Teething in babies is an exciting prospect and mothers are generally excited. But it can be a very painful process for the baby and since it is one the baby has to undergo, you, as the mother, need to do everything in your control to make the baby feel better. A baby usually starts getting its teeth from four months so it starts to show teething symptoms at about three months.
Signs that a baby is teething is usually unexplained crying and nothing pacifying the baby. If your baby is around four to five months old and is restless and crying, check the baby’s mouth it might be teething. You could see cysts in the baby’s mouth which could also bleed.
Do not panic as once the blood clears you will see a tooth where the cyst was. The baby also tends to drool a lot and try and bite whatever it can. The baby may start to refuse food and also develop a runny nose. When you are a parent, you know that kids don't come with an instruction manual. However, babies start having trouble as soon as they are born and it continues throughout their lives. One of those problems that all babies suffer from is teething. For some, it can start as early as four months, but almost all babies begin teething by six months. If you have a little one at home, here is what you need to know about teething.
Baby teething symptoms include gum inflammation, sleeplessness, crying and irritability. In other symptoms, the baby is also known to stop eating, can get a low grade fever and in some cases, even get diarrhea. Diarrhea has been a debated sign in the world of babies. Studies show indications both ways that diarrhea can be considered a symptom and is not a symptom. Parents tend to panic as the baby develops fever. You could check with your pediatrician but if there are no infection-related symptoms, and the timeline matches, then the fever is due to the teething. Teething can happen anytime three months, all the way till two years of age. One of the very first signs of teething is drooling. Babies are famous for it and it will cause you to need a bib and a burp pad all the time. Drooling can also cause rashes around the mouth; so if your sweet baby looks red and irritated (and wet), then check inside the mouth.
The next thing you will probably notice when teething begins is that your baby will want to put everything inside the mouth. You might see your baby begin sucking his or her thumb or fingers and putting toys and everything else in reach in the mouth. If you see your baby doing this, then it is time to provide him or her with teething rings and other soothing (and baby safe) toys.
Bumps along the gum line will come next. That is a sure sign that a tooth is about to erupt. It will look swollen and red and then as the tooth gets closer to the surface, will turn a whitish color. This will also be painful for your baby and crying usually accompanies teething. You can help the process along by giving your child cool wet washcloths to chew on and using pain medication such as Tylenol or teething gel.
Your baby is going to experience teething, so you need to make sure you have all the right information handy. The good news is that teething doesn't last forever.
When a baby gets teeth, it first gets its lower middle teeth. Then the four upper middle teeth arrive. Then come the incisors, molars and back molars. The bigger teeth like the molars and the back molars can cause more problems for the baby as it would take more time to break out and does not sharp edges that give relief once out of the gums. Also when these teeth fall out, the molar and back molars do not fall out.
There are many teething remedies for babies which provide relief to the baby. The baby can suck on ice popsicles, cold teething rings or even by just massaging the baby’s gums. There are many baby teething relief products available today including gels, foods and toys, all of which work towards reducing the irritation and pain for the baby. Give your baby plenty to chew on. Keeping the baby chewing makes him less likely to feel the irritation of teething as frequently. Ice the baby’s bottle upside down. The cold bottle with the frozen nipple really works well. In the same fashion, you can soak a washcloth and freeze the washcloth. Putting a spoon in the freezer and freezing the metal also works for the baby as the cold metal gives relief.
You can even try medication but that does not usually guarantee relief. Tylenol and Motrin have baby versions which you can try giving to your baby. You stand a better chance of calming your baby if you try homemade remedies and quick substitution techniques. You can also try some home remedies for teething like applying clove oil on the gums, or a little petroleum jelly around the jaws and chin in case of rashes. If your baby is already eating food other than the mother’s milk, you can try giving your baby teething rusks or teething biscuits. Frozen bananas also make a very snack for the baby as it fills the baby and soothes the gums. Other foods you can try include soups, softened and mashed vegetables, well cooked pasta with a gummy sauce and even sandwiches with the crusts removed. Bagels, when frozen, also make very good teething rings which are also in effect edible teething rings. Wrapped in cloth, you can also give your baby apple wedges to chew. Carrots also make great chew toys.
The pain in teething can manifest in many different ways. Children tend to bite everything. Do not reprimand them. Give them alternatives to biting people and things. Teething is known to affect sleep patterns as well. Your baby, who would have had perfect sleeping routines till now, can completely change once it starts to get teeth. You may need to go through your own cycle of readjusting the baby’s sleep cycle and calming the baby down on particularly bad days.
Another important aspect of teething in babies is keeping them calm. Babies tend to get fussy and irritable and even a little noise or aggravation can set the baby off. You can combat this by keeping this on an even keel around teething babies and at the same time, keeping all comfort items like toys, blankets and rattles within reach. Keep your baby busy and distracted.
