How to Survive Teething

Man. Teething is no joke! I was warned so I wasn’t overly surprised but still, you can’t really be prepared for what will happen to your sweet baby once those little chompers decide to make their appearance. 

Bean is a very easy baby. She has always slept great (see my post on tips to getting your newborn to sleep through the night fast), she eats well, plays independently, and is just all-around very happy and easygoing. Fast forward to our trip home from Hawaii. She was a total mess on the plane, fussy and grumpy, refusing a nap, wanting to be held constantly, nothing at all like herself. We thought it could just be flying but she did great on way there, then Nonna discovered a tooth. Now it all made sense… 

Since then she has gotten more used to teeth appearing and we have gotten better prepared when they are coming! Here is what I have discovered along the way that I hope will help you know how to survive teething.

Is my baby teething? 

It can be tough to know for sure. The teeth start below the gums obviously so it can be tough to know when they are preparing for an appearance. Somethings we noticed with Bean were:

Excessive drool.

I mean EXCESSIVE. We fondly refer to her as a leaky faucet when teeth start to come. You can try the drool bibs like these or these. I like the ones with the chewy at the end because it gives it some weight and holds it down. Also highly recommend these soft towels. You will see I recommend these constantly because I am obsessed. They are so soft and really absorbent which is really handy when you have to wipe up the drool from the baby’s face, your limbs, or your belongings. 

Looks like they are chewing on nothing

We called this “chewing her cud” cuz we are weirdos but you might see baby looks like they are chewing something but when you check they did not sneak a piece of dog food when you were not looking there is nothing there. They may also jut out the bottom jaw when they do this. Bean does this I think she is rubbing one of her bottom teeth on the top gums or vice versa.

Chews on all the things

One sure-fire way to know baby is teething is that they want to chew on everything including your fingers! OUCH! Of course, most things at this age go in the mouth but if those things are going in and then being chewed and slobbered on then there is a good chance teeth are on the way.

May have a slight fever

I can’t really say this for sure but I was warned to look for a slight fever if I suspected she was teething. Though doctors claim this is a myth most moms I know swear it to be so. I never took Beans temperature when teething but those first few did make her feel a little warm? I don’t know. This one is a common one so thought I would toss it in for good measure.

Gums are hard and lighter colored

If Little lets you get up in there and feel around. Before a tooth breaks through the gums feel hard and maybe a little lighter than the surrounding gums. You may also feel the little bumps of the new teeth if they are close to cutting through.

Baby is clingier than usual

This one may be harder to call since there is plenty of other reason why baby may want more cuddles but paired with some of the above symptoms, this may be a clue.

So what can you do to help your teething baby?

Medicine

Maybe you are like me and are not a fan of pharmaceuticals as a whole but during teething some infant Motrin or Tylenol will help you both! Babies don’t really teeth constantly so no need to give it that often. Pay attention to when the signs above get their worst or you feel a bit of the tooth then offer some to get them through, the cutting through the gums is no fun at all!

Frozen fruits in a feeder

One of my favorite ways to soothe the gums is to put some frozen fruit into one of these feeders. They soothe the baby’s gums and as it defrosts they get a little snack. 

Teething toys

This one is probably pretty obvious but hey, this way I can share a few favorites with you. There are a million teething toys on the market. You will have to try a few to see what works. We tend to like the ones that are made of food-grade silicone. Here are a few of our favs:

Natural Amber and Rubber Giraffe Teething Toy

I love this toy and so does my baby. She has this one and the regular silicone and likes them both. They are easy to hold and have a good variety of textures to chew on.

This cute little teething turtle

I love this little turtle it is cute easy to hold has lots of textures and it fits in my Jujube Paci Pod so it’s always on hand.

A pop it on a leash

This one is my own little kind of creation. Most pop its are food-grade silicone so totally safe for baby to chomp on, the smaller ones are made to be a keychain so I replaced the chain with a pacifier clip, and boom! I got a teething toy that also helps with hand-eye coordination when she pops the little pops. PERFECT!

Amber Necklace

This one is pretty hippie. My boyfriend thinks it’s a bunch of hooey but I figured it couldn’t hurt. All the baby does is have to wear the necklace. It is supposed to ease pain and help control the drool. I tried it and it seemed to do something? Maybe? I don’t know. My best absolutely swears by them and had me get one. I figured it was worth a shot since all she had to do was wear it. You will have to let me know how it goes if you try one!

Make flexible plans and prepare for snuggles 

Lastly. Understand that teething isn’t really all that fun. When a tooth is cutting your little angel may turn into a whiny mess who just wants to be held. Probably not the best time for a fancy outing. Cutting usually only lasts a day so just take it easy that day and chill at home if you can and have the drool clothes ready!

There you have it, I hope this helps you survive teething as easily as possible. While it can be a pain (literally and figuratively) it doesn’t last long (at least at a time). Enjoy some cold treats and some snuggles!