Teething gets blamed for it all. Fussy baby? It’s probably teething. Your baby is drooling a lot, his hands are always in his mouth and his cheeks are red. Yup, teething. He wakes up multiple times a night. Could be teething. Let’s debunk a few myths about teething and learn how and why you can have a baby that sleeps well and has teeth.
Most babies get their first tooth between 4-7 months of age. And, they continue to teethe until about 2.5 years old. That’s a long time to go with disrupted sleep. If you’ve got a great sleeper on your hands, I’ll share a couple of tips to keep it going. If your baby is not sleeping well, I do not recommend working on sleep if you know for sure a tooth is erupting. Give it 3 days or so and then make improving sleep a priority. Most babies who sleep well are less disrupted by teething.
Symptoms Teething Does NOT Cause
If you suspect your baby is teething there are a few things to look out for, which I will go over next, but the list below is things that teething does not cause and are often reason to reach out to your baby’s pediatrician.
Fever (104 degrees or higher)
Diarrhea
Rash
Excessive crying
Runny Nose or congestion
Rejecting breastfeeding or bottle-feeding
Symptoms Teething CAN Cause
Teething typically causes minor discomfort a few days before the tooth erupts and possibly a day or two after. It should not be the cause of weeks or months of disrupted sleep.
Slight increase in temperature (less than 101 degrees)
Decreased interest in solid foods
Inflammation of gums and seeing a tiny white bud of a tooth underneath the gums
You might also see excessive drooling, but babies start to drool around 3 months old when their salivary glands are really developing. So lots of drool doesn’t mean a tooth is comings. Another big maybe is a baby putting everything in their mouth. Yes, if a tooth is coming a baby will put things in their mouth to relieve the discomfort, but putting hands (and whatever else) in baby’s mouth is how a baby explores the world.
If you are still wondering if your baby is waking up from teething you can always try picking them up. If picking baby immediately stops crying, it’s safe to say he is not uncomfortable from teething and most likely struggling to get back to sleep for another reason.
My Baby Is Teething. What Can I Do?
If your baby is already a great sleeper, maintaining consistency with how you respond is super important so that you are not confusing him. For example, if you haven’t done a middle-of-the-night feed in months, don’t reintroduce one now. If your baby sleeps in his own crib, don’t pull him into bed with you when they have an unexpected night waking. Allow him to fall back asleep in his sleep space as you offer reassurance and comfort. Go back to the methods you used when teaching him to be a rock star sleeper.
Tips For Teething
Teething/chew toys
Frozen washcloth- dip part of a washcloth in water and stick it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. Allow baby to hold on to the part of the washcloth that is not frozen while the frozen part goes in his mouth and relieves discomfort.
Speak to your pediatrician about using Tylenol or Motrin for 1-3 nights to reduce inflammation and discomfort until the tooth erupts.
Recap
Babies teethe until they are 2.5 years old
Don’t let teething be the reason your family isn’t sleeping well
Know what is a symptom of teething and what is not a symptom
Frozen washcloths on chew toys are great ways to ease discomfort
If your baby is a great sleeper, maintain consistency during teething so that he doesn’t become confused
I’m here for all of your sleep struggles, teething or not. So book a 15-minute discovery call with me to talk about your little’s sleep and how your life can be transformed with great sleep.