By: Patricia Ocampo Gonzalez
Weddings are beautiful occasions that gather family and friends to celebrate love. They are usually a wonderful opportunity for you and your husband to get all dressed up, dance and drink until the wee hours of the morning–making up for all those date nights you never seem to have time for. But what happens when the wedding falls on a date less than a month post partum? Or what if your eldest child happens to be a part of the entourage while you are still nursing your newborn? What to do?
Here are 5 ways you can prepare for bringing your infant to a wedding.
1. Make sure your dress is breastfeeding friendly and wear your hair up. Wear a dress that has a zipper or buttons down the front, or on the side, or one with a scoop neck collar made of stretchable fabric that you can easily pull down for when you nurse. Consider an up-do to look neat throughout the event, even though you will probably be feeling slightly frazzled. No one needs to know that 😉
2. Pack ahead. When it comes to bringing around a baby, preparation is key. Especially is your wedding is out of town, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you are missing something important–like wipes, or an extra diaper. Write everything down ahead of time, and check the contents of your bag right before you leave.
3. Park nearby, or call ahead to find a place where you can nurse/change your baby with privacy. If you’re not comfortable with nursing in public (which is completely acceptable!), a good option is to nurse in the privacy of your car–which doubles as a nursing room, and changing table in one! 😉 Park near the venue, because you’ll probably need to go back and forth. If you call in advance, the staff will probably be able to point you to a designated area for breastfeeding/changing babies. If such a place does not exist, be prepared to bring your baby to an office, a clinic, or even (yikes) a stock room.
4. Bring water and snacks. If you’re a breastfeeding mama, then you know this means you are constantly thirsty or hungry! Weddings usually mean long hours of waiting after the ceremony until dinner. Pack a few healthy snacks and looooots of water to keep you (and your baby) from going from hungry to HANGRY.
5. Be prepared to leave early. At the end of the day, it is all about mindset. Parenthood changes a lot, and having your baby with you at a wedding may mean you will need to cinderella out on or before midnight. But that is totally okay, because you are probably going to need the sleep anyway.
When all is said and done, just try to have fun. No matter how challenging bringing a baby to a wedding may seem, take comfort in that you are making unforgettable memories as a family by making him/her a part of your life’s milestones.
And besides, there is nothing quite like bringing your bundle of joy along to help you remember that it was your wedding night that started the beautiful story of your growing family. 😉
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Patricia Gonzalez is MOMCENTER’s Editor. She has two adorable daughters–ages 1 and 2, and is married to a man who inspires her to be a better woman everyday.
Beyond her work as a writer, she also an entrepreneur and manages the PR, marketing, and social media of two of her own local clothing brands, @coralswimwearph and @pearlclothingph.
She is a woman on a mission, and believes that motherhood is not limiting, but empowering. Join her on her journey by following her on instagram at @patriciaogonzalez.