What it's REALLY like when your baby's teething
Louisa Sherlock
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From sore gums to sleepless nights and dribbling to endless chewing, teething can cause real discomfort for your baby … and it’s not a walk in the park for you, either!
For some babies, new teeth emerge with barely any side effects. Yet for others, the arrival of baby teeth can be a miserable and even painful, experience.
So what can you expect as a parent of a teething baby?
We chatted to maternity nurse and The Blissful Baby Expert author Lisa Clegg to find out what it’s really like when your baby’s teeth are coming through …
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1. There are LOTS of teething symptoms
… but your little one may only have a few. According to the NHS, teething symptoms can include:
- Red and sore gums where the tooth is coming through
- A flushed cheek or cheeks
- Your baby wanting to chew on things
- Being more fretful than usual
- Your baby dribbling more than usual
- Your baby rubbing his ear
Lisa, who has also written The Blissful Toddler Expert, says:
‘If your baby is just chewing his hands, with no other symptoms like red cheeks or pulling his ear, the likelihood is he probably isn’t teething.
‘If he has two or three of the symptoms at the same time, you can usually put it down to teething. Your baby might also be more irritable, more clingy and even have a different cry.
‘With my children, they all had a pained cry when a new tooth was coming through.’
Take a look at our gallery of teething symptoms.
2. Prepare for lots of dirty nappies
Get ready to stock up on nappies … another symptom of teething is more poo, loose poos and a sore bottom.
And this is thanks to all the drooling caused by a new tooth. Lisa explains:
‘When your baby is teething he is producing, and then swallowing, more saliva. When that goes into his tummy, he produces more stomach acid to process all the extra saliva.
‘Because of that, he ends up doing more acidic poos, which in turn gives him a sore bottom.’
We recommend bulk-buying your baby's nappies, this Pampers Pure Protection saving pack contains premium cotton and plant-based fibres, caring both for your baby and the planet at the same time. You can buy them here at Amazon for around £14 for 100 nappies.
3. Your baby may not want to eat
As an adult, you know the pain of toothache. And teething's no different for your baby.
So it’s probably no surprise that when he is teething, he loses his appetite.
‘Teething can cause a decrease in appetite,’ says Lisa. ‘Your baby is likely to have a sore mouth so might not want to suck on a bottle or eat.’
If you’re weaning your baby, try giving him cold purees.
Lisa adds: ‘Your baby might refuse hot food if his mouth is really sore. Instead, try offering cold food or purees. If your baby is old enough for finger foods, chewing on something hard like carrot sticks or crusty bread can create a massage sensation on the gums, so some babies like that.’
4. Your baby will need lots of extra attention
Having sore gums can make your baby feel very miserable. You can help by trying to distract him from the discomfort.
Try playing games, reading books or singing to him … all while holding him close.
‘Your baby might be more clingy than usual, so definitely give him lots of cuddles to soothe him,’ says Lisa.
‘If the teething is really uncomfortable, try giving your baby some pain relief. It usually takes 15-20 minutes for the effects to kick in, so give lots of cuddles until you feel your baby relax in your arms.’
If your baby is older than three months, the NHS advises giving your baby paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with teething pain.
5. You might not get much sleep
It can feel like just when your baby starts sleeping, those pesky teeth start pushing through. And that means more frequent night wakings as your baby struggles with the pain.
Lisa says:
‘If your baby is in pain from teething, it’s likely to affect his sleep. If he’s been having teething symptoms in the day, you can almost anticipate a wake up or two that night.
‘Give him paracetamol or nurofen if needed. If he’s had no teething signs in the day, then rubbing teething gel on his gums might be enough to settle him.’
Be sure to choose one that's safe for babies.
6. Teething can last for ages
… and a new tooth doesn’t always appear straight away.
‘Your baby may have a rumble in his gums and then it calms down again,’ says Lisa. ‘I find it lasts about a week, calms down and then flares back up before a tooth appears.
‘It’s also helpful for parents to know that teething can last a long time. My children all had teething symptoms from 10 weeks but didn’t get a tooth until around 12 months old!’
7. Teething toys can really help
Teething rings or toys are your best friend when your baby is getting new teeth. Try popping them in the fridge to cool down first, for extra soothing.
Lisa adds:
‘I find giving babies a flannel to suck can help. The ridges in the flannel can be really soothing on the gums.
‘Put cold water on the flannel first and let your baby suck it if he’s teething.’
We love this classic Sophie the Giraffe teething ring - it's both soft and chewy, which will relieve aching gums. You can buy it here at Amazon for £8.49.
Need advice?
Our health visitors and nursery nurses are online Monday to Friday evenings to answer your queries on feeding, sleep and child health.
8. Teething is (almost) as hard for you
It’s horrible to see your baby so uncomfortable. Which is why teething can be a pretty stressful time for you and your little one.
Lisa says:
‘The worst thing for parents is the unknown: you never know when teething is going to happen. If there was a set time when teeth appear it would be so much easier!’
How do you soothe your teething baby? Join the chat, below ...
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