You’ve just had a baby, you’re tired and trying to settle into some sort of routine, just when your friends decide to pop round. How do you cope with well-meaning visitors who want to meet the new baby while trying to protect some private time as you adjust to being a new family?

A new baby!  Everyone wants to see them and have a cuddle. Sadly, having visitors in your home when you have a new baby can be really disruptive. We've brought together nine tips to help you manage any disruption and to help you get started on a sleep routine.

1. Just say no! If you're not ready for visitors after you have welcomed your new baby, it’s absolutely fine to tell people who want to come to visit that you're not having guests just yet! 
2. Plan ahead and ask visitors to arrive after nap time, before nap time – just any time but nap time! 
3. Ask visitors to text you when they arrive (have your phone on silent but vibrating) instead of ringing the bell or banging on the door knocker, in case your baby is asleep. 
4. It’s okay to cancel visitors if you need to. They will understand that babies often throw a spanner in the works and they won’t want to stress you out unnecessarily.
5. If you want to keep visits short, it's helpful to explain what baby might be doing, so visitors know they might have only a short window to see the new baby. 
6. Don’t let anyone pop into the bedroom for ‘just for a look’, as this may disturb your baby before they’re ready to wake up. Result – an unhappy baby and parent!
7. Stay in tune with your baby. When your baby starts showing signs of tiredness, start calming them down and start their nap routine – don’t let others deter you. Remember, your house, your rules! 
8. If you're meeting up with friends for a walk or at a café and your baby is sleeping in a pushchair, we recommend SnoozeShade as a great way to stop people from poking their head in to say hello to a sleeping baby!
9. Unexpected guests? This can create all sorts of chaos, so if you have friends or family who tend to just pop in, ask them to let you know beforehand so you can tell them if it’s a good time or not. You could also ask them to pick up any shopping you need, or a coffee!

Further Reading:

Baby Sleep Patterns; What You Need to Know
Planning on Getting Away? Here Are Ten of the Best Baby Travel Cots
Three Newborn Sleep Hacks You Have to Try