When your baby begins to teethe it’s really difficult to know what to do for the best. Your baby can’t tell you where it hurts or how much, so you must make a judgement as to what they need. There is nothing worse than watching your little one in pain- so here are some of the things you can do to help ease the discomfort for your baby as their teeth are coming through.
Parenting on Female First
Distraction
Your baby might be suffering from a constant dull ache and when you have given them all you can in terms of pain management or are trying to take a more natural approach, sometimes a simple distraction will help. Make sure they have their favourite toys at hand, you are keeping them entertained with some reading, peek-a-boos, singing or talking as much as you can. Hopefully this will take their mind off the fact that their mouth is sore.
Teething jewellery
If you look online there is huge market for teething jewellery now and depending on how image conscious you are- you can get any number of colours to match with your favourite wardrobe items. They are inexpensive too so if you are out and about and your baby starts to suffer, you can let them chew on your necklace while they are sitting on your knee to relieve some of the pain.
Teething Gels
There are several of these on the market that will numb your baby’s gums in just a few minutes. Be wary that some are designed for 6 months and above so be sure to find on that is suitable for your baby’s age by reading the instructions and asking a professional first.
Toys that have inbuilt teethers
If you want to buy your baby a new toy- it might be worth finding one with something chewy on it. Some cloth books have textured, rubbery ends that are perfect for helping your baby while they are teething. There are soft toys on the market that have harder hands and feet so babies can happily bite down on them and the good old teething ring is a baby bag essential.
Cool foods
If you are at the point of weaning your baby- cool foods can help to reduce the intensity of the pain. Things like yoghurts and fruit from the fridge can help to reduce the sharpness of the ache. Even if they don’t swallow what your are giving your baby, it might help to simply hold it against their gums. Melon is a great food for this as it fits neatly around the mouth if you cut it in a smiley face shape so it targets a lot of the area at once.
Pain relief
There are some medicines you can give babies during teething time- but again, consult your doctor or pharmacist before administering anything to ensure that you are buying the most age specific product for your child.
Sleep
Sometimes the best cure for pain is to sleep it off. If they aren’t feeling 100%, sometimes a nap can help to take their mind off things. It also allows them to get the rest they need if the pain disrupted their sleep pattern the night before.
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