My son is almost 5 months and for the last week he has been crazy. He usually sleeps through the night, doesn't cry much, and just really happy. He got his 4 mth shots and I thought maybe that was why he was acting weird but it has continued long after that. I don't have many friends with children, my family lives 2 hours away, and daddy is in the military so is gone. My mom told me he was teething when I was there for fathers day. He is drooling/saliving alot, he is fussy/cranky/whiney, his gums are hardened/swollen, he has this rash on his cheek, been waking at night. I have been giving him some meds b4 bed to ease the pain and have been comforting him all the time. I work too, so I am just beat with the lack of sleep and the fussiness. Any suggestions, I want my sweet baby back, and feeling good. I have the oral gel and he hates it. I have teethers but he wont hold them bcuz too cold for hands. I have a bunch of toys that are suppose to be good. I even have these cookies that are suppose to be good. He is still so sweet but I can tell he isn't feeling like himself. How long will this last? Any advice on teething.
I just wanted to say thank you to all who posted advice and concern. It is nice to hear from mommies. I did get the hyland teething tablets, they do help. I really like the ideas about wash clothes and different toys to use. I also used motrin and that seemed to really help with the pain. He has his ups and downs, so I hope it just keeps getting easier. I also wanted to say a friend told me about these teething cookies, so far those are his favorites...yet very messy. So I wanted to share that too with you all. Again thank you and I will let you know when I see that first tooth!!!
When my kids were teething, I bought new little washcloths and used refrigerated (filtered) water, squeezed most of it out, then let them play with them. They have something to do with their mouths and their hands, and the cool water soothes their gums.
They took them everywhere and I never had a teething issue after I discovered it!
Not to sound like a broken record but.... the Teething Tablets by Hylands are amazing. Neither one of mine could stand the ora-gel and we finally found that and it was a total life saver.
Good luck.
He may be teething but it could also very likely be from his shots. I would strongly encourage you to research vaccinations. You will be surprised at what you find! Blessings...
i am very sorry you're going through this, this is what i have done with all my kids & it helps ALOT...get a dry wash rag and put one cube of ice in the center then wrap it with a rubberband very tight so he can't pull it off then crush it with a hammer, the end of the rag won't be too cold for his hands and when he teeth start to come in if he bleeds alittle the rag will soak it up...also, orajel only before bed..studies have now shown that giving a baby orajel routinely can cause stomach problems because it numbs the stomach & intestines and makes it harder for them to digest food & have a bowel movement & it constipates them. give tylenol according to weight for the pain...you'll have your little angel back in no time. good luck & god bless!
There's actually no evidence that meds work for pain for children under age 8, so I recommend getting teething tablets or drops instead. They are homeopathic and have been proven to help. You can also try Arnica (also found in the homeopathic aisle) some people swear by it, others don't see a difference in their babies. Orajel also helps some but not all, it's worth a try. I believe Hylands now makes a gel as well as the teething tablets. You can find both in the baby aisle at Kroger or Whole Foods.
Teething can be quick and not noticable, or drawn out. We didn't even know my son was teething when he got the first 8 in front until they popped through. But the molars created big nasty blood blisters and kept him up at night:(
Dip some of a wash cloth in juice and freeze it and let him teeth on it. There are some teethers that are safe in the freezer, others are only safe in the fridge.
I hope it's over soon! :)
I have three daughters and this worked like a charm while they were teething and continues to on my youngest. First put a cool damp wash cloth on his head because teething usually involves a slight fever also. Then either give him another damp rag but this one to chew on. (I usually put theirs in the freezer for about 5 minutes but a cold damp one will work also) They also like to suck on popscicles if you can handle the mess. With it being summer just put him in his high chair in a diaper and let him suck a little at a time. I keep a small plate nearby to sit it on in between eating it. I would also give them a dose of Tylenol in the morning and before bed. This is a long process and their teeth come in at different times but this should eliminate some of the pain. Hope this helps:)
Hi T.!!
I personally have tried to steer clear of the gel for fear that it get on more than her gums (tongue) and would have difficulty swallowing afterwards. I have never heard of the tablets before. My 2nd daughter had similar symptoms for about 1 -2 months before any teeth popped through. At night I would give her tylenol and a bottle - sometimes it being cold would help. Also, if you take a washcloth and dampen a corner and then stick it in the freezer, that can be a good teether because the non wet end he can hold. She also used the rubber coated spoons as teethers, though she was a little older so I didn't fear her choking herself.
Hopefully relief will come soon for your son and you.
Hi T.,
I feel for you going through this alone.
I found Teething Tablets in the baby isle at CVS and they are tablets you put under your childs tongue and they somehow help the gums soften and the teeth come through easier. Don't ask me how it all works...I just know it worked wonders for my son. (Every child is different)
(Sometimes, I would just put the tablets into his bottle and it did just as well as putting them under his tongue)
I'd also give him Tylenol to help him with the pain.
A friend of mine said she would give Tylenol every 4 hours when her kids were teething and it really helped them.
I hope this helps!
T.
Hi,
Hang in there. Hyland teething tablets regularly and tylenol as needed. Also elevating one side of the bed a bit. We found night time was our biggest challenge. If they were elevated...they seemed to be in less pain.
Best of Luck,
Susie
Twiwns that just turned 2!!!
If you can find Teething Tablets by Dr. Scholl(not sure if that is how his name is spelled) they work wonders! If he continues you may want to take him to see his Dr as he may be able to give you something stronger or it may be something a little more serious. Good Luck!
