A baby giggling is already heart melting as it is, but the cuteness overflows when their little teeth start peeking out. The two front teeth and the two lower ones are the first ones to grow, and your baby will undoubtedly flex them when they laugh and smile.
Despite these joys, teething is not a perfectly smooth milestone and it can bring discomfort to your baby. Nevertheless, with the proper care, it can be manageable for you and your little one. Let us help you see the signs that your baby’s teeth are ready to pop out and the seven tips to ease teething pains.
Signs Your Baby Is Teething
Expect your baby to grow teeth as early as their fourth month, and it will continue until they reach their toddler years. When the first few teeth are coming out, you’ll observe your baby drooling excessively. They will also want to chew on their teething toy to ease the pain and pressure of teeth popping out of their gums. Some babies even experience slight fevers and diarrhea when teething. For sure, because of their discomfort, your baby will be crankier than usual, so make sure to extend your love and patience to ease their pains. Symptoms are usually slight, but it is best to have a doctor’s consultation if it is beyond the ordinary.
7 Tips To Care For A Teething Baby
Despite all the discomfort, there are a lot of easy teething pain remedies. Most of the tools you’ll need are found inside your home, and good teethers for toddlers and babies are almost ubiquitous. Check out these seven ways to care for a teething baby.
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Have lots of cuddle time
Any pain is eased when someone feels comforted and supported. When your baby is not feeling well, your physical touch will mean a lot in quickening their recovery. If your little one is feeling feverish because of teething, give them a sponge bath from time to time to bring their temperature back to normal.
On regular days, keep your little one busy with playtime. They’ll surely forget about their sore gums when you play hide and seek, peek-a-boo, block-stacking, and more baby games! Bringing them out to the park for some sightseeing is also a welcome distraction.
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DIY using a cloth
Once you see the first signs and discomfort of teething and want to give quick relief, grab a clean cloth and soak it in cold water. Give the fabric to your baby to chew on, or you can also cover your finger with it. Apply pressure on the gums with your finger to ease your baby’s pain. You can store a few pieces of cloth in the refrigerator to switch out the ones that aren’t cold anymore. Just make sure everything is clean for your baby’s safety.
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Healthy and yummy popsicles
Teething comes at the same time as your little one being prepared to take in solids. Wear your chef hat, and make different treats to soothe their gums. Prepare popsicles made from fruit juices or pureed vegetables.
Mix yogurt, pureed fruits, and milk, then freeze. Your baby is about to dive into a gastronomic adventure with these healthy and delicious popsicles.
Frozen or chilled food can provide comfort to the swollen gums. You are hitting two birds with one stone here—providing healthy snacks and easing teething pains for your baby.
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Teething food and treats
Aside from popsicles and milkshakes, you can also ease your little one’s teething pains by serving food that can give their gums a little pressure. Here are some tasty treats:
- Carrot sticks
- Cucumber rings
- Celery sticks
- Breadsticks
- Baked biscuits
On the other end, you can also serve soft food if their gums are too tender for hard food. Check out these food ideas:
- Muffins
- Pancakes
- Soup
- Mashed fruits and vegetables
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Avocados
- Scrambled eggs
Feed your little one with these treats using a cereal bottle feeder for convenience. Do not let your baby’s appetite be affected by their aching gums, and always prepare something that will entice them to eat a lot!
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Prepare a drooling kit
Get ready to wipe off your baby’s drool more often than usual when they are teething. Use a clean cloth or hypoallergenic wipes to avoid any skin irritation that will be brought by friction from repetitive wiping.
Excessive drooling can result in mouth rashes and skin irritation too. Keep an eye on your baby’s neck and chest area and keep them dry. Aside from wiping with a clean cloth, you can also use an absorbent bib to cover the chest. Change your baby’s shirt as often as possible, especially if it gets wet with saliva.
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Address symptoms of teething
If the symptoms are not alarming and are manageable, you can take care of your baby at home. Keeping them hydrated when having diarrhea and fevers, and giving them bananas will help ease their loose bowel movement. When the symptoms are worse, do not hesitate to visit the doctor to get expert advice and medications as needed.
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Use the best teethers for toddlers and babies
Another classic but easy solution to addressing teething pains is by using a soft silicone teether. What are the best teethers? They are free from phthalates and BPAs—you will be sure that they won’t harm your baby.
The characteristics to look for in a teether is durability to ensure that it won’t break and become a choking hazard despite the endless biting of your baby. There are teethers made of gel you can chill to soothe your baby’s sore gums.
Meanwhile, use the best teethers for toddlers with teeth. Wooden teethers are a great choice if your toddler already has grown their first teeth and are growing molars. Aside from wood teethers, the best designs are those made with safe and soft food grade silicone. Many come in child-friendly designs like fruits, food, or cartoons. Your little one will definitely enjoy chewing on them!
How Ashtonbee Can Help
Life with a baby will be all smiles when you know how to handle the situations that come your way. When it comes to teething, remember these seven tips to help you ease your baby’s tender gums. You can use a DIY cloth or ready-made teethers, and you can also give relief by giving yummy popsicles and different cold foods. Of course, nothing beats your love and care when you pamper them whenever they are not feeling well.
Here at Ashtonbee, we can help you through our baby fruit feeder pacifier. Your little one can savor the healthy treat inside the nipple while they chew on the silicon pacifier to ease their aching gums. We have more teethers and products to assist you in all the milestones you’ll have with your baby, so feel free to check out our collection on our website!
