How To Care for Baby During Holiday Madness

Ahhh, the holidays. Warm fireside moments, glistening trees, baked treats in pretty tins, festive family gatherings and thoughtful gift giving: seasonal joy abounds! But uh-oh, there are also A GAZILLION HAZARDS FOR BABY! NUTS, PLASTIC WRAP, SHARP ORNAMENTS, SMALL CHOKING HAZARDS HIDDEN IN CHRISTMAS CRACKERS, POISONOUS POINSETTIA, ENTICING GINGERBREAD HOUSES WITH 500 COLOURFUL CANDIES YOUR BABY WILL WANT TO PULL OFF AND STICK IN THEIR MOUTH! This time of year is a like a never-ending obstacle course of DANGER. Deep breaths, Mama.

Beyond the hazards of Christmukkah, this season also presents a myriad of challenging situations: long car rides, trying to figure out naps when you’re at Aunt Joan’s and there are fifteen children running wild through the house, evening events that mess with bedtime, people passing candy canes to your one-year-old, even a visit to Santa can be TERRIFYING. Yikes!

Fret not, Baby and Mama. With help from PC Organics, we’ve compiled some tips and tricks to help you get through the festive season.

Tick Tock: Keep Baby on Schedule!

Relatives may tell you to relax (!!!Enraging!!!), but it’s important to keep your little one’s schedule as close to their regular routine as possible. Bring your babe to holiday gatherings, but for late evenings or overnights with the family it may be a good idea to bring bed and bath time items with you. If dinner goes into overtime, put your little one through their regular night-time routine and find a quiet place to put them to sleep until the party wraps up. (Uncle Jim may laugh, but you know that Baby needs sleep, OR ELSE. Also, WHO ASKED YOU UNCLE JIM?!)

Candy Caution

The holidays include a variety of sweet treats in bright and enticing colours that are sure to attract your little one’s attention. Be sure to watch your baby or toddler around sweet treats to ensure they don’t consume anything that could be a choking or allergy hazard.

Special Snacks

Understandably, family and friends often want to feed little ones at parties, but many adult foods aren’t the best choice for your baby or toddler. Why not pack some colourful fruit or age-appropriate baby cookies for them to snack on? These options will make your baby feel included in the festivities while giving you piece of mind that they’re not eating anything they shouldn’t.

Mealtimes Matter

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it can be easy to forget to focus on family mealtimes; sitting down to eat can become challenging. These changes in schedule can sometimes cause tummy upsets for little ones. Try to keep Baby’s mealtimes as consistent with their regular routine as possible. Offer them their favourite healthy options like President’s Choice Organics Strained Butternut Squash or President’s Choice Organics Vegetable and Rice Casserole with Chicken.

Deck the Halls

Trimming the tree? Be sure to take special care with your decor around the little ones. Skip the tinsel, which can be a choking hazard, and be mindful of small toys and ornaments. Mistletoe, holly, poinsettias and other plants are commonly used as decorations during the season; however, these plants are potentially poisonous and should be kept well out of reach.

Celebrate! Enjoy!

Remember that the holidays are most special for the little ones in your life, and everything you do is sure to bring them joy and happy memories for years to come. Include your baby in as many family traditions as possible. From hanging stockings to leaving milk and cookies out for Santa, be sure to find ways your baby can participate, even in a small way. (And take tons of photos!)

Shedoesthecity and the PC Organics Baby team wish you a happy, healthy and safe holiday season filled with all that is delicious and delightful! Share your pics on Twitter and Instagram using #PCBabyFirst @PresChoice; we want to see the cuteness!

CONTEST:

Enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card, so you can create your very own baby bundle of PC Baby Organics!

Tweet: “Dear @Shedoesthecity, please send me a @PresChoice gift card! Me and my LO love PC Baby Organics!”