5 Tips for Dealing with Baby Teething
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
Does your toddler seem extra fussy lately? It could be that he or she is starting to teeth.
This is often a painful and uncomfortable process for children, so it’s important that you help them get through it with as little pain as possible. When they do start teething try these techniques to help minimize their pain:
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Keep teeth cool
Keeping toddlers’ teeth cool will help lessen the pain that they’re feeling from their teeth breaking through the skin. You can do this by giving them a cool, wet washcloth to chew on or by sticking a teething ring in the refrigerator and giving it to your toddler after it’s cooled down. This will also help counteract any swelling they may be encountering.
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Be prepared for excessive drooling
Teething makes toddlers drool much more than normal, so don’t be alarmed if their drooling seems to increase tenfold overnight. Be aware though that too much drool can end up irritating their skin, so it’s important to keep a cloth handy and wipe away as much of it as possible.
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Skip the frozen foods and stick to teething items
A lot of websites will tell you that you can give your child frozen foods such as carrots, bananas, or bagels to chew on while they’re teething, but these can actually end up being a choking hazard for them if a piece breaks off and they end up swallowing it. Stick to traditional teething rings; they’re designed to help your child and are a safer option than frozen foods.
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Massage their gums
Take your finger and massage their gums a few times a day to help ease some of the pain they’re encountering. It will help reduce some of the pressure they’re experiencing. You can also use some gauze or a washcloth to help massage their gums.
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Give them a lot of extra love
Toddler are in a lot of pain when they’re teething, so be sure to show them a lot of extra love during this time. As frustrated as you may be from hearing them cry, it’s important to remember that they’re crying out of pain and that they might just need some extra love and affection from their parents.
Soon enough the teething time will pass, so while it is happening just try to keep your little one as comfortable as possible. Giving them plenty of attention and hugs and kisses will help provide them with some extra comfort, and eventually it will all be a distant memory.
Got any baby teething techniques of your own? Do share it with the rest of us!
Author bio:
Jenny Ellis is a freelance writer, and a regular contributor for aupair jobs (Aupair.org). She welcomes your comments at: ellisjenny728(at)gmail(dot)com.