lower the Bar — and Let It Be Enough

This one’s big. You don’t need to send cards, decorate perfectly or say yes to every invitation.

Your only job is to heal, bond and care for yourself and your baby.

If you want to stay home in pajamas (or completely shirtless for lots of skin-to-skin!) with holiday movies and leftovers, that’s enough.

If you decide to show up for one family dinner but leave early, that’s enough too.

Your worth as a mom isn’t measured by how festive your December looks. 

Last year, when I had my own little VBAC baby, I sent my husband and toddler to holiday family functions and stayed home to snuggle our newborn, and it was exactly what we needed! 

6. Remember: This Season Is Temporary

The first holidays with a newborn are a blur — in the sweetest and hardest ways. But it won’t always be this way. Next year, you’ll have a little one toddling around the tree, grabbing ornaments and sneaking bites of pie crust.

So this year, let yourself be in it. Slow, simple, unpolished and real.

Let the dishes wait, say no when you need to and lean into what supports you most — your body, your baby and your boundaries.

You’ve got this, Woman of Strength. 

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