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Has your baby experienced something different lately? Maybe your child’s drooling a bit more or is irritable? and might even have an achy mouth as well, is it? Anyhow, most of these signs suggest that your baby has teething symptoms. This simply means that your baby’s teeth are about to come through their gums.
It’s one of those happy milestones where your baby steadily grows in front of your eyes. Although, it’s hard to say that the entire process would be completely smooth without your child encountering any difficulties. But what you can make sure of is that your baby is relaxed throughout the process. Make sure that the child has the access to the best baby teething massages along with other remedies to counter pain.
Besides, it’s natural if your baby’s mouth aches. Yet, another point of bliss is to know that the surfacing of teeth may sometimes bring no pain at all. In short, your baby’s first tooth will either make a grouchy or a soothing entrance. In any case, it’s important to look after your baby as an all the more fussy baby is hard to be calmed. As a parent, it can get difficult for you as well. But, but, but, you must not worry! We’ve got you & your baby covered with our exclusive tips.
Moreover, get access to these blissful postnatal massages to get rid of all the baby tension & exasperation. Read more to find out how you can assist your baby and curb their pain in simple-easy steps.
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Table Of Contents
Baby Teething Massage: Tips To Provide Relaxation
A teething baby usually has sore gums which can make them fussy or irritated. Even at the night, if your baby is all the more restless, that means your child is probably encountering the following symptoms of teething -
Fussiness
Lots of drooling
Rashes (because of drooling, in case of others, consult a doctor)
Having mentioned that, it becomes fairly important to provide comfort when your child is feeling irritable or looks in pain. One way to do so is by opting for baby teething massages. By massaging the gums, you help your child with the pain & fussiness that arise out of the sore gums, achy mouth, & rashes.
With a cooling sensation that is generated with the help of the massage, it instantly cools your baby’s sore gums. As a result, your little one will benefit immensely from the massage. Furthermore, if you offer teething toys to your child, the gumming movements will generate an opposite effect that will give your child much-needed rest.
In short, if your baby’s gums are tender, give a gentle massage with your fingers. You must use your fingertips and move around the jawline. Thereafter, create small circular movements and apply mild pressure to counter the pain. These circular movements can be in any direction but your fingers should be cleaned and you must monitor the pressure throughout.
How To Soothe A Teething Baby?
There are several ways to alleviate a teething baby’s pain. As a parent, it can be difficult to watch your baby go through such agony. The symptoms of teething usually get worst on the fourth day before the surfacing of the tooth. Following up, it will last for three days ahead.
Babies usually experience teething symptoms at this stage. As per The American Academy Of Pediatrics (AAP), the most occasional symptoms of teething includes the following - irritability, a low-level fever, an impulse to chew on something hard, drooling, and others.
Take a note of the ways that tell you how to help your baby with the teething pain -
1. Offer a chilled fruit to alleviate the pain
If your child is already introduced to solid food items, that’s good news! You can offer a cold crushed banana as a feast to your baby. Moreover, put the fruit in a baby mesh feeder to avoid a choking risk. Large bits of fruits can pose such a risk. You can also try other fruits such as apples, mangoes, strawberries, blended peaches, etc.
2. A clean cold washcloth to render the cooling sensation
Dip a clean washcloth in water, wrench it & place it in your fridge. Take it out after some time and give it to your baby to chew on the cloth. Your baby’s sore gums will benefit from the cool sensation generated from this arrangement. Another point of concern is it’s crucial to stay with your child while your baby is chewing on the cloth. Leaving your child unattended can pose a risk of choking.
3. Apply mild pressure to your baby’s gums
Applying mild pressure to your baby’s gums can produce a counter sensation that will make your baby relaxed. Besides, your hands must be washed & cleaned before putting pressure on the gums. Even simply rubbing the gums will also be helpful in this case.
4. Wipe away the excess drool
Another way to support your child during the teething process is to wipe away the excess drool with a bib or a soft clean cloth. Since drooling is a common symptom of the teething process, it may bother your child, especially at night. However, wiping off the excess drool will prevent rashes or any sort of irritation that usually happens because of the wet face. Investing in a soft bib would be a fair choice at this stage.
