Teething Tips for Babies
Teething. This is when the real fun begins for parents. Not to mention your poor baby.
While not every child suffers a great amount of discomfort when they teeth, others need relief from their pain. When my boys were cutting teeth, they didn’t complain or even give an inkling that they were hurting. By the time I had realised they were teething, they had two little chompers! My girls however, ouch! They had rashes on their cheeks, they were pulling at their ears and they had sore swollen gums.
Signs and Symptoms of Teething
Sometimes the signs of teething can be confused with the flu or just thinking your little one is tired and grizzly. But here are some of the signs that your little one is teething:
- Chewing – my kids would start chewing on solid objects like furniture. You might notice your child starting to chew on firmer objects which is one of the most common signs of teething.
- Sore gums – this is an obvious sign that your little one is teething. You may notice white, lumpy gums around the same time.
- Drooling – get those wipes ready! Not every child will drool when they are teething but for some toddlers they will start to dribble when teething begins and won’t stop until their teeth have cut. Each child is different though so just keep this in mind.
- Fevers and irritability – If your generally happy toddler becomes grizzly and gets a fever out of nowhere, check their gums for signs of teeth cutting. This is the first clue I had that my daughters were teething because they became irritated for no reason.
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Pain Relieving Remedies for Teething Babies
As a mum myself, I understand how helpless you feel when you can’t take your baby’s pain away. Which is why I know how important it is to share pain relieving remedies that have worked for us. These are some of the things that helped my daughters and other parents I know when their children needed teething relief.
- Frozen fruit – slice bananas length ways into quarters and freeze them. Frozen bananas are perfect for little hands and sore gums. If your little one hasn’t yet started to eat fruit by themselves, use one of the fresh food feeders (you know the little contraption with a handle and mesh net attached so toddlers can bite with their gums and learn how to chew).
- Teething rings – there are so many different options available now. You can stick with your traditional teething ring that you place into the fridge to get cold, an organic wooden teether or even a character teether like Sophie the Giraffe. Each work just as effectively as the others however your child might have a preference towards one.
- Teething necklaces – mums often wear these already as part of their wardrobe because they are great for adding a pop of colour to an outfit. If you aren’t sure what these are, they are a necklace with silicone pendants / pieces designed for your baby to chew on when they are teething. These are also great for breastfeeding mothers when their baby gets to the fidgeting and scratching stage as they can fumble with the necklace instead.
- Amber bracelets and necklaces – while this is not a remedy I have used personally with my kids, many of the mums in my circle swear by them. They claim their toddler has had immediate relief and that the redness from the rashes on their cheeks has gone. I opted to not use the necklaces for safety reasons and never tried the bracelet option because our other methods worked.
- Teething gel – for immediate relief we always found teething gel to be the most effective source of pain relief. While there are endless options of gels, we always use Ora-sed jel. We have used this variety because it doesn’t have a nasty aftertaste and it works within seconds of being applied. It works the same way Bonjela and Hyland’s teething gel does and they all cost about the same. Again, it is just a preference thing.
- Rusks – these are great for home and when out and about. Bub can gum away at the rusk and soothe their aching gums while also enjoying the yummy taste. Rusks come in a range of flavours and brands so there will be a kind that is right for your family.
- Rub them gums – rubbing your tots gums will help to give them some respite from the pain. You can also try putting your pinky finger knuckle in their mouth and letting them ‘chew’ or gum it as this will let them ease some pain where it hurts most.
- Baby cucumbers – slice baby cucumbers in half and put them in fridge to get cold. Give a half to your toddler for a juicy and soothing treat on gums. Obviously this option is only ideal if your toddler can eat foods like this already.
- Wet washers – most parents know the benefit to using a cool wet washer for a high temperature but you may not have thought to wet one and put it in the freezer for a few minutes before letting your child chew and suck on it. This is a fantastic remedy that has never failed me (or my children) when teething pains come knocking. It’s quick, simple, free and it works!
- Pain relief – never underestimate the power pain relief medication can have. Whether you opt for Panadol, Nurofen or Advil, your child will notice some relief. It can also assist in lowering temperatures caused by the teething.
There is only so much you can do to relieve your child’s teething pain but if you keep the above mentioned signs and remedies in mind, you will be able to, at minimum, ease their pain temporarily.
Do you have a go-to teething remedy? Share it below!
Kell Kelly
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