Even though the festive season is a joyous time of eating, drinking, and being merry, it can also come with additional stresses. Unfortunately, teething does not stop at Christmas time, and you may find that your little one is cutting teeth over the festive break. We have compiled some of our best tips for surviving Christmas with a teething baby.

A baby girl and dad decorating Christmas tree

  1. Be gentle with yourself 

This is so important, and yet far too often forgotten. It’s easy to feel as though you’re falling short during the Christmas season. Add in a teething baby, and you can feel like everything is falling apart. You can’t be there fully for your child if you aren’t also taking care of yourself. Schedule me-time as part of your routine, don’t put pressure on yourself to achieve more than is practical and try to accept that you can’t control everything. Be gentle with yourself, you’re doing the best you can!

  1. Do your Christmas shopping online

Battling with everyone else on the high street to do your Christmas shopping is hard enough at the best of times but add a bulky pram to steer around busy shops, a baby who wants feeding/changing/cuddles every few hours and it’s next to impossible! The easiest thing is to do all your present shopping online and have it delivered.

  1. Keep to Routine

From a very young age your baby will thrive on routine, and as much as you can it will be helpful to keep to this routine at Christmas time. Regular feeding times, and regular nap and bedtimes will help soothe your little one. If you’re spending Christmas away from home – try and stick to your routine as closely as possible as this will help with the away-from-home sleeping arrangements.

  1. Scale back on Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner is generally the most time-consuming part of the day. All the chopping, peeling, boiling, roasting and not to forget the dishes. Add to that a teething baby who needs to be soothed and you’re just asking for a stressful day. There’s no shame in pre-prepared vegetables or even better, is there somewhere else you can go for Christmas dinner? The chances are you have family or friends who would love to see you and your little one for their first Christmas, and it takes the strain off parents.

  1. Enjoy Helpful Family Members

If you are celebrating Christmas with family, then enjoy having the extra pairs of hands to help take care of your baby. Try and sneak in an afternoon nap yourself and let your baby enjoy the extra cuddles and attention while you catch up on some much-needed sleep; what a gift!

  1. Take Pictures and Make Memories

Remember to take plenty of photos to remember your baby’s first Christmas by. If possible, give your camera to another family member and ask them to be the official photographer so that you actually feature in the photos.

  1. Keep your Teething Toolkit Nearby

The distraction of lights, decorations, presents, and people visiting may very well be a welcomed distraction for your little one when it comes to their teething pain but for times when distraction isn’t enough, make sure you have your teething toolkit to hand. Include your babies favourite teething ring and Ashton & Parsons teething powder or teething gel to help relieve teething pain.

  1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

You don’t have to do this alone. Never hesitate to ask for help, even when you think you’ve got it covered. By asking for help, we feel as if we are imposing on others. But attempting to power through this busy season while taking care of a teething baby can leave you feeling overwhelmed and alone. During this stage, parenting requires immense energy and fortitude, and it’s okay if you can’t muster them. It’s okay to lean on those around you.

Cherish as many moments as you can during this time. Make it less about survival and more about valuing this precious time with your little one, they may not remember everything about this Christmas especially if it’s their first, but you will.

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