Tips for Baby Teething Late at Night
Need ideas to soothe your baby teething late in the night? We hear you. Our friends at the American Academy of Pediatrics shared that most babies develop teeth between 6 – 12 months. Whether this is the first tooth or the fourth tooth, teething is a difficult time for child and parent alike. Your baby can’t tell you how bad it hurts and all the while you’re guessing at what you think will help alleviate your child’s pain.ðŸ˜
Giving pain medication for teething can help, but oftentimes it wears off too soon or the medication is limited to only being administered a certain number of times per day. Pain levels can spike in between doses. This can often leave a new parent wondering how best to help their new little one. Luckily, there are actually some useful tips and tricks that can save your baby from the misery of cutting new teeth. Let’s move on to the ways you can soothe your teething baby.
1. Baby Orajel (Benzocaine-free)
This is a helpful solution to soothe your teething baby because the gel numbs the gum tissue. It’s easy to apply and doesn’t cost a whole lot out of pocket.
Most babies don’t like it though because the gel is so effective at numbing, it will spread around and often numb parts, if not all, of the tongue as well! This can cause massive drooling, not to mention tears as your child suffers through a period of not being able to feel most of their mouth. This can also cause them to reject teething toys because they can’t feel the textures properly in their mouths when they explore their sense of taste.
Also, be sure the pain meds don’t have benzocaine, which can in some cases, cause rare medical issues.
2. Toys
It’s true. Teething toys can be an effective way to treat the cutting of new baby teeth and soothe your teething baby. Sometimes the different textures can massage the gum tissue. This in turn can help alleviate the pain or possibly cause a pleasurable pain that won’t make it so bad at least. The styles of teething toys vary and it may take several tries before finding the right one for your baby.
3. Applying Pressure
This would go hand-in-hand with the teething toys but you can also substitute your finger as well to soothe your teething baby, if the teeth are coming in the front. Make sure your hand is clean so as not to introduce germs into baby’s body. Then, just lightly press your pointer finger in horizontally and let your child clamp down to their heart’s content! It’s cheaper than a teething toy and it will work wonders for a time. Every child is different of course and some don’t much care for gnawing on a parent!
4. Cold and Pressure
This is an old school method so ancient, so forgotten by the younger generation, one would have to span the reaches of time and space to land somewhere in the 80’s to see it in action! Cold and pressure are a wonderful combination to soothe your teething baby. The pressure helps teeth cut through the gum tissue while the cold numbs the pain. This is great if you don’t want to dope up your child on pain meds. It is also good if you live on a tight budget. It is, however, not good for cutting back teeth. It’s really best for teeth that are coming through along the front of the mouth.
So how do you achieve maximum pain relief? Some companies still make teething rings that can be placed in the freezer. This is your best bet. They are firm, won’t freeze over on the outside, and the cold helps alleviate the pain. Another strategy is to freeze a washcloth.
5. Introduce Hard Foods
This may be a good time to introduce hard foods if your baby is old enough. Harder foods can help massage gum tissue as baby gnaws away on his or her snack or meal. This ‘massage’ can help soothe a teething baby. Vegetables such as carrots or a peeled cucumber are smart choices to start with. Make sure to cut them into bite-sized pieces though so as not to pose as a choking hazard!
6. Drool
This is one culprit that is often overlooked when babies are teething. Most parents already know that cutting new teeth is going to cause problems with excess saliva. However, many do not know that if left on the face, excessive drool can lead to skin irritation. Be sure to wipe away any extra saliva as it trails out of your baby’s mouth to make the teething process a little easier.
7. Herbal Remedies
To help soothe your teething baby, dampen a washcloth with some herbal tea and place in the freezer for about five minutes or so. Not sure which herbs to explore? Rose hips is a good one if you’re looking for a way to reduce inflammation. Catnip calms, chamomile soothes, and cloves are a natural anesthetic. All are good choices that will help make the teething process a little easier for both you and your baby.
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