(Image courtesy of Shutterstock via PJ Media)

Having a baby at any time of the year is challenging, to say the least. But it can be especially so around the holidays. Holiday parties and gatherings (some of which you want to attend, others not so much) seem non-stop as your calorie intake rivals the number of dollars you are spending at every turn. Add a baby to the mix and the result can be pandemonium.

Packing up the number of items babies need just to leave the house for a few hours can be maddening, especially if said baby is a newborn. Don’t forget several changes of clothes, countless diapers and wipes, burp cloths, blankets, binkies, baby cereal, formula or breast milk (and ice packs to keep it cool!), a breast pump and all of its gear, baby spoons and bowls, bibs, a stroller, winter coat and hat, and why not throw in a bouncy seat just in case of emergency? My husband and I seriously considered carting around our baby swing when our colicky son was an infant because it was the only thing that would get him to sleep.

By the time New Year’s Eve rolls around, many parents have had about enough of the holiday spirit.

Finish reading for some NYE ideas here!