However while the presence of the future king is clearly delighting the crowds, and no doubt giving great joy to his doting parents, such a long and arduous schedule is likely to take its toll on the youngster.
His parents possible worry about how their son will handle the tour will be exacerbated by the fact that he is teething - with several gnashers clearly visible as he smiled and gurgled at Wellington Military Terminal on the first day of their official tour to Australia.
At eight months old it is normal for children to
have begun to grow teeth and Prince George appears to have a healthy
set, with numerous teeth visible in his lower mouth yesterday
Kate carried George, who showed a few teeth as
he gurgled and smiled, stepping off the plane to begin their three week
tour, which has been carefully scheduled to minimise the impact on the
young prince
Kate and William's unusual decision to base their tour around three main hubs in Wellington, Sydney and Canberra, rather than changing location daily, is thought to be an attempt to minimise the trauma on the baby Prince.
The arrangement means his doting parents will be able to travel back to see George almost every night – bar a stop-over in Queenstown, New Zealand, and another at Ayers Rock in Australia.
The 18-day visit, which begins in Wellington, New Zealand, is the Cambridge family’s first official overseas trip together and Kate and William’s first major journey with eight-month-old Prince George.
While George seemed in good spirits as the
family brought their long flight to an end, experts warn that teething
can cause a range of distressing symptoms and increased irritability
Sources have told the Mail that the little
prince is also starting to crawl which will only add to the
unpredictability of official events on the tour
Royal aides have warned that George’s scheduled public appearances are open to change given his young age and the fact that no-one knows how he will cope with the long journey and 11-hour time difference, especially since he is teething.
Sources have told the Mail that the little prince is indeed teething - as well as starting to crawl - which will only add to the unpredictability of official events on the tour.
The perils of teething and travelling: One mother's tale
As well as enduring a 22-hour-flight
to reach their destination, moving between their three hubs and
travelling to engagements will result in Kate and William being forced
to travel extensively with the teething prince over the next three
weeks.
However as mother of one, Charlotte, 31, tells MailOnline, the two are not happy bed companions: ‘Having recently endured an overnight flight to Cape Town with my teething 10-month-old, I have every sympathy for what Kate must have gone through on her journey to New Zealand.
'Seeing my baby in pain is distressing at any time, but teething is especially hard to deal with – not least because at first it’s often impossible to know what’s wrong.
'My baby had a temperature, a runny tummy and an awful rash when we were on board and a dose of Calpol didn’t restore her to her usual cheery self – or help her sleep! I was desperately worried she was ill until I realised that she seemed to be soothed by biting hard on her teether. Of course the unfamiliar surroundings of the aeroplane and the changing air-pressure made her even more uncomfortable – as did the constant stream of dribble soaking her pyjamas.
'One thing the Princess should be glad of is that she didn’t also have to deal with the tuts from other unhappy passengers!’
However as mother of one, Charlotte, 31, tells MailOnline, the two are not happy bed companions: ‘Having recently endured an overnight flight to Cape Town with my teething 10-month-old, I have every sympathy for what Kate must have gone through on her journey to New Zealand.
'Seeing my baby in pain is distressing at any time, but teething is especially hard to deal with – not least because at first it’s often impossible to know what’s wrong.
'My baby had a temperature, a runny tummy and an awful rash when we were on board and a dose of Calpol didn’t restore her to her usual cheery self – or help her sleep! I was desperately worried she was ill until I realised that she seemed to be soothed by biting hard on her teether. Of course the unfamiliar surroundings of the aeroplane and the changing air-pressure made her even more uncomfortable – as did the constant stream of dribble soaking her pyjamas.
'One thing the Princess should be glad of is that she didn’t also have to deal with the tuts from other unhappy passengers!’
'Babies teeth vary at what age teeth come through but around 6 months is the average age. A range of symptoms can affect a baby from red and slightly inflamed gums, flushed face and cheek to dribbling. There is an urge to chew and gnaw things so a chilled teething ring is a good option. Cool things seem to soothe.
Teething gels may offer some instant comfort and lots of cuddles for additional comfort (parents often need that too from the sleepless nights!)
Some babies get red /flushed cheeks and can be quite irritable and it's important to make sure they don't get rashes from the constant dribbling so they chin needs to be wiped and kept dry.
'Some parents have said it can cause diarrhoea but if this does occur with a temperature it shouldn't be left for more than 24 hours. Length of time with symptoms can vary but for the majority of children it tends to be whilst their first 2 teeth are coming through. Avoid anything with sugar though e.g. teething rusks instead chilled vegetables, carrots work well.'
Eager members of the public are expected to be given no less than six glimpses of the tiny future king on his first royal tour, including a photo call at Government House in Wellington and a visit to the world famous Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
Perhaps revealing the couple are feeling the effects of the hard work involved in raising a teething infant Prince William said recently that 'one is enough at the moment' when it comes to babies.
The royal father made the telling comment when the couple visited the Irish Guards barracks for St Patrick's Day in March, and judging by the numerous teeth glimpsed in the young prince’s mouth, it is unlikely that their experience of parenting will have eased in the past month.
MailOnline's resident childcare blogger Tracey Blake weighs in on the terrors of teething
Being
trapped in a confined space with a grizzly, inconsolable, teething baby
for 30 hours is most parents' idea of hell. Including mine.
Even if the baby is prince and you are in a luxurious first class cabin, surrounded by nannies and assistants, there'd be no getting away from those piercing cries, the angry red cheeks and the fury and frustration of a 10-month-old who is in a whole world of pain and doesn't understand why. But that's only the half of it.
Very often, teething babies also suffer from sore ears (not helped by changes in cabin pressure) diarrhoea, fever and vomiting as a side effect.
My daughter Minnie, now thankfully four and in possession of a full set of gnashers, would projectile vomit when I fed her and do horrendously acidic poohs which burnt her bottom and gave her nappy rash unless changed instantly, when she had teeth coming through.
Monty, now 22-months, was also quite sick and dribbled so excessively that I would have to change his T-shirts four or five times a day as he'd be soaking wet.
I wish Kate all the luck in the world for the next few weeks and the lengthy flight home – in my experience, she's going to need it!
Tracey is the author of Small Talk: Simple ways to boost your child's speech and language development from birth.
Even if the baby is prince and you are in a luxurious first class cabin, surrounded by nannies and assistants, there'd be no getting away from those piercing cries, the angry red cheeks and the fury and frustration of a 10-month-old who is in a whole world of pain and doesn't understand why. But that's only the half of it.
Very often, teething babies also suffer from sore ears (not helped by changes in cabin pressure) diarrhoea, fever and vomiting as a side effect.
My daughter Minnie, now thankfully four and in possession of a full set of gnashers, would projectile vomit when I fed her and do horrendously acidic poohs which burnt her bottom and gave her nappy rash unless changed instantly, when she had teeth coming through.
Monty, now 22-months, was also quite sick and dribbled so excessively that I would have to change his T-shirts four or five times a day as he'd be soaking wet.
I wish Kate all the luck in the world for the next few weeks and the lengthy flight home – in my experience, she's going to need it!
Tracey is the author of Small Talk: Simple ways to boost your child's speech and language development from birth.
DM
No comments:
Post a Comment