Teething Signs & Home Remedies for 0-12 Months Babies

When my daughter was teething, I tried every trick I heard or read about to get my cranky, irritated and drooling 8- months-old infant to go off to sleep. When all failed, I rushed her to her pediatrician to check if there was an SOS or a ‘natural’ painkiller I could give to comfort her, only to hear that ‘teething is a natural process and should not be controlled or intervened with a painkiller’. [Know - When Can Babies Start Teething?]

So, I was back home and braced myself for the countless nights, pacing the floors across rooms, bouncing her in my arms and frantically looking for solutions, while some of my other friends with babies of the same age, just said hello to their baby’s pearly whites without a fuss.

Common Teething Signs & Symptoms

Teething time can be overwhelming both for the baby and the parents. It is synonymous with crankiness, refusal to eat, and lots of wailing and crying. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Fussiness, whining crying and irritability
2. Red Cheeks
3. Swollen or sore gums
4. Biting 
5. Chewing
6. Loss of appetite
7. Ear pulling 
8. Drooling
9. Discomfort in sleeping

Some amount of patience and a few natural remedies can simplify the process and make it smoother for you and your baby.

Teething Natural Remedies in 0-12 Months Babies

I decided to go with what my pediatrician told me, ‘Keep it natural’. So, here is my list of natural remedies I tried to ease my daughter’s pain and help her get a good sleep.

Gum Massage

Try gentle gum massage. All you need is a clean finger dipped in cold water or a wet gauze pad. Massage in a circular motion, applying a little pressure all the while, for 2 minutes at a time. This will break down the gum tissue and soothe the baby. If one starts massaging the baby’s gums from day one, it will definitely make the teething much easier for the little one. Just be prepared for the occasional nibble. A word of caution- Avoid the use of gum paint or gel as there are questions about how safe these products are. It’s best to consult a doctor before using them. You may like Tips to Soothe Teething Process for your babies

Deal with Crankiness

Try and identify the fuss and discomfort coming from pain. Never ignore the crankiness. Try and distract the baby by talking or reading her favorite book.

Maintain Bedtime Routine

Maintaining the baby’s usual sleep routine, especially when the baby is fussy is very important, as this will help ensure that she is getting the required rest and relaxation. 

Feed Soft Foods

One can minimize gum irritation and soreness by feeding soft food, especially during the night. Foods like mashed and pureed vegetables, fruits and milk are great to be given at night.

Organic Teethers

Though there are plenty available in the market, do not go by the fancy shapes only. Always look for teethers that read BPA, Silicone, PVC, Phthalates, and Nitrosamine free. Look for natural, organic teethers that are 100% free of chemicals, dyes, synthetic or silicone. Look for more eco-friendly options such as organic cotton or wooden spoons or teethers.

Breastfeeding 

Breast milk is full of natural painkillers, so there is nothing better than breastfeeding a teething baby to relieve him from his pain. If a teething baby refuses to feed, try expressing the milk both to maintain the production of milk and relieve his pain. Expressed milk can be fed with a spoon or open cup to avoid sucking, which is sometimes painful during teething.

Amber Teething Necklaces 

Some of my friends used these extensively. The Amber beads of the necklace apparently have Succinic acid which is a natural pain reliever, anti-inflammatory and also calms the nervous system.  A word of caution here- The necklace should be worn by the baby for a short length so that the baby cannot easily grab and pull the necklace and also not to be worn at night. Also because the beads have healing properties of their own, it’s best to wrap these around the baby’s ankle and cover it with a sock to keep it warm against the baby’s skin. 

Chewable Toys

Look for good quality wooden toys—these are safe and gnawing on them can soothe the aching gums as textured surfaces tend to offer more relief. However, for safety sake, look for toys which don’t have small parts that could break off and pose a choking hazard. At Childmode, you can find the best teething toys for your babies.

Cold/ Frozen Stuff

Chilling your baby’s sore gums can provide some numbing action, which in turn can ease the pain and irritation. Some of the things that work wonders are-

• If the baby is a little older you can also soak the washcloth in chamomile tea for more comfort
• A chilled wooden or silver spoon big enough to be gnawed on by your little one
• A frozen popsicle made of breast milk or formula milk
• Frozen food - Frozen bananas, apple, slices, peaches, oranges, etc

Vegetables 

Both washed fresh or frozen vegetables are great options as teethers- natural alternatives to the store-bought teethers.  Some of the best veggies to use are- Refrigerated cucumber, pineapple. Pineapple has a great anti-inflammatory enzyme that helps sooth swelling. When using refrigerated chunks of vegetables or fruits, wrap them in a muslin cloth to minimize the chances of the child biting off a big chunk off them and choking on them. [Must Know - Which Foods to Avoid When Baby is Teething?]

Invest in Fresh Food Mesh

These are great, especially once your child’s first four teeth come in and he can bite small, chokable pieces of anything. Mesh is a great solution as it allows you to put food ( cut fruits and veggies) frozen or otherwise into a little mesh bag so that baby can only suck or eat small juicy portions without you worrying about him choking.

Miracle Remedies from Kitchen

Soothe those gums by rubbing a thin slice of gingerroot on his gums. You can also ground some cloves, mix it with water to make a paste and then apply it on the gums.  If you want to go simple, then just apply clove oil or almond oil on the gums.

Sippy Cups - Once your baby is 6 months or older, sippy cups can be great companions, fill these with cold water for them to suck for comfort.
Teething time can be overwhelming both for the baby and the parents. Just keep calm, keep different things handy and keep trying different things to see which works best at what stage and remember teething won’t last forever. Here’s hoping you all see those pearly whites pop up sooner.

Key Watch-out in Teething Babies

The process of teething differs from child to child. One cannot predict how long the process will last, or when it will begin. Read this

• The first set of teeth will be the worst experience in terms of discomfort and pain.

• The pain will subside but will take its own time, in most cases until the molars start becoming visible, usually after a baby’s first birthday.

• Sometimes, teething symptoms will appear months before a baby actually begins to teeth, while for others the distress period will be just 3 to 5 days before the tooth actually cuts through.

• A baby’s reaction to teething depends upon many factors like her tolerance for pain, how dense her gums are etc. 

• Despite what the old wives or others would have you believe, teething does not make your child sick and is not an illness that will need medication.       

Happy Teething moments!