5. Offer teething toys to chew upon
Most teething babies have an impulse to chew upon hard things. Following this, if you offer your child a cold non-gel teething toy, the chewing movements will create a counterpressure & will provide relief to your child. You must make sure that the toy is clean & is kept in the fridge for some time before offering it to your child. The toy must be easy to hold. Other than teething toys, you can also rely upon your clean finger or a wet soft toothbrush to create a counter pressure.
6. Chilly metal spoon to soothe your baby’s gums
Catch hold of a regular teaspoon from your kitchen, wash it & keep it in your fridge. After some time, when the spoon is cool, take it out & softly rub-down the spoon around your baby’s gums. This is done because cool metal can be alleviating & can bring relief to the pain.
7. Lots of love, care & cuddles
At this developmental stage, you must show a lot of care & love towards your baby. It might get overwhelming at times seeing your baby in pain, but you know what, you got this. The most natural remedy for a teething child is to cuddle with the mother. Even during breastfeeding, your breasts will act as a source of comfort to their sore gums. So, try breastfeeding in different positions for longer periods. You can also opt for a breastfeeding schedule for better appetite & results.
Tips To Soothe A Teething Baby At Night
The teething pain can get more acute & intense at night. That’s because there are fewer distractions at night for your baby. Some regular activities in the daytime usually keep the baby unbothered to some extent. But this irritability gets worse at bedtime.
If your baby wakes up at night with teething pain, try to comfort your child with gentle pats and other teething remedies. At the same time, it’s also important to know what to avoid in the name of teething remedies.
Teething necklaces - Most pediatrician never recommends amber teething necklaces. That’s because the objects hold the potential risk of choking, injury, infection & strangulation. Moreover, there’s no medical proof to support the functionality of amber teething necklaces. They are different from teething rings & teethers as they are made up of rubber.
Numbing creams - The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends against the usage of numbing creams & gels. Besides, homeopathic teething drugs & herbal gel supplements can create a negative impact. Again, there’s no medical claim that suggests that these supplements work effectively.
Rubbing alcoholic beverages - Rubbing your baby’s gums with alcoholic beverages like whiskey or any other can put your baby at risk. This practice is usually considered a very old remedy but should be strictly avoided. It holds on to the risk of reduced oxygen level in the blood for a child who’s under 2 years of age.
As per The American Academy Of Pediatrics (AAP), another good way of treating teething pain is to massage the baby’s gums with a clean finger. This will also raise a stimulation that will assist them through the pain.
On top of that, the other remedies to soothe the teething pain are as follows -
Try a gum massage with a teething ring.
Numb your baby’s gums with cold temperature items.
Always wipe away the drool as it can contribute to rashes.
Keep your baby on the bedtime schedule.
Apply mild pressure to your baby’s gums.
What’s Baby Teething?
Baby teething is the process of eruption of babies ’ teeth through their gums. The timing of their first tooth may vary widely from child to child. But sooner or later, the process will begin for your baby. This time of your baby’s development is usually a pleasing turning point for parents. Although, it can be generally frustrating at times for you & your baby. That’s because your baby shall go through changes like sleepless nights, redness around the mouth, fussiness, irritability, and others. This process is also referred to as odontiasis.
When Do Babies Start Teething?
Generally, babies start teething at around 6 to 12 months of age. In this case, the teething symptoms may appear 2 - 3 months before the process begins. In other cases, babies may start teething early. This usually happens around 3 - 4 months of age. You can also refer to them as early teethers and this isn’t something to be concerned about. It’s completely normal & natural.
Every baby is different. In some rare scenarios, a child might be born with the first tooth. Even that’s normal. Furthermore, if your little one’s behind the schedule & is a late teether in all likelihood, again, don’t be concerned.
To be precise, the most usual time of baby teething is around 6 months but the duration can differ for every child.
Most Common Baby Teething Signs & Symptoms?
