From around four months your baby may start teething. It will take a while for their teeth to actually come through and for some, you may not even notice until one arrives, but for many babies (and parents) teething causes lots of discomfort. Most children will have a full set of milk teeth by the time they are 3 years old.
Symptoms:
Flushed, hot cheeks
Gums are sore, swollen and red
Chewing on everything, including their own fists
Rubbing and pulling on ears
They are 'fussy', maybe not feeding/eating as well as usual
Lots of dribble
Sometimes, very runny acidic poo or in my children's case, a lack of poo!
How to help
As with most things, different things work for different babies but below are the most likely things that will help.
Cold - Whether it be a teething toy chilled in the fridge, some water or a metal spoon, babies love cold on their sore gums.
Homemade fruit ice pops, yoghurt or ice cream can also help.
Warmth - Equally, warmth can help ease swollen gums so letting them suck on a flannel soaked in warm water may help too.
Texture - Try teething toys with a range of textures on so your baby can find which feels just right for them depending on which teeth are coming through.
Medicine - There are various natural medicines such as granules and gels and Anbesol do a liquid too which is always my preferred. You could also try paracetamol or ibuprofen, but I would recommend trying the natural medicines first. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are useful when the teeth are actually cutting through and causing the most discomfort, particularly at night time.
All these things will help ease the discomfort and hopefully make the process a little better for you and your baby.
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