Teething Tips & Tricks
Teething– that stage every parent (and little one!) comes to dread. When those sharp little baby teeth start to poke their way through Bitsy’s soft gums, a lot of pain and fussing can ensue! Even though it can be hard on a mama to have a constantly fussy baby, it can be seriously hard work for Bitsy to cut those teeth! Don’t worry — we’ve got some tips and tricks to make the whole process a little easier for both of you!
Signs Bitsy is Teething
Is Bitsy just fussy? Or are they really teething? There are a few telltale signs that your baby has some pearly whites poking through!
Swollen gums. If their gums are looking redder than usual and swollen, this is almost a for sure sign! Those sharp little teeth are biting at their rubbery gums to come through the surface, so it’s likely their mouth looks a little angry! Chewing on a cold, wet washcloth or cooling teether can help ease the inflammation.
Drool, baby, drool. All babies drool a little, but a teething baby really drools. If you’re putting bibs on Bitsy just to keep their clothes dry throughout the morning, you’ve got a teether!
Excessive biting. If Bitsy has teeth poking through and swollen gums, biting can be a real indicator! They’re looking for some relief from the pain, and this is one of the ways they know how! Remember those cooling teethers? They can help here, too.
Refusing food. When little mouths hurt, it’s likely they don’t feel like eating food! Try switching to softer purees, or grabbing a (mild!) oral anesthetic.
Crankiness. If your Bitsy seems crankier than usual, they’re likely grumpy about that teething pain! Remember to be a little patient with them — it’s frustrating being unable to describe what’s bothering you!
When to Expect Teeth
Did you know that most babies are on a similar teething schedule? It’s true — there’s a loose schedule to when each of those adorable baby teeth are going to come in!
5-12 months old: This is when Bitsy is going to look a little bit like a chipmunk! During this time, baby’s first four teeth will start poking through — typically the two front top teeth, and two front bottom teeth.
8-13 months old: Around this time, Bitsy will have six teeth as two more join on top!
13-19 months old: Now you can expect six more teeth to come in, bringing Bitsy’s total tooth count to 12, with most of them being in the top row.
16-23 months old: Four more teeth will grow in, bringing the lower tooth count closer to the top row!
2 -3.5 years old: By the time Bitsy gets to age 2, 2 ½, they should have a full set of 20 teeth!
What Helps?!
When Bitsy is in pain, it can be hard on a mama not knowing what to do to help! Thankfully, there are plenty of teething remedies out there to soothe some of that discomfort.
Teethers, teethers, teethers. This one may seem obvious, but there are so many great teethers out there! We love the wearable ones that are stylish for mamas, the cooling ones that can tame inflamed gums, and the wearable ones for Bitsy!
Massage the gums. This may sound weird, but it’s an extension of what teethers do! Use your fingers or a textured toothbrush like this one, and spend a few minutes massaging baby’s sore gums — it will soothe that pain quickly!
Teething treats. Did you know that you can actually make treats that will soothe a fussy, teething baby? Talk about double duty!
- These avocado and pear pops from The Spunky Coconut are healthy, delicious, and offer cooling relief from teething pain!
- We are obsessed with these adorable cucumber teething rings from Momma Society! Baby can handle them all on their own, and they’re so simple to make!
Teething is rough on mama and baby, but with a little extra care and love, Bitsy will be feeling better in no time! And once those teeth start to pop in, it’s all downhill from there, Mama!