As the timing of teething varies from child to child, the symptoms may also vary. But here’s the list of most common symptoms that you’ll observe in your child at this stage -
1. A lot of drooling
Teething normally stimulates a lot of drooling. That means fluids will come out of your child’s mouth more than usual. You must constantly wipe away the excess fluids to avoid any rashes. However, excess saliva will also help your child with sore gums.
2. Fussiness & irritability
Your child can get irritated and may become a little fussier because of the pain, achy mouth, rashes (if any), & crying more than usual. It can also cost the child the night’s sleep. But by following teething remedies, you can make sure that your child sleeps well.
3. Distorted sleep
As stated above, the teething pain can also impact the child’s bedtime schedule. That’s because a child may go through more pain at night because of fewer distractions. Daytime activities may keep the baby unbothered but at night, teething symptoms may hit harder.
4. Swollen & tender gums
The process of teething will make your gums sore & tender. The mark where a tooth is surfacing from the gums will get red & swollen. However, cooling sensations generated with the help of your finger and other things stated above will alleviate the pain.
5. Slightly high temperature
Teething can also raise your child’s temperature to 101 degrees Fahrenheit maximum. Beyond that, it can be something else, so you must consult your pediatrician. The specialist will determine the cause of the fever & suggest accordingly.
6. Urge to chew on hard things
Another sign that your baby is teething is the impulse to chew on hard things. The child may gnaw on toys, teething rings, or even the finger to get rid of the pain. As chewing on hard elements will naturally massage your baby’s gums & provide relief to your child.
Baby Teething Chart: Teething Order & Schedule
The order of teeth eruption may vary from child to child. Although, given below is a normal general teething schedule that will give you a fair idea about the entire process -
FAQs
1. What are the first signs of teething?
The process of teething may cause pain to some babies & may be soothing for others. The following signs of teething may not be identical in every case but usually involves the following changes -
Sore gums, generally swollen as well.
A lot of drooling
A mild temperature of around 100 to 101 F
Coughing/gagging
Disrupted sleeping cycle
Changes in eating patterns
Fussiness & crying
Cheek rubbing
2. How long do teething symptoms last?
The pain suffered from the teething symptoms will only last a few days. Typically, around 7 to 9 days. However, the entire teething process lasts for 24 to 33 months. This means when your child completes the age of 2 to 3 years, the entire teething period will be completed by that time. The duration may differ for some babies and will last accordingly.
3. How do you soothe a teething baby?
A teething baby usually goes through agonizing pain at this stage. However, in order to soothe or curb the pain, you can do the following things to pamper your child -
Lots of love & cuddles
Clean the drool to prevent irritation.
Opt for baby teething massages
Cold clean cloth to help soothe sore gums
Cool or chilled metal spoon to rub baby’s gums
4. Do teething babies cry at night?
During the teething process, when your baby’s tooth erupts the encompassing gums get swollen & sore. In the daytime, your baby's regular activities will probably keep them unbothered from the discomfort of teething. But at nighttime, the lack of distractions & care may make the pain more distinct and your baby may get irritated & fussy.
As mentioned above, the same pain becomes acute & intense at this time because of fewer distractions. So, when your baby’s gums are sore & irritated in the morning, it’s critical to offer a gum massage to your baby.
5. What’s the total number of baby teeth that will appear?
The first set of baby’s teeth is commonly known as primary or baby teeth. A full set of milk teeth is 20 in total by the time the child is two and a half or three years old. Thereafter, when your child attains the age of six or seven years, the teeth start to fall out transitioning towards the secondary teeth. They are also referred to as permanent teeth and are 32 in number.
Takeaway
Of course, teething is a milestone that makes you go through a state of happiness & encounter challenges at the same time. You must show endless love & care towards your child that’ll help your child go through the process more easily. Besides, this state of growth requires you to observe teething symptoms & respond to them with teething remedies. Fortunately, you can alleviate the pain with the above-mentioned ways & make sure that it’s a happy ride for both you & your child.
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