How to Create Moments of Peace During the Holiday Chaos
The holidays can be magical, but for a new mom, they can also feel overwhelming. Between family gatherings, gift ideas and lists, and the pressure to “make everything perfect,” it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters: slowing down, connecting with your new baby, and taking care of yourself.
If you’re breastfeeding a baby during the holiday season, carving out moments of genuine peace is not just possible, it’s essential. Whether you’re navigating postpartum, dealing with low milk supply, or trying to stay nourished with the right lactation snacks, you can still find calm and joy in this season for yourself.
Below are simple, soothing ways to create peaceful moments during the holiday chaos – no perfection required.
1. Set Gentle Boundaries That Protect Your Peace
It’s okay to say “no.”
It’s okay to leave early.
It’s okay to keep your new baby close when you’re feeding and don’t want them passed around.
You are your baby’s safe place, especially during busy holidays filled with noise, smells, and stimulation that baby is not used to. Protecting your peace also protects your milk supply. When stress rises, it can impact letdown and contribute to low milk supply, so boundaries truly are a form of self-care.
Quick Tip: Try this script: “We’re keeping things low-key this year so we can focus on the baby. Thank you for understanding.”
2. Create a Cozy Feeding Ritual Anywhere You Go
A peaceful breastfeeding moment doesn’t require candlelight or a perfect nursery, it can happen in a bedroom at your in-laws’ home, in the corner of a living room, or in your parked car after holiday errands.
Bring a few “comfort anchors” with you:
A soft blanket
A water bottle
A small pack of lactation snacks or lactation cookies
A calming playlist
These small items can transform any space into a calming micro-retreat, helping regulate your nervous system and encouraging healthy milk supply.
3. Keep Simple Snacks on Hand to Support Your Milk Supply
Holiday meals are rarely on schedule, but your body still needs steady nourishment, especially if you’re making milk. Travel with quick, nourishing lactation snacks with brewer’s yeast or other milk-boosting ingredients to avoid running on empty. And don’t forget the water bottle!
Why it matters:
Your body needs fuel and hydration to maintain supply, and skipping meals or waiting too long between snacks can make low milk supply feel worse during an already busy month.
Peace Tip: Toss a few lactation cookies into your diaper bag so you always have a milk supply aid within reach.
4. Choose "Slow Moments," Even If They’re Only 2 Minutes
Peace doesn’t require long stretches of time.
It lives in moments like:
Focusing on your baby (phone away!) during a feed before the day gets loud and chaotic
Breathing deeply while your little one settles at your breast
Sipping some water or hot tea during nursing time
Eating a snack before the next round of visitors arrives
These tiny pauses help anchor your nervous system and make the season feel gentler.
5. Release Expectations and Embrace What’s Real
Your baby doesn’t know what the holidays “should” look like. They don’t need perfect décor or matching pajamas. They just need you.
If the house is messy, if the to-do list is unfinished, if the meal is half takeout, this is still a meaningful, beautiful holiday. You’re feeding your baby, loving them, and showing up every day. That’s the real magic.
Let This Be Your Reminder: Perfection is not peaceful, but presence is.
Final Thought
The holidays may be hectic, but your breastfeeding journey doesn’t have to be. With nourishing lactation snacks, gentle boundaries, and a few grounding rituals, you can create moments that feel soft, calm, and deeply connected.
This season, may you find peace in the everyday – one feeding, one breath, and one quiet moment at a time.
