Family gatherings are a vital part of family life. A time when everyone comes together to catch up on lost time. It’s also a perfect opportunity for the rest of the extended family to meet your newborn. When taking a newborn to a family gathering, you may get anxious about coping with them or if they’re old enough to attend such functions.
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You may have mixed feelings and wonder if your baby will be comfortable amid strange faces, especially if it’s their first time. Read on as we share valuable tips with you on what to do if you’re taking a newborn to a family gathering.
Can newborns go to family gatherings?
It is best to wait for your baby to be two or three months old before taking them to family gatherings. That is because, as newborns, their immune system is not strong enough to protect them from getting infected.
Too early exposure of your baby to large crowds makes them susceptible to germs and infections easily spread by sneezing and coughing. Droplets from infected persons can land on your baby’s face while chatting away with family members, and your baby can become sick afterward. These can lead to long and avoidable medical battles to get your newborn well again. To avoid all that stress and uncertainty, you should allow your baby to develop more before taking them to family gatherings.
7 Tips for taking a newborn to a family gathering
1. Be hygiene conscious
You should know how disease can quickly spread through hands and body fluids. You should be careful who you allow to hold your baby in large gatherings. If possible, insist on some basic measures before anyone holds your baby. These include wearing a nose mask and washing hands. You can also demand the vaccination status of children of school age who would want to hold your baby at such gatherings.
2. Don’t allow anyone to kiss your baby
Agreed, kissing is a good way for people to show affection toward your baby during family gatherings. You must also know that it’s a quick way through which your newborn can get infected. That’s if the person kissing your baby is infected with a cold or any other infection that your baby can easily catch through air or droplets.
3. Vaccination
Ensure you have vaccinated your baby before taking them to family gatherings. That will help to boost their immune system and help their bodies fight infections better. Also, if your baby is not feeling too well at the time of the event, you should politely decline attending so you can nurse your baby back to health.
4. Put the comfort of your baby first
When taking your baby to family gatherings, don’t neglect your baby’s needs. Don’t get carried away by the fun activities of the moment, and think less of your baby. Ensure to feed them when it’s their feeding time, change their diapers if necessary, and allow them to nap when it’s time. If you allow others to feed your baby, ensure they’re in the proper position while bottle feeding. It’s not advisable to alter your baby’s routines to please others who want to hold and play with them.
5. Be sensitive
You know your baby better than others at the family gathering. Always observe your baby’s mood to know when they’re exhausted or agitated. If that happens, attend to your baby promptly by doing what you usually do to calm them down. Rock, soothe, or swaddle them where necessary. It could also be a sign that they need to take a nap.
6. Have your baby essentials handy
Never go out without carrying your baby bag containing all the essentials. Things to include are items for feeding, diaper change, extra clothing, and some toys. Going along with a pacifier is essential to help calm your baby when they get overwhelmed with happenings around them. A baby bassinet is also necessary to lay your baby during naps. If the gathering is held outside in the open, provide shade over your baby, so they’re not exposed to harmful sun rays. A blanket will help keep the sand away from your baby if held at the beach. So also, sunscreen for skin protection.
Conclusion
You don’t have to fret anymore when taking newborns to family gatherings. Now you know the vital things you should be careful about. You know how to maintain your baby’s comfort when seeing faces that are not regular around them. Most importantly, be careful to shield your baby from germs and disease as much as possible. Also, allow your baby to be the right age before taking them to family gatherings.
