I’m guessing you’ve entered the land of teething if you’re reading this. I’m right there with you, mama. Certain teeth seem to be tougher than others but I’m going to share with you some tips on how to soothe a teething baby. Some might even surprise you…
At this point in time my son has three teeth at almost 9 months old. The first two came through one day out of nowhere (I truly don’t remember much fuss from Luke) but the third tooth was difficult for our entire family. Ok I’m being a little dramatic here but the lack of sleep and crying really wore us down.
We received a ton of suggestions from family members on how to help Luke’s pain but here are my top four tips from personal experience on how to soothe a teething baby.
Cold Teethers
I liked putting teethers in the fridge until they got nice and cold. You could also pop them in the freezer but only for 10-15 minutes… you don’t want them to be too cold. They provided some much needed relief for my son’s gums so it was a mom win too!
These are his favorites. They were easy for him to hold and maneuver into his mouth:
Purees
Not expecting to see this on my list? It’s common for babies to not enjoy drinking bottles while teething because the sucking bothers their gums. Luke was no exception (he only drank about half his normal formula consumption for the few days when teething was the worst) but I could tell he was still starving.
If your baby is already eating purees and your doctor is ok with it, I recommend upping the amount you give your baby. If he’s eating them at breakfast and lunch time then maybe try one at dinnertime too to keep his little tummy full.
It’s also important to note that he was still wetting plenty of diapers throughout the day so I wasn’t concerned about him being dehydrated. Definitely talk to your pediatrician if you’re concerned about your baby’s eating.
Distraction
Sometimes switching the scenery by moving to a different room or taking out different toys can help. Or if it’s warm enough head out for a walk! Getting out in the fresh air helped my son with so many things, teething included. It even helped lull him to sleep if the teething was preventing him from napping in his crib.
Snuggles
Your baby is probably in a lot of pain and really needs extra love from mommy. Teething is no joke. Even when they’re extra fussy. So find a comfy chair, put on some lullaby music or sing to them and just rock. It’ll be good for both you and baby, trust me 🙂
I hope these help you and your baby! But if you’ve tried all the things and your baby is still inconsolable or his cry seems different, I would give your pediatrician a call. It never hurts to have them look at your baby, especially take a look in his or her ears! Ear infections are so common in babies but cause them so much pain and discomfort.
Do you have any other tips to soothe a teething baby? If you have something that worked wonders for your baby, share it with me in the comments below!