Soteria Mental Health

It is okay to be excited and stressed about the holidays.

Holidays are “supposed” to be exciting and full of joy. Fun fact, most people actually think the holidays are quite stressful! That could be because they have to host, prepare a lot of food, or see family they don’t typically enjoy.

Holidays can be even more stressful when you are a new parent, and everyone is so excited to see your baby. What happens if you don’t want to go? What happens if you are so exhausted because baby didn’t sleep last night? What happens if you are worried about other people holding your baby?

You are allowed to set boundaries, even at the holidays, especially at the holidays. It is okay to set the boundary of “We will be there but are only going to stay for 2 hours” or “We didn’t get a lot of sleep last night so are going to catch up on sleep instead of joining”. It is also okay to not let people hold your baby. It is okay to say “You know I just want to hold them right now, maybe another time”.

A lot of times, family loses sight of the fact that while a new baby is very exciting for everyone, it is also a huge adjustment for that family. It comes with lack of sleep, hormones, anxiety, mood concerns, and also physical healing. It is encouraged to put yourself first so that you can better tend to that little human.

But what if family is hurt by this?

Hopefully they will be understanding and get it. If they don’t, that is okay. You are not going to always be able to please everyone, and a lot of people are going to have opinions on your parenting. It is okay if they don’t understand the boundaries that are important to you, they just need to respect them.

Remember, you are a better parent when you are rested, cared for, and not feeling stressed. Lean into that this holiday season.