Oh, T., I feel your pain! My daughter also was sweet and turned into the devil from teething. Just try to comfort him as much as possible; I know it's hard when you're so tired. I use acetaminophen and homeopathic calming drops called camillia. They really seem to help. I also found teethers that I put in the fridge -- not the freezer -- and that have something to hold that doesn't get so cold, like a handle. Just know that it will pass! My daughter's in a good phase right now, but she got four teeth REALLY quickly. The first one popped up, followed by the second three days later. It can be crazy. Just try to be patient. He'll be sweet again!!
Also, it lasts a different amount of time for each kid. I think my daughter is just having a break; they teethe for a couple years in spurts. You'll get better at managing the pain.
My son loves teething tablets, they are 100% natural and you put them under his tounge and they disolve, as he gets older you can just put them in his mouth and he will gum them, or if your not comfortable with the tablets they have drops too that are the same, you can get them at CVS, Wallgreens, any drug store really you can find them in the baby section and I tried some and they really do just numb the mouth so I would try that along with the pain meds your giving him and hopefully that will relax him. Good luck and I hope you find something your comfortable with.
T.,
Have you tried Hyland's teething tablets? Meijers and Walmart both carry them. They disolve easily and work wonders. I was a little unsure about them b/c they're homeopathic, but they work a ton better than orajel.
I would like to suggest frozen waffles. Let him chew on them they will help and he will probably like them. My children (all 4) liked foods they could hold and chew. I don't recommend the teething biscuits because they are messy and at least my children did not like them. The gerber puffs and wagon wheels were a big hit. They will melt in his mouth so not a choking hazard and he can chew for at least a minute. I've been told a cold wet washcloth is also good to use.
Have you tryed teething tablets? They are tiny, and disolve quickly in the mouth. They are by Hilands and I've used them with all three of my kids, and boy do they work. Now, don't freak if your son falls asleep fast afterward, that's because the baby's pain is relieved. They are also cheap. Good luck, it does get easier.(you can find them at the grocery store.)
T.,
I completely understand. My daughter is now 6 months and happy again but betwen 4 and 5 months she experienced the same thing that your son is. She had been sleeping all night and then began waking every couple of hours b/c of teething. I rubbed infant tylenol on her gums. That seemed to soothe her the best. As soon as the tylenol was on her gums, she calmed down and stopped chewing on everything that she could find. Good luck!!
As far as teething rings/toys go, neither of my sons liked to use them. I would give it to them and they would play with it, but neither liked to actually use them for teething. I tried all shapes and sizes, but no luck.
We use cloth diapers as burp rags and would let the baby hold it when we were done burping. What we found is that they both really liked to "gum" the heck out of them. They are sturdy, 100% Cotton, and the baby can manipulate them to get it where they need it. All the receiving blankets that we had that were now too small for the baby worked nicely too.
As far as nighttime goes, give your baby some Tylenol about an hour before bedtime. It should help take the edge off of the nighttime pain.
It is going to last until the teeth or tooth comes through. He may not like the orajel but it will help some. Let him chew on a cool wet wash cloth. You can wrap up the teethers in a cloth and just leave a part exposed so it isn't as cold on his hands. Teething is a tough time for both parents and baby.
D.
I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7 and 4.
It's hard to deal with, but there isn't a whole lot you can do! =) My daughter got her first tooth at 10 months...and she began teething around 4 or 5 months. But she popped teeth through pretty quickly. My son began teething for quite a while before actually pushing any teeth through, as well. And his were all slow to come in. He'd have "signs" for weeks...eventually we'd see a tooth, then a day or two later, it wouldn't be there anymore...then a week or so later it would come back. It was slow-moving like this the whole time. We didn't want to constantly give him Tylenol. We would if he really needed it, but we also gave him a cold, wet washcloth to gnaw on for a while. We tried the teething tablets, too. They didn't seem to help much for our son.
Good luck. He'll have a mouth full of beautiful teeth before you know it! :)
T. try teething tablets you can find them at a natural health food store. Or if you have a Vitamin shoppe near you they are all natural. It also comes in a liquid but the tablets melt under the tongue. You will notice a differenc in moments! Good luck.
M.
As someone else mentioned, you might try Hylands Teething Tabs. They worked well for our baby. Good luck!
My grandson was just like this. Teething is no fun for you or him. My daughter found out from a friend to get teething tablets at the drugstore. They are great. They sell them in the baby section with all of the teething stuff. These are fabulous. They do wonders for them. It will make him feel so much better. They can be dissolved under his tongue or dissolved in water and give to him in a spoon. You've just got to try them.It's sold in a real small bottle and are just called teething tablets. It will help him in a matter of minutes.
T.,
Everyone has to find something that works the best for their baby. It's so hard to find sanity during teething times though, so we definitely feel your pain. My sister bought me some nighttime orajel at wal-mart and that was a total lifesaver! It worked enough to get our daugther to sleep and she usually was less of a crank when she woke up. We also used a lot of Tylenol during those times. As far as teethers go, my daughter never liked them much either. We found that there was a teether that vibrated when the baby bit on it and she really liked it. SHe's 20 months now and is getting her eye teeth and I even found her biting on it the other day. :) THere are also toys out there that look like rags with different textures on the corners. We had one and she really liked that too. My friend let her kids chew on a dowel rod...like I said in the beginning, you have to find what's right for your son. I really hope that you find something that works and that your son gets through his "devilish" stages soon. GOOD LUCK!
