Teething Fussiness

Try Hyland's teething tablets. They are homeopathic and totally safe and even work better than Tylenol or Ibuprofen and you can even use them along with Tylenol or Ibuprofen if need be. You can find them most any where (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aide, Stop& Shop, Shaws, Walmart, Target and so on). They worked wonders for my son!!

Hi, I don't know how long this will satisfy but my son was the same way from @ 4pm to 7pm around that age and he loved sucking and gnawing on a cold face cloth. Good luck!

Hi L.,

The 2 responses you have received so far are really good. Here is another idea--for activity, you already have the info on trying to take the pain away--Do you have a swing set? Or a park with a playground nearby? Our 15 month old is in the process of getting her first molar--also is just getting over 2 ear infections and has been undergoing a series of surgeries on her hands, yes, all at the same time (and you can imagine what it is like to try to entertain this child!)--and she absolutely loves the swings. I can push her so long and she just blissfully looks around at all of the distractions around her. She watches the trees, birds, other adults, kids, looks at the play equipment. She has an absolute ball. I wish that I had thought of it sooner--it all started in early April. We also do the baby einstein stuff and walks in the stroller, but it is going to the park that has really entertained her.

Good luck.

I hardly use tylenol, I prefer to use Motrin. I find it more effective with teething pain. Teething can be so difficult especially if they are getting more than one at a time. My little girl is getting a top and a bottom molar in and this past weekend she was so sick from it. Poor kids. :(
I used to have ice pops and let my Sophia suck on them (with me closely watching & sharing a little too lol). Pedialyte makes some freezer pops that will be ok for your baby. But as for you trying to keep her mind off the teething - it sounds like you have a great list of distractions for her.

Hi L.,

I can definitely sympathize with you, I am going through the same thing with my beautiful 10 month old daughter. Yesterday was the worst day, the only time she didn't fuss was in the stroller, on the swings at the park and when my neighbors 6 year old daughter came out to play with us in our sandbox. It's a case of just short bursts of entertainment with a lot of repatition throughout the day. But it could be worse, I hear that boys are worse during teething! Hang in there,we'll all get through it.

I found that motrin worked much better than tylenol. Tylenol did not work at all for my daughter and motrin lasts longer as well

Hyland's Teething Tablets. You can get them at any drugstore or grocery store. I swear by these...they have helped all three of my kids with the pain of teething.

Good luck! I hope it helps.

I think it is Sassy that makes this food net thing that will hold an apple slice, icecube etc. so the baby can eat it and not choke on it. Freeze some baby food into icecubes and put into the little net thing and the baby will love the cold on her teeth. Or you can freeze peach slices or other fruit. You can get this at babies r us. My baby loves this thing.

Have you tried any homeopathic remedies? My son likes Gentle Naturals (with Pooh Bear on the front). I got it at Rite Aid.

Sometimes cold things can help - there are teething rings that go in the freezer, or a lot of moms freeze a wet washcloth so the baby can suck on something cold and rough-textured at the same time. If you can find all-juice popsicles and just cut off a little at a time, that can help. Or free juice in a small ice cube tray with a lollipop stick inserted when it is half frozen. Getting out in the good weather can help. There are many farms with petting areas or animal viewing areas - if they are working farms or orchards, they don't charge for you to get in and just look at the cows, turkeys, etc. There are several in Westboro/Northboro for example - not sure where you live. But the "distractor factor" is really helpful!

Our ped. suggested Hylands teething tablets. They are concentrated chamomile and worked well to calm our son down. We also found that motrin worked better than tylenol. Good luck!

Hi L.,

I also have a 7 mo old baby girl. What works for her are Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets. They can be given 2 at a time, every hour, for 6 hours, if need be, or 2-3 tablets every 4 hours. They dissolve very quickly and easily. I rub them into her gums as they dissolve. They don't cause any drowsiness or anything like that, unless the baby has been crying for a while before feeling comfort. These are great, and come 125 tablets in each container. I'd rather give the baby these tablets than Tylenol, so that she's not unnaturally sleepy. Good luck!

M.

Motrin works better for teething than tylenol - it actually helps reduce the swelling and lasts longer too.

Try freezing and letting her chew on: wet sponges in small plastic bags, the corner of a washcloth, bagels, any kind of fruit and putting it in that baby fruit bag thing.

I have found that there are two bad teething phases - one when they first start coming in and then again right when they're about to break through. Just be careful though, if she seems really fussy, you might want to get her checked out for an ear infection - they often show up the same way.

Good luck!

Hi L.,

When my girls were teething, I'd give them frozen blueberries to gnaw on. They tasted great and the cold felt wonderful on their tender little gums. The core of a fresh pineapple is also good, especially chilled. They can apply pressure teething on it and enjoy the little bits that come off to eat. I also gave my girls big carrots to gnash, which they loved for the cold and the hard surfaces, but it freaked out a nurse friend who was worried about choking should a chunk come lose. So, just watch your daughter carefully any time she's eating. She'll love these cold hard treats, and I bet it'll give you lots of smiles watching her maw them!

One more thought... one of my daughters got an ear infection every time she cut a new tooth which made her very fussy. I guess the fluids would back up in her ears. You may want to check her ears out with her doctor too if soothing the gums or distracting her isn't working. (If you trust in chiropractics, there's a very simple adjustment they can do to unblock the passage; there's still no evidence that the antibiotics really work, as an ear infection will typically heal itself in ten days.)

Good luck!

Our best teething aids are teething biscuits and the gel-filled teething rings that you can chill in the fridge. Gives our daughter loads of relief to just work those gums.

I also recommend a good glass of wine... for you and your partner after baby has gone to bed at night! Works wonders after a tough day!

Just to second the teething necklace idea, several families we've met with teething kids have used them and think they're great. To clarify, your kid doesn't teethe ON the necklace. They're short enough they can't reach them by mouth, so it's not a choking hazard. They're made of resin that releases a natural analgesic when it's heated (i.e. worn on the body). Good luck!

Hi there!
I am a SAHM of twin girls, 13 months old! SO, I definitely understand the fussiness! I recently heard of an amber necklace that babies can wear. My chiro told me about it and said her patients swear by it for their little ones! I am in the process of getting them for my girls today! She said they still drool but that they are less cranky. My girls also enjoyed watching Finding Nemo. I found the water and the colors soothing for them.
Hope that helps!!
Good Luck!
S.

can you put her in her highchair and give her something cool to gum on? My kids liked whole, peeled carrots and whole pickles. They didn't have any teeth at the time and couldn't get large chunks of them off. If there are little tiny one poking up they could only scrape a little of the carrot off.