xmas with a newborn?

So I'm being induced tomorrow and I was just wondering will I be able to spend the holidays with our families with a newborn who will be only a few weeks old?

My in-laws dinner is on Dec 17th. They have about 15 adults and 5 kids (ages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6)

and my family dinner is on Dec 23. We have about 12 adults and 2 kids (4 and 9)

I'll be so sad if I can't be with my family.

Re: xmas with a newborn?

I think it's reeeeeeeeeeally hard to say until you bring the baby home and see how everyone is adjusting. Then you can decide. You may just not be up to it - or, you might be dying to get out of the house! I'd be prepared to set some limits on baby-passing-around, though. That's a lot of potential germs, but I might just be paranoid.

Re: xmas with a newborn?

Oh - and CONGRATULATIONS!! :) I was induced 1 wk late too, and it went extremely well. Good luck!!!!!!

Re: xmas with a newborn?

My family was around him and holding him since the day he was born and I took him out at 2 weeks. He has never been sick.

Good luck tomorrow!

Re: xmas with a newborn?

Definitely go... in that time you'll be itching to get out!

BUT---
I'd be VERY VERY strict with all those people. Keep the baby as far away from all those kids as possible. Like in another room. Make sure they do not touch baby! If baby gets sick-- he/she will go back to the hospital

Also bring your own anti-bacterial soap and Purell. If anyone wants to hold the baby... tell them to "scrub in"

If you're careful and strict, you'll have a great holiday!

Re: xmas with a newborn?

I agree. I wouldn't stay in. I was out the first day home from the hospital with Jiavana because of my grandma's funeral. we were around people but only immediate family held her (like at the hospital) and everyone used purrel first.

Re: xmas with a newborn?

1st off CONGRATULATIONS!!

Yes, you can go. Put rules out to the kids they can look but, can't touch. Make sure people wash their hands. And enjoy your Christmas.

ETA: MAke sure everyone is healthy. If a person is sick Iwould not go.

Message edited 11/30/2006 10:30:58 AM.

Re: xmas with a newborn?

If anyone was sick, i would not go. If the baby gets sick before 8 weeks, they go right to the hospital.


I wouldnt let alot of people hold or touch him either if u do go.

Re: xmas with a newborn?

M I am having the same dilemma. We stayed home for Thanksgiving (she was only a week old) I may go to my SIL's for Christmas but I am not going to let anyone hold her. I will make sure my DH lets his family know beforehand. My ped. actually advised staying home for the holidays since she will still be so young.

Re: xmas with a newborn?

I would go and just enjoy it. The baby will be sleeping most of the time anyway. Just be strict and make people wash hands . As for the kis around if there is any sign of a runny nose just have them look from a distance. My nephews ages 8 and 11 held sara the day we got home. They held my son too when he was born. I was just cautios and kept anti bacterial wipes and made everyone wash hands

Re: xmas with a newborn?

Posted by jessbaby

My family was around him and holding him since the day he was born and I took him out at 2 weeks. He has never been sick.

Good luck tomorrow!

Re: xmas with a newborn?

CONGRATS and good luck! Hope you have smooth delivery. My advice would be to insist no children hold the baby and that anyone else that wants to must first wash their hands and then use purell. Blame it on your pediatrian. Say something like "Our doctore recomended that we don't take the baby out of the house for a couple of weeks, but we didn't want to miss the holidays, so we have to be very strict about who holds her."

Re: xmas with a newborn?

You should definitely ask the pediatrican and go by what they recommend. We brought Liam to a memorial service and then to a gathering at a relatives' house when he was about 2 1/2 or 3 weeks old. I was up in the air about bringing him the whole time up until then but when you think about it from the time they are born and in the hospital and at their first doctor's visit they are around people, so I would not worry about that. However this was in August, now that's it's cold and flu season you want to be extra sure whoever comes near the baby doesn't have a cold, hasn't been around anyone w/ a cold and washes their hands. Bring a big bottle of Purell w/ you in the diaper bag. I also put him in his infant carrier and attached it to his stroller and put both canopies up to kind of shield him from anyone putting their face up close to him.

Congratulations and good luck - I'm sure everything will be fine!

Re: xmas with a newborn?

just have everyone wash their hands everytime they are near the baby and try to keep the kids away.