Teething, every mom is going to go through it with every child they have, it is inevitable unless you have a perfect baby, that doesn’t complain about anything. Babies will get very irritable when their teeth start to grown in, and this can make things tough on every one. However, there are a few things that can help make baby feel better, and thereby you feel better as well.
Most children start teething when they are 3 months old or as late as 14 months old. The factors depend on when their parents teeth came in and was the baby born early (a preemie). Each tooth will also take its own time in coming in. Here is an approximation of when each tooth in your baby’s mouth will appear, these may take longer or be at a different times depending on when your child starts teething.
Baby tooth timetable(approx)
- 6 months: lower central incisors
- 8 months: upper central incisors
- 10 months: lower and upper lateral incisors
- 14 months: first molars
- 18 months: canines
- 24 months: second molars
Each and every child is different and it is because of that reason, that the signs of teething are not always easy to spot, other than actually seeing a little sharp tooth poking through their gums. However, there are some signs and symptoms that can be watched out for:
- Gnawing on everything– when teeth emerge there is pressure on the gums, this is sometimes relieved by counter-pressure, which will lead baby to gum, chomp, and chew on anything they can find.
- Puffy/swollen gums– gums will become swollen and red around the area the new tooth is going to erupt from.
- Overabundance of drooling– if your little one seems to be drooling more than usual it could be a sign of a new tooth about to burst its way into the world.
There are many ways to soothe a child’s pain when teething, from home remedies to doctor recommended.
- Chilled teething toys -never frozen!!!
- Massage the babies gums with your finger or a cool washcloth
- Baby aspirin or ibuprofen act as a swelling reducer
- Amber teething necklace- it’s not actually for teething, but when it comes in contact with the skin the Baltic amber puts off a feeling of calm to the baby.(some parents swear by them)
Never use brandy or alcohol as this can be toxic to baby. Be thoughtful in what you try to use, what may have worked for your friend, mother, or another parent may not work for your little one. Consulting a doctor is always a good idea as well.