I. HATE. TEETHING. It was the worst part of the "baby" stages for me. The crying, the clingyness, the complete loss of sleep...teething ruins lives. I was to the point where I'd rather have fed my daughter baby food until she was 16 before I wanted her to get ONE. MORE. TOOTH.
For those of you that haven't had to to deal with this stage, here are some quick facts about teething:
- Typically a child gets their first tooth between 4 and 7 months. Did you know that some babies are born with a full set of teeth?!
- A child finally gets the last of their "baby teeth" between 2 - 3 years. Here's a great chart:
- Teething can cause swollen gums, a runny nose, loss of appetite, interrupted sleep, and LOTS of crying. And although most parents see a pattern between low grade fevers and teething, your doctor will most likely tell you that teething doesn't cause fevers (lies...all lies!).
There is nothing worse than seeing your sweet, smiley baby screaming her head off in pain. Here are some tips for soothing baby and relieving some discomfort:
1. Teethers- there are so many options when it comes to teething toys. Don't be afraid to buy every single one at the store just to find what your baby prefers. Freezing a damp wash cloth for a few minutes and letting her chew on it was always a great relief for my little one. Warning: using teetherscan will cause excessive drooling!
2. Massage- no, you aren't getting a spa day (even though Moms of teething children TOTALLY need it)...we are talking about massaging baby's gums. Gently applying pressure and rubbing can help ease some of the pain. Some parents opt for a numbing cream like Oragel but please talk with your doctor and be aware of some of the risks (loss of gag reflux and reactions to active ingredients).
3. Teething tabs- Hyland's Teething Tablets
are a great brand that you can find in almost any pharmacy or store. They focus on "all natural" ingredients and it seems like total voodoo, but these worked wonders for my daughter. We always used just 2 tabs that quickly dissolved right in her mouth and within 10 minutes she seemed better.
4. Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen - some parents try to steer away from using medication but I was ALL for it. If it helped baby feel better, then I was OK with it. Of course, check with your doctor before you start to make sure you have the correct dosage and understand which medication to use.
5. Whatever it takes - don't feel bad if your baby uses the pacifier a little more, is soothed by the TV or wants to eat ice cream for dinner. Sometimes you need to just do what you can to get a break from excessive crying, and baby could use a break too! Remember- this won't last forever!!
What helped sooth your baby when teething?
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| http://www.hellobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/teeth.jpg |
There is nothing worse than seeing your sweet, smiley baby screaming her head off in pain. Here are some tips for soothing baby and relieving some discomfort:
1. Teethers- there are so many options when it comes to teething toys. Don't be afraid to buy every single one at the store just to find what your baby prefers. Freezing a damp wash cloth for a few minutes and letting her chew on it was always a great relief for my little one. Warning: using teethers
2. Massage- no, you aren't getting a spa day (even though Moms of teething children TOTALLY need it)...we are talking about massaging baby's gums. Gently applying pressure and rubbing can help ease some of the pain. Some parents opt for a numbing cream like Oragel but please talk with your doctor and be aware of some of the risks (loss of gag reflux and reactions to active ingredients).
3. Teething tabs- Hyland's Teething Tablets
are a great brand that you can find in almost any pharmacy or store. They focus on "all natural" ingredients and it seems like total voodoo, but these worked wonders for my daughter. We always used just 2 tabs that quickly dissolved right in her mouth and within 10 minutes she seemed better.  |
5. Whatever it takes - don't feel bad if your baby uses the pacifier a little more, is soothed by the TV or wants to eat ice cream for dinner. Sometimes you need to just do what you can to get a break from excessive crying, and baby could use a break too! Remember- this won't last forever!!
What helped sooth your baby when teething?
Those teething tablets are great! I gave 2 of those to my son right before "nigh'-nigh' time" and they always helped him fall to sleep. Thanks for the graphic!
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