It doesn’t matter how many children you’ve had; certain phases in your baby’s development will feel extremely challenging.
New parents especially start feeling overwhelmed when they can’t do anything to reduce their child’s distress, and unfortunately, teething comes with a lot of discomfort. Whether you’re a first-time parent or your new baby doesn’t respond to the remedies you used with your older children, we can help.
What Causes Pain and Discomfort During the Teething Years?
Teething is a completely natural process, so there’s nothing wrong with your baby if he or she is experiencing pain just before a new tooth breaks through. Knowing how to help your baby could become simpler if you understand the exact cause of the challenge.
The process of a milk tooth pushing through the gums results in that specific area becoming swollen and painful. This is especially the case in babies with dense gums. The symptoms can be more extensive, such as the cheeks becoming red and the baby drooling more than usual, sucking on items more or rubbing their gums.
Unfortunately, for some, it may even lead to disrupted eating and nap schedules, and that’s why knowing how to soothe teething baby at night tips are so important. After all, every parent knows that lack of sleep can affect overall health and mood.
Remember that each child is unique, so the amount of pain and how they respond to teething and remedies will differ. Therefore, don’t expect your second or third child to behave or feel exactly as your first child did.
5 Tips to Try to Help Your Teething Baby Sleep Better
Cold Food, Drinks or Items
Start off by trying to get your baby calmer and into a better mood before naptime or bedtime. They can’t chew or eat while sleeping, but offering them chilled or cold items in the time leading up to their nap may help them settle quicker. It can be as simple as a cold drink of water, a crunchy carrot if your child is old enough, or a chilled teething ring.
Important note: Teething rings can be cold, but don’t freeze them as this may be too hard for your baby’s mouth and may hurt them while they chew on it.
Pain Medication
For some babies, teething can be extremely painful. Even though a tooth may only take a few days to finally break through the gums, not getting any quality sleep for that period can have an adverse effect. In such a case, pain medication is a practical option and the relief can be long enough for everyone to at least catch some shut-eye.
Medication is also a sensible remedy if teething leads to severe symptoms like fever, which is bound to cause sleeplessness.
Important tip: read instructions carefully and consult your doctor about the appropriate dosage if you’re unsure.
Homeopathic Remedies
On today’s market you’ll find prescription or OTC medicine but also natural and homeopathic remedies for teething. Some of them come in powder form, which is fairly easy to apply by rubbing it onto the gums. You can do it while your baby is lying down so your baby can drift back to sleep once they feel the pain subside.
Managing the Dribble
The discomfort that’s keeping your baby from sleeping could be exacerbated by the side effects of teething, such as increased drooling. It can lead to rashes in the area around the mouth or even on the body if their clothes also get wet. Keep a soft, dry cloth on hand to keep these areas dry and drool-free as much as possible. By limiting their irritability, you boost the chances of them falling asleep easily.
Cuddles with Mom or Dad
As is the case with many challenges your baby will face, few things are as comforting to them as a parent’s presence. It’s no different during the teething years! You may need to sacrifice the luxury of your own bed for a few nights, but holding your baby close could be comforting – and enough of a distraction – so he or she will cry less and sleep better.
Final Words
Of course, each baby is unique, so don’t get discouraged if the first tip doesn’t immediately have the outcome you’re hoping for. Work through these tried and tested methods, and there’s sure to be one that will bring relief to those itchy, painful gums.
Best of all, better sleep for your baby means you’ll get more quality sleep as well. And that will benefit the entire household as you’ll have more energy to enjoy each other and give your baby your best.
