Every December, my cousins from my maternal side and I would put our heads together for a themed party, games (our favorite is charades!), videoke sessions, and exchange gift in our grandmother’s house in Batangas. It’s a party like no other, because we would come fully clad in our costumes! One of the highlights of our party is the awarding of Best in Costume for one male and one female at the end of the day.

Over the years, when my cousins got married and had kids, our usual long party nights became shorter. They would go home early or would stay at the party only until dinner or a few games were over, or only until a few songs in the karaoke were sung. I remember wishing we could turn back time so we could enjoy our long parties again.

Now that I have my own baby, I can’t believe I’m already part of the clan who wish to have shorter hours outside our home! Truth be told, I’m not even sure if there will ever be a party I will attend to this December! I know everyone’s excited to meet my baby, but with my full recovery still underway and with the threat of illnesses, how do we parents properly handle reunions with an infant if inevitable? Here are some ways:

This has always been a must long before I had my baby, but this is especially important now because babies have changing body clocks, which is synced with mine. I wouldn’t want to come to a party all groggy and/or with a fussy infant, so it’s better to know the time of the reunion, and let the host know what time we’ll arrive.

In connection with the previous point, I also need to remind myself and my husband that we are not obliged to stay in the gathering the entire time. With the coming of our infant comes heightened responsibility and change of priorities. An hour or two is enough, and long explanations to everyone aren’t necessary.

If your reunion will not be held at your home, ask the host for a room where you and your baby can stay. As a breastfeeding mom, this is essential for me so that my baby is fed in a conducive environment – away from the party noise, if possible. I also wouldn’t want everyone to be around my infant all the time, because it’s either my sleeping baby will be bothered by the noise, or the entire party will be bummed by my baby’s crying.

On our first check-up, my baby’s pedia reminded us to wash our hands before touching our baby, and this goes to everyone else who would do the same. Since we are talking about a gathering, we need to find the best and most tactful way to inform the other guests to wash their hands first and use alcohol whenever they want to go near or hold our baby. It’s one of the most appropriate times to wear a face mask, too. I understand they might feel it’s too much to ask them these things, but safety is always a priority.

Sometimes, more so in the presence of your family and close friends, it’s difficult to speak up even a simple yes or no. But I must remember that my baby can’t speak yet to communicate what she wants or doesn’t want, so it’s my job to speak for her. For example, I’m not comfortable having her passed around by everyone, kissed on the face, or held by people who smoke. I need to voice these out for after all, these things would mean the difference between my baby being sick or not later on. I know that people will always have something to say, but I won’t let that get in the way of me protecting my baby from unwanted sickness.

I look forward to attending family reunions every holiday season. However, with an infant now in tow, attending these get-togethers take a whole new level of considerations and precautions! Remember, one of the best gifts you could ever have this season is the gift of a safe and healthy family. So momma, do what you think is best to achieve it!