Oh, ring in the holidays! Bring on the tinsel, the family gatherings and the decorations. For many women, finding themselves due in the month of December and possibly even close to Christmas, the holidays can take on a whole new level of stress and anxiety.
What happens if you wake up on Christmas Eve and find yourself in labor? Especially if you already have kids at home who are expecting a visit from the ‘Big Guy.’ What will THEY do if mom and dad are at the hospital? What about the big family dinner that is planned? What happens if you don’t want your child to be born on Christmas living a lifetime of sharing a birthday with one of the biggest holidays of the year? Ask most people who are born on or near Christmas and they will tell you that it sort of takes the ‘special’ out of birthday celebrations. Even worse, how will you feel comfortable enough to travel, and make get togethers with family when you could literally go into labor at any moment?
Take it from a mother who has twins born on December 23rd, and another child who was due on December 24th – a holiday due date DOES make things a little stressful. Hopefully, the following tips can help.
1. Talk to your healthcare provider about an induction. For one thing, it’s possible that on a holiday doctor may not be working and you will be ‘stuck’ with the “on-call” provider for the day. Here you have trusted your pregnancy in the hands of one physician for 9 months and then end up on Christmas experiencing labor and delivery with a total stranger? Some doctors, especially if your pregnancy is doing well and the baby is considered full term, may consider an induction. If you are already scheduled to have a Cesarean birth, see if your doctor can move it up a few days so that you will be mobile for the holidays and will be able to enjoy your newest family member.
2. Have a back up plan. If your baby decides to come during a holiday, there isn’t much you can do about it. But you can have a back up plan that enlists the help of family members to make sure all the loose ends are tied up, that the kids at home still have fun, and so that everyone in your family can enjoy the birth as well as the holiday. The reality is that a healthy mom and baby are the best gifts you can get – and as long as that happens, the season will be merry. Perhaps a little hectic, but still merry. (And definitely unforgettable!) Plus, hospitals and birthing centers tend to be very understanding during the holidays- often stretching visiting hours and making allowances they don’t normally make during other times of the year. Think of it this way: you can recreate a holiday meal and a Christmas morning, but you will never be able to recreate your birth. And there are no rules that say you cannot celebrate a holiday in the hospital.
3. Take it easy! If you don’t want to give birth on a specific holiday, then make sure you aren’t running around like crazy, walking too much, putting yourself under an immense amount of stress, or skipping meals. Stay hydrated. Keep your feet up. In other words, do the exact opposite of everything you would do if you were past your due date and hoping to quick start labor. This may not ‘hold the baby in,’ but it may buy you a few days and turn your Christmas baby into a New Years one.
When its all said and done, your baby will make the ultimate decision of when exactly he or she wants to be born. Go with the flow. Everything will work out just fine in the long run.
Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.