The holiday season can look magical and joyful from the outside, but when you’re pregnant or newly postpartum, it can feel like a lot. You might feel emotional, overstretched, or just different than you expected. If the holidays aren’t feeling as festive this year, you’re not doing anything wrong, your life is in a season of big change. If you are pregnant and overwhelmed during the holidays this blog is for you! If you are postpartum and overwhelmed during the holidays this blog is for you! We will be sharing tips about navigating the holidays if you are pregnant or postpartum.
It’s completely understandable if the holidays feel heavier or more complicated. Here are some ways to navigate holiday stress during pregnancy and postpartum while prioritizing your mental health and well-being.
Give Yourself Permission to Do Less
During pregnancy or postpartum, your body and mind are already carrying a significant load. You may not have the energy for busy schedules or large gatherings, and that’s okay.
Allow yourself to:
- Say no to events that feel draining
- Host less or not at all
- Keep traditions simple
- Let others take on more responsibilities
Honoring your capacity and limitations is essential for your mental health, especially during a season filled with pressure and expectations. Do your best to listen to your body.
Expect All of the Feelings
The holidays often amplify emotions, and it’s common to experience a mix of excitement, sadness, anxiety, or grief. This is particularly true if you’re navigating pregnancy, anxiety or postpartum mood changes, loss, birth trauma, or sleep deprivation.
You might feel:
- Joy about sharing this season with a new baby or pregnancy
- Overwhelm from family expectations
- Guilt for not feeling “festive enough”
- Loneliness or longing for how things used to be
- Anxious about bringing your baby around others
Every emotion you may be experiencing is valid, allow yourself to feel them without judgment. The combination of hormonal changes, fatigue, and holiday expectations can make this time especially complex.
Set Boundaries That Protect Your Peace
Setting boundaries during the holidays is one of the most powerful tools for reducing pregnancy and postpartum holiday stress and anxiety. Even well-meaning loved ones may unintentionally push limits, especially when there’s a new baby involved.
Consider boundaries such as:
- Limiting visitors to support rest and bonding
- Passing on big gatherings to avoid overstimulation
- Asking your partner or support persons to ask others to wash hands or ask before holding the baby
- Skipping travel if it feels too demanding
Boundaries protect your recovery, your baby’s needs, and your emotional well-being.
Plan Ahead
A little planning can help prevent overwhelm, especially with a newborn or during pregnancy. Travel and social events can easily disrupt schedules. Try to build in flexibility and quiet breaks where you can. Prepare for what it may mean for you and your baby to have an adjusted sleep or feeding schedule.
Honor Your Body
Pregnancy and postpartum both bring huge shifts in energy, comfort, and how your body feels day to day. Do your best to pay attention to fatigue, soreness, changes in mobility, increased sensitivity to noise or smells, or simply feeling physically “different” in holiday spaces. Give yourself permission to slow down, step away, rest, or adjust plans. You do not have to push through discomfort.
Creating Calm For You and Your Baby
Holiday gatherings can be full of new faces, lights, sounds, and activity which can feel like a lot for some babies. If things start to feel overwhelming for you or your little one, it’s completely okay to step into a quieter room, slow the pace, or take a moment to reset. You get to decide what feels manageable for your family.
Create a Support Plan with Your Partner or Support System
Before the holidays get busy, talk with your partner, family, or support people about what you need emotionally and practically. Decide how long you will stay at events, make a plan for gentle exits, and identify someone who can help redirect well-meaning but overwhelming family interactions. Identify signals or phrases you can use if you feel overwhelmed and need to step out, take a break, or leave early. Having a shared plan can reduce stress, prevent misunderstandings, and create a united front that protects your well-being during the season.
Make Space for Grief and Complicated Emotions
For many, the holidays highlight grief, whether from pregnancy or infant loss, infertility, a difficult birth experience, or unmet expectations. You don’t have to force holiday cheer or compare yourself to others.
Consider ways to honor your experience:
- Lighting a candle for a loss
- Creating a small ritual or moment of remembrance
- Sharing your feelings with someone supportive
- Allowing space for both grief and joy
Your emotional experience deserves acknowledgment, especially during a season that can magnify tender feelings.
Focus on What Truly Matters to You
When you let go of pressure, there is more room for presence and connection. Instead of striving for a “perfect” holiday, ask yourself:
- How do I want to feel this season?
- Which traditions matter most right now?
- What would make things gentler or more meaningful?
Small, intentional choices often lead to less overwhelm and greater satisfaction with the holiday season.
Build Your Support System (And Make a Plan Together)
Support is crucial during the pregnancy and postpartum period, especially when holiday demands pile up.
Consider:
- Asking for help with meals or errands
- Letting your partner or support person take the lead on holiday logistics
- Sharing honest feelings with someone you trust
- Reach out to a pregnancy therapist or a postpartum therapist if you’re experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, or intrusive thoughts
You do not have to navigate this season alone.
Create Space for Rest
Rest is essential during pregnancy or postpartum, do your best to make it a priority.
This might include:
- Leaving gatherings early
- Scheduling downtime between events
- Limiting travel
- Practicing grounding techniques
- Carving out quiet moments just for yourself
Your body is recovering, adjusting, and doing an incredible amount of work. Rest supports both physical healing and emotional well-being.
A Gentle Reminder For Pregnant or Postpartum Moms During the Holidays
Your holidays don’t need to look like anyone else’s. You don’t have to meet expectations, host gatherings, or create picture-perfect memories. What matters most is prioritizing your needs, honoring your emotional experience, and giving yourself compassion in this season of transition.
If the holidays feel overwhelming or you notice persistent sadness, anxiety, irritability, or intrusive thoughts, connecting with a pregnancy and postpartum therapist can offer meaningful support. You deserve to feel heard and cared for during the holidays.
Thank you to Dr. Jordan Bulock, a therapist at Best Within You Therapy and wellness who specializes in perinatal mental health. Dr. Bulock specializes in working with Atlanta moms and families struggling with pregnancy, infertility, infant loss, and postpartum. She also sees clients throughout Georgia and has in person sessions in Buckhead. To schedule with Dr. Bullock you can visit our appointment page.
