Having a Christmas baby

If your baby is due in December, you may get a lot of commiseration and pity from those you share your due date with. Your practitioner may even go so far as to recommend induction so you aren't in the hospital for the holidays. We'll show you how to enjoy your pregnancy, endure a Christmas holiday stay and plan for future birthdays.

"Your baby is going to hate you!"

Perhaps soon after you took your pregnancy test, you entered your last menstrual period date into an online due date calculator and December popped up as your due date -- maybe even Christmas Day! And soon after you announced your pregnancy, questions of, "When are you due?" turned your friends, family members and mere acquaintances into purveyors of doom about your child's birthday being so close to Christmas.

One of the most thoughtless comments that can be uttered to a mother due in December is that her baby will hate her for a December birthday. Other people love to relate how their father's uncle was a Christmas baby and he hated it because he was cheated each year. It can be hard to brush off comments like this, but try not take them to heart. Your best bet is to smile and ignore them or simply change the subject -- but if you're in the mood, let the naysayer know that you're planning to make your baby's birthday special every year.

Your hospital stay

Some doctors will offer a you a chance to have your baby a little early by induction so you're not in the hospital on the holiday itself, but this approach is frowned upon by many moms who believe that it's healthiest to let the baby arrive on her own timeframe. Labor induction often has a happy outcome, but it can lead to unnecessary interventions and additional complications and it also has the reputation for leading to more surgical births.

If you have time after you realize that you are indeed in labor, bring a few Christmas decorations to the hospital, such as a few self-adhesive bows to put on your lamp or the cabinets. Encourage family and friends to visit and ask your partner to bring you some your family's traditional Christmas dinner. Bring your phone or laptop so you can keep in touch with friends and relatives who you won't be able to be with. If your visitors are few and the halls are quiet, relish your new Christmas baby as you enjoy new motherhood with few interruptions.

Planning ahead

Once your baby is here and you have her whole future to look forward to, what will you do about your little one's birthday party? One option is to celebrate your baby's birthday on the half -- that is, on a date in June. Other moms have their child's birthday celebration a couple of weeks before Christmas, and still others incorporate it, at least while their baby is young, into their regular holiday celebrations.

Try to avoid allowing family members to pressure you into accepting one present that will count for your baby's birthday and Christmas gifts. Ask if you can do the same for them or their children and see how fast their attitudes change!

Special Christmas baby

Your Christmas baby will have an unforgettable birthday and will forever remind you of a warm, snuggly babe on Christmas Day. Remain positive about her treasured birthdate and she will grow up reaping the rewards of being a special Christmas baby.

More on labor and delivery

Stages of labor
How to manage labor pain naturally
TIps for the first stage of labor

06 Dec, 2011

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Source: http://www.sheknows.com/pregnancy-and-baby/articles/848277/having-a-christmas-baby
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Ditulis oleh: Unknown - Monday, December 5, 2011