The Nightmare They Call Teething

Random cranky days, disturbed sleep, unexpected moody episodes, refusal to eat or an appetite bigger than a horse, fevers, attachment to one person, refusal to be sat down, diarrhea or vomiting.

Is this a nightmare?! Close but not quite. Your little one is teething. And it’s only just beginning. Typically, your child will have about 20 baby teeth come in before you can say you are past that phase. Some kids get all of their teeth really fast and easy. Others have a really tough time with it, and their baby teeth come in much slower or delayed. 

Sometimes, if I’m honest, I have called Oakley’s tough times teething even if it might not have been. It’s SO hard to tell. So, some things to look for aside from the very dramatic symptoms listed at the beginning of this post would be gnawing or pulling at things with their gums, rubbing the tender areas, pulling away from you when touching sore gums, grinding teeth already present, excessive drooling, redness or swelling in gum area, rash on their face, and/or flushed cheeks. 

I’ll go ahead and warn you now, if you are looking for a mom that uses ZERO medicines to help with teething issues, you won’t find her here. We try to very minimally use medication to treat symptoms, but I know how I feel when I’m sick or in pain, so sometimes Oakley needs some extra help.  Along with what OTC medicines we use, I’ll give you guys some tips and tricks we have found work great to manage teething symptoms. 

• Breastmilk cloths 

Oakley is a huge fan of this one! And it would be my number one recommendation for managing swelling, pain, tenderness, etc. Take some refrigerated or freshly expressed breastmilk and place in a small bowl. Dip one section of a washcloth into the breastmilk so it absorbs a decent amount. Place whatever number of washcloths you choose to make in a plastic tupperware container with a lid into the freezer. Give it some time and once frozen solid, they are ready! As needed, grab one washcloth, wet it so the frozen part doesn’t stick to your child’s tongue (learned that the hard way), and allow your kiddo to gnaw and chew on the cloth until their interest is gone or symptoms clear up. 

• Camilia 

We were gifted this medicine in a baby shower goody basket prior to Oakley being born. I hadn’t heard of it before, so we were skeptical at first. After some research and talking to family in the healthcare field, we decided to try it and see how Oakley did with taking it. Camilia really helps alleviate teething symptoms fast! We see a notable difference in Oakley’s mood a few minutes after taking it. She doesn’t fight us on taking it either! It is a dye- free liquid already sorted into suggested dosages, so no need to have a syringe cleaned and ready.  

• Cold washcloth 

If your little one is running a fever, take a wet, cold washcloth and place on their forehead or on the back of their neck. This helps to bring their body temperature down and allow them to relax a little better. Oakley tolerated having a cold cloth against her skin best if she was halfway asleep and winding down for the night. 

• Get outside

Oakley is a HUGE fan of being outside. I have noticed that even a few minute walk around the yard will help distract and calm her down if she’s gotten moody, inconsolable, and in pain due to teething. We also use our Chicco Bravo Stroller multiple days throughout the week to take walks through the neighborhood. Hello warmer weather!!! 

Here’s the tricky part: a lot of viruses and stomach bugs when kids are this age can be easily chalked up to teething since symptoms are so widely varied and involve multiple body systems at random. Try some of the remedies and tricks listed above! If those don’t seem to help, I recommend consulting with your little one’s pediatrician. Even if it is just teething, it’s always smart to be overly cautious when it comes to their health. Plus, that’s what healthcare workers are here for! If your kiddo is running a fever and/or has been exposed to sickness in recent days, you might consider giving a dose of Tylenol. That will cover all of your bases no matter the underlying issue. Even if it were just teething pain, Tylenol will help alleviate that, too! 

To the parents who choose natural remedies and zero interest in the world of medicine, you’re doing great! To the parents who exhaust all natural efforts but don’t hesitate to use medicines as needed, you’re doing great, too!  No matter your parenting style and preferences, I hope you found this post helpful! Be sure to double up on the coffee during the thick of teething. You’re going to need it! 

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