Christmas can be a challenging time for those struggling to grow their own family.
Sometimes, well-meaning family members may inadvertently ask uncomfortable questions about this subject.
In a world full of potential triggers from social media and beyond, navigating our feelings to protect ourselves can be necessary.
Emotional Support Practitioner Kelly DaSilva shared some tips with us about preparing for the holiday season.
- Prepare Some Responses Beforehand: Take a little time beforehand to think about how you would like to respond to any potentially tricky questions. Pre-empting these questions is a useful way of protecting yourself and your emotions.
- Change The Subject: Give yourself permission to change the subject to something more light-hearted or simply say the topic is not something you wish to discuss.
- Talk To Your Partner About Your Anxieties: If possible, be honest with your partner about how you feel about the festive period, and agree on a sign when you both feel ready to leave the festivities.
- Practice Self–Care: Indulging yourself and having an “adults-only” Christmas is perfectly fine. Whilst it may not be the Christmas you had always imagined, it can be a lovely opportunity to create your own traditions or do something different.
Ultimately, Kelly explains, doing whatever feels best for you and your partner is so important.
Kelly stresses that it is OK to say “no” sometimes. It is not selfish but necessary to decline invitations to events that you know you will find challenging.
The Beacon CARE Fertility team is sending extra love to anyone who finds this season challenging.