Want to know what symptoms Charlie had and how we help him while he’s #teething. These are just some of what we had to deal with. Stick to the end to find out the best purchase we made for making teething bearable, not only for Charlie but for us too.
I remember the exact moment I realised Charlie had started teething. He was particularly grumpy on this day and all I wanted was for the him to stop whinging, just for 10 minutes. His #temperature was slightly higher than normal and I kept finding pools of drool everywhere.
His ear was periodically pressed on his shoulder and his hands seemed to be a constant fixture in his mouth. He had the reddest cheeks ever and the final tell-tale sign for me was something I really didn’t expect.
I was changing his nappy and he had tiny cracks on his bum which were bleeding. The first thing I did was call the mothership, aka Nana. After telling her ALL the symptoms, she simply said, ‘he’s teething’. Bleeding cracks on his bum were a cause of teething, I know I’m new at this but come on!
Teething can do strange things to a baby’s whole body! In some cases, it can cause your little one’s bowel movements to become more acidic which can be a cause of a cracked bum. He hates nappy changes when these little white devils start to poke through the gums. So, I try to keep the area clean and dry and let as much air get to it as possible, without having piss covered carpets.
I found Water Wipes an absolute lifesaver for these times as they are 99.9% water and safe for sensitive skin. If your wanting to go down the reusable wipe route though (which I’m very tempted to do), you should check out Cheeky Wipes. There’re a few different bundles available on their website to fit your needs. https://www.cheekywipes.com/
What about the Phantom Earache. This is the one which I have noticed more recently now the molars are coming through. While teething, you may have found your baby is pressing their ear against their shoulder, then you find yourself in a blind panic that they have an ear infection. The nerves in our gums are connected throughout our bodies. Which means when these nerves are triggered with aches and pains their ears feel it and become more sensitive too. I’ve heard that these symptoms don’t last too long and mostly occur when the nasty molars are making their way through.
I will add though, I am in no way a medical professional just a google professional and if those mummy instincts kick in and tell you to get them checked out, take them to your GP to put your own mind at ease, I know I did, a few times!
The thing that used to get to me was that every time Charlie had something wrong with him, a temperature, grumpiness etc, it was always ‘down to him teething’. Actually, generally it was due to him teething, never mind. One thing I will say though is be prepared for lots of chewing, biting, gnawing and chomping.
Ok, so we’ve talked a little bit about the symptoms but what about the remedies. How can you have at least 10 minutes of crying, pain free peace. Here’s my top 5 way to ease the incisors, calm the canines, pacify the premolars and mitigate the molars.
1. Lots and lots of cuddles and keep them occupied. Baby shark is on repeat on my head, I can’t get the dam song out of it, but it’s been a life saver when Charlies been upset.
2. Teething Gel – there’s a few on the market but we used Detinox. Put a small amount of gel on a clean fingertip and massage gently on your baby’s gum. This really helped Charlie at the beginning when the first few teeth poked their way through.
3. Calpol – the holy grail of the baby world. Whenever Charlie gets a temperature and becomes a grumpy little monster we give him this liquid gold.
4. An Ice Lolly/Ice Cream – not only will this help alleviate the temperature, but your baby can suck on it, which can hopefully help ease the pain.
5. The last thing I want to talk about is Gummee! Every parent should have at least one of their products in their arsenal. #Gummee have a wide selection of teething aids to cater for every stage of your baby’s first few years!
The first stage is for 0-3 months. Anti-Scratch teething mittens for when they just want to eat their hands.
The second stage is for 3-6 months. The Gummee Glove. This is an ideal teether for when their teeth are first coming in. The best thing about these gloves are they have a Velcro wrist strap, which means they are perfect for babies who haven’t quite got the pincer movement yet and the gloves are safe from falling on the floor.
The third stage is for 6-10 months. Gummee have a few different options including the Gummee Glove Plus, Link n’ Teeth Set and a silicone heart shaped teether.
The next stage is where we are at and I can honestly say it has been a GUMSAVER! The Molar Mallet is exceptionally designed for when those pesky molars start to make an appearance.
The actual teether part has a multi textured head to help ease and stimulate the gums. The shape of the head also helps to reach the back teeth. I always supervise with toys etc but with the molar mallet I know Charlie is safe from choking as it has a special guard which helps prevent babies from putting them too far in their mouths. We take the molar mallet everywhere with us and he actively seeks it out now which give me an inkling of when his gums and teeth are bothering him. One of the best things is it had a weight in the bottom, it’s like a weeble, it never falls down, which means the chewable part is always kept clean.
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