How We Have Been Dealing With A Teething Baby

Some babies get their first teeth without any problems at all. For others, it can be uncomfortable at best, but excruciatingly painful at its worst. It is distressing for both baby, and parents. It can be a very daunting experience, and even more so if you're new to parenting, and don't have prior experience to draw on. For that reason, I thought I would talk about the things that we have found helpful for Gracie. 


To be honest, the whole teething thing is a bit of a minefield, there are so many teething products available, it can be difficult to know what to use. You have to find what is right for your baby, and don't be railroaded into using things just because a friend or family member swears by it (every baby is different, and what works for one, won't necessarily work for another). In this post, I will cover what worked for Gracie, but will also be mentioning other things that we didn't find worked (they might work for your baby though).


Gracie started showing signs of teething at around 4 months, often seen rubbing her gums, and with flushed cheeks. Despite this, it all seemed to settle down, and we couldn't see any sign of her first tooth. However, about a month ago, she started wakening up crying at around 4 am, and started to be a bit grumpy during the day. She started drooling, and the gum rubbing and flushed cheeks returned. One month on (I'm not going to lie, it seems like several months), and she has got 2 teeth. We seem to have worked out which things help, and she has stopped wakening at 4 am, and seems a lot more settled in general (I may haved jinxed us now).


Here is what has been working for Gracie:


Matricaria Chamomilla - This is a homeopathic medicinal product, believed to relieve teething pain, and the associated symptoms. It comes in various forms, we have it in powder form. We have been using it a few times a day (it states that it can be used up to 6 times a day, but always check the enclosed leaflet), and she does seem less grumpy after having it, and the redness in her cheeks reduces significantly. We just pour it in to her mouth (not always an easy task).

Sophie The Giraffe - We have tried giving Gracie teething rings, but she rarely bothers with them. If we give her Sophie, she seems instantly happier (I know it sounds ridiculous, but she is always happy to see Sophie). She chews away on her, and rubs her over her gums. She is soft and flexible, and we think she makes the perfect teether.

A dummy - It really seems to help her, she chews away on it, and rubs the teet over her gums. She has had a dummy since the early days, and she clearly finds it comforting. I know that they are controversial, so I won't dwell on that one. 

Chilled Fruit - She really seems to get relief from having some pieces of chilled fruit (this clearly isn't suitable for babies under 6 months).

Paracetamol - We only use this if absolutely necessary, and generally if we use it, it is at night. It is obviously a pain killer, and can help reduce a fever. We always use it as per instructions (i.e 4-6 hourly, no more than 4 times a day, always read the info leaflet).

Walks - She is always very relaxed when she is in her pram, and out for a good walk. She seems to settle if she is crying and grumpy, and often goes off to sleep. It's a simple, yet great way to calm her down.

And most importantly.......

Cuddles - Sometimes, it's the only thing that really makes a difference.


The things that didn't work for Gracie:

Teething Gel: These contain a small amount of local anaesthetic, which numbs the area that they are applied to. The main issue is the application, it slips about, and more seems to go on her tongue than on her gums. I can't say that we really notice a difference after applying teething gel. The anaesthetic effects are fairly short acting, in my opinion. There are various ones available from a variety of different brands, but they all appear to have similar ingredients. 

Teething Rings: As I've already mentioned, Gracie never really bothers with these. They tend to get thrown around, and I have had more than one smack across the nose with them.

A little side note - 

As parents we need to try and find time to relax (I know this not high on the agenda when you're running about after your children), and take some time out from it all. We tend to forget our own needs in the midst of all the teething, and other day-to-day things (of course we put our children first, that is only natural). That said, you need to be at your best for your children, and that means you need to get some 'you time' once in a while. Even if it's just sitting down with a coffee and a magazine, or going for a bit of a pamper, it is important to do these things, or else you get burnt out very quickly. I know if we are more relaxed, then Gracie is too. 

I really hope that this has been helpful in some way, please leave a comment if you have any questions/tips/suggestions.


Thanks, Kirsty x