Lately, I must admit, I have not been getting much sleep. The struggle has been real since the birth of our youngest son. The first few weeks we brought him home were rough due to breastfeeding. You would think after four previous kids I would be a pro but just like each pregnancy is different, each breastfeeding experience is different. For me, it was always trying to get the initial latching of baby to breast down and then waiting for my milk to come in. That’s a story for another day. If you're needing tips or encouragement on breastfeeding you can find that here.
When it comes to bedtime in a house full of children, that special hour is GOLDEN. It's the time of night when we as parents get to relax and unravel for the day.
When there's a new little one in the house that time is shaved and you can count on the new baby to keep you even busier.
I always tell myself it's going to be okay because I know it's temporary, but it still doesn’t make things easier. It’s not easy on baby either. Baby is trying to get adapted to being outside of the comfortable enclosed womb that he's been in for all his life until now. Once your baby begins to figure it out they begin to start sleeping a little longer at night. Well, at least this was the way it was with all my children. The first few months were rough and then they slept well for 2-3 more months. Once you start to enjoy the sleep that you had been deprived of for so long (feels like a century) you wake up one night and realize it has started all over again............
Does this sound familiar?
Every night, for the past week, at 2:00 am on the dot, your baby has been waking up. You’ve worked so hard to get your little one to sleep through the night and now it feels like you’re starting all over again.
What in the world is going on?
This happens to a majority of parents and I’m here to tell you that most of the time it’s because baby is going through the teething process. The teething process is tough on everyone.
Teething is a stage that every baby must go through and starts anywhere from as early as 4 months old to 3 years old. Every baby is different so the timing will be various for each. Normally, little ones get their lower central incisors aka lower front teeth first and then their upper central incisors aka top front teeth next. Sometimes they will even have all four top teeth come in all at once as you see in the picture. Yikes! Can you imagine? Not one but four coming in at a time? A painful sensation is felt as your baby's teeth are slowly pushing through the gums. If you’ve ever had wisdom teeth, then you can probably relate. This is a tough process for parents and babies. You may even feel overwhelmed and that’s okay. Just try to remember that this doesn’t last long, and that baby is probably just as irritable as you, if not worse.
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied in caffeine. Thanks!
During this process there are several things you can do to help ease the process for your baby.
Below are some safe and natural methods you can use to help ease the discomfort your little one is going through.
1. Rub your baby's gums.
You can do this with a clean finger, a cold metal spoon or baby toothbrush using slight pressure.
2. Give them a frozen washcloth.
After you wet a small washcloth, wring out the excess water and then place it in a zip lock bag in the freezer. Once it freezes, take it out of the bag and give it to your baby to chew on.
3. Cold Pureed Foods
Offer your baby cold pureed foods such as applesauce, yogurt, pears, etc. Whatever your baby likes. Yogurt pops are also great because you can freeze them and then cut them in half for a nice chilled treat. You can also give them frozen fruit in a baby mesh food holder. It's perfect because they can hold it and you don't have to worry about them choking.
4. Distraction.
You can do this by tickling, cuddling, singing, or reading to them. Babies love all the attention they can squeeze out of mommy or daddy.
5. Rubber or silicone chew toys.
Out of all the teething toys we've given to our children we like these the best. We received this silicone teething toy as a gift from some close friends and at first, I thought it was some kind of joke. We were getting ready to eat dinner and he handed us a rib appeteether to give to the baby. We laughed and then watched our little guy go to town on it. What's great about this toy is that it's BPA, Phthalate, PVC, and Lead-free. It also comes in several varieties such as chicken wing, bacon, broccoli, carrots, pineapple, pizza, ice cream, and several others. This makes a perfect baby shower gift and you'll have everyone laughing at the thought of it.
6. Teething mitten.
If your baby has red cracked hands from them chomping down on them all the time, this is the perfect alternative. Teething mittens come in several varieties and they keep your baby's hands from getting red and chapped. You can also find teething socks.
7. Breastfeeding.
This is always best because there's nothing better than the warmth and comfort of momma.
As much as I prefer to use natural methods the majority of the time, I do agree there is a time and place for medicine. Some babies just really need something to take the edge off, especially when it's the middle of the night and they just can't sleep. If your baby is getting no relief and is simply just having a horrible time, you can always use Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Be sure to talk to your child's pediatrician first. Both of these medications can be harmful if taken incorrectly or if used in conjunction with other medications. These medications are also dosed based upon your child's weight so you will also need an accurate weight on your little one so they are not over or underdosed.
I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you and your baby get some relief soon. Thanks for reading!
