As a first time mom, teething was that right of passage I knew my baby would enter but what it would entail or how we would get through it? Well, only time would tell.
Every baby is different and people can tell you about their experience but the truth is, it won’t be the same as yours.
That, I feel, is the magic of being a Mom.
I think I started to assume Austin was “teething” from about 12 weeks old. He was dribbly, hands always in the mouth and had flushed cheeks (the usual signs).
I’ve since learnt that the teeth can, as my mother-in-law stated, “rumble around underneath the gum as they prepare to come through” for some time before they actually appear.
It wasn’t until around 5 months that Austin’s first little tooth made an appearance.
A thin silvery line showed up on his gum and within a few days, a tooth. The second followed the following week.
3 months later, his top teeth cut through and suddenly we’re in the thick of teething as his 5th and 6th teeth start breaking through too.
These latest additions are the real trouble makers, causing lots of pain and a moody boy at times. Though I can’t decide if it’s because he’s abit older with a stronger personality or if they’re generally more painful as they cut through - who knows!
My top tips for teething, which have seen us through since those very early days are:
Teething toys
I always have a range of both soft and hard teething toys to hand, ones with different textures too. Austin’s very first teething toy was his teething glove from Nuby. This was perfect as his grip wasn’t fantastic at such a young age and he couldn’t hold onto something for a long time, so the ability to wrap the glove on his hand kept him occupied for ages! He was in that “hands always in the mouth” stage so it was perfect and the crinkly inside made it great as a sensory toy too. He loves his Nuby Keys as a soft bite and loves his Nuby Blanket with the hard edged teething corners too. The bug-a-loop also has a combination of both soft and hard bits to chew on so it’s a 2-in-1! I think the different textures on teethers have different effects on their little gums.
Something cold
The Nuby keys can double up as something cold as they can go in the fridge! The coldness can numb the gums so this along with cold foods (when weaning) is great and works well for us.
Pain relief
Have paracetamol/Calpol at the ready for the bad days. Nurofen when it’s super bad (this works a treat for us), teething powder morning and evening (this can be used from quite a young age) and anbesol teething liquid. Some of these can be used together but always check the medical advice in all medicines before using.
Nuby teething wipes
Okay, now these are a must. They are SO helpful when out and about and your teething toys are being chucked around onto the floor or surfaces that aren’t in your home.
The wipes clean them and there’s no need to wait for the toy to dry before handing it back to your babe.
Lastly, patience.
It can be frustrating when “nothing seems to be working” but remember, growing teeth must be super painful!
All we can do is offer the above and hope it keeps the pain at bay or at the very least, distracts them from the pain of it all.
Your baby will chew/eat/bite EVERYTHING.
So, make sure you’ve got a few teethers that have been made for this reason! (Your tv remote can only take so much slobber before packing in, so probably best to hide it)!
We love our Nuby teething products and we’ll be keeping them handy for Austin’s brother or sister one day.
About the author : Tatum is a first-time mama to Austin. She always has her camera and a coffee close at hand @littlehpandme
The opinions expressed by Tatum are her own and based on her own experiences. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organisation, employer or company.
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