Let me start off by saying that I am not doctor. All of these tips are things that I’ve learned along the way. I researched online. I asked questions from friends and family. I watched YouTube videos and eventually, I learned what worked for my baby and what didn’t.

First I’ll give you a little back story on Isla Rose

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Isla didn’t have teeth until she was 10 months old. She had her cranky moments when I thought she was teething (maybe she was) but nothing ever came of it. That all changed when she turned 10 months old…BAM. She got 7 teeth at once. SEVEN. It was not fun times at our house. I had a lot to learn.

We got lucky for a bit and she didn’t get any new teeth until she was 15 months old. And then she got 4 more with in a few days. I think it was rougher on her and us this time around because the teeth were so much bigger and further back which made it harder to soothe them. It seemed like it came on really suddenly. One minute she was fine and the next, she started drooling & screaming simultaneously.

Isla is a great sleeper, so I was surprised that her sleep didn’t really get interrupted, other than the goodnight cuddles needed to last an extra 5 minutes.  I thank the Lord for infant Motrin and infant Tylenol. If this is not the case for you and it’s 4 am and you’re desperately trying to read this even with your baby screaming in your ear – I’d thought I’d share a few things I’ve learned along this teething journey.

First – Try and determine if your baby is teething

Are they tugging at their ear? This could be a sign of teething instead of ear infection, but it’s always a good idea to see a doctor to be sure. Whether it’s an ear infection or teething, when it gets to that point, I treat with Tylenol or Motrin to get some quick relief.

I always noticed that we would have some interesting #2 diaper changes when Isla is teething. I won’t go into details, but if you notice a change and diet has stayed the same, it could be teething.

You may see diaper rash. Probably because of all the runny poop. I’ll have a post soon about diaper rash because that is going to be a LOOOONNNNGGG post.

Fever.

Isla had a low grade fever for 3 days. I thought I was going crazy. The doctor told me Isla had a UTI even though she didn’t have any symptoms of that and after some examination it was decided that the doctor didn’t know what was wrong because apparently babies don’t get fevers when they teeth. Guess what – yes they do. Because the very next day we had some of the most swollen, painful looking gums, I’ve ever seen. There is a lot to be said for mother’s instincts. Listen to them. That said, every baby is different so ask questions at the doctor’s office, and point out every thing about your baby that you have noticed being different than usual.

Runny nose.

Yep, I have been known to confuse teething for the common cold. Next time your little one has a runny nose, check out those gums to be sure.

ALL OF THE DROOL.

This is the tell tale sign that I look for. It’s usually coupled with Isla trying to chew her hand off.

If you think you your baby is teething, give some of these tips a try

I always have the doctor on speed dial just in case get her fever gets worse or I think it really might be her ears. She is pretty prone to ear infections.

1. Distract

This first one is probably obvious but distract, distract, distract. Let them play the bath a little longer. Blow bubbles (or as Isla Rose calls them “bumbles”) or let them watch a show.

2. Sweet Treats

Let the little one indulge in a sweet (cold) treat. Isla loves yogurt so sometimes I’ll freeze some of that and she can have it if her teeth are hurting her. This also goes for a homemade Popsicle. I make ours with almond milk, blueberries, strawberries and bananas. I mix and match the fruit to make different flavors.

3. Fruit Teether

I like to cut up strawberries, freeze them and then put them in this little silicon holder with a handle. I learned that she would munch on the strawberry a little longer with this thing. It can be pretty messy though so be aware of that.

4. Apple Sauce Wash Cloth

I also like to squeeze a tiny bit of apple sauce (we get these pouches) in a baby wash cloth and put it in the freezer. It took a couple of tries before she realized that there was some apple sauce in there but eventually she got the hang of it.

5. Brush Those Gums!

We started brushing Isla’s teeth when she first got them. Just a few seconds on the top and bottom to get her used to the brush but now that she is older she really enjoys it. This is the brush we use (it makes it so easy to reach all three sides of the tooth at once) and this all natural tooth paste. I think the brush feels good because I’ll let her munch on it for awhile when her teeth hurt and seems to enjoy that.

6. Gum Massage

Use your finger (wash it first). I press on her gums with my finger and sometimes that calms her down a bit. It doesn’t work if she is really worked up though so this is better to just get you by until you choose another method on this list.

7. Cold Spoon

Try a cold spoon. We tried this but I think that it didn’t work for us because Isla was so confused that there wasn’t food on the spoon. She kept pulling it out and looking at it and glaring at me. Haha. It may work for you though.

8. Homeopathic Oral Drops

This Camilia teething stuff (Evan calls it voodoo) because it’s all natural and he tried it and said it has no taste whatsoever. But I am here to tell you that when Isla sees this in my hand she calms down and drinks it all and within seconds she stops crying. We have trouble finding it sometimes so I try to buy a box to keep on hand at all times.

You don’t want to be searching for teething meds in the middle of the night. I keep some in my diaper bag, purse, car, and bathrooms. I did my research after reading tons of scary stuff about other brands. I work in research so I always know what is in my child’s medicine. Definitely look at the ingredients for your self and decide.

9. Banana Teether

This banana teether has lasted us since day one. She still uses it. It stays in the diaper bag and we’ve had many a meltdown avoided in the grocery store because of this thing. It has tiny bristles to help massage sore baby gums.

10. Toys

She also really enjoyed using this giraffe. It’s a lot smaller than the Sophie and so it takes up a lot less room in the bag. I like to keep this in the car.

11. Nursing

Nursing is great for teething pain. I was still nursing at 10 months and it usually could calm Isla right down. If it was before bed time and we nursed she would sometimes calm down enough to go to bed without Tylenol while teething.

Extra Tips

• I do not advise the amber teething necklaces. There have been several news stories recently about choking/strangulation hazards. I picked up this teething necklace to wear and there are a ton like this that are safe for baby to chew on and this kept Isla busy on a 2 hour flight. I always keep a teething necklace in the car as a last resort.

• Be sure and get some of these drool bibs because you will be amazed at how much babies drool when they are teething. Drool rash is real. Try and avoid it.

• Drooling usually leads to a rash so I always keep some aquaphor on hand because I have found that it stays on really well and can help with drool/ diaper rash pretty quickly. Lanolin also works. I always had lanolin in my pumping bag and would use it on drool and diaper rashes in a pinch.

• Keep an eye on the drool rash if it spreads under the chin. We had this happen and it actually turned into a yeast infection and we had to take a trip to the doctor.

• I bought these teething mitts when Isla was 4 months old and she still uses them. She doesn’t wear them anymore but she will chew on them if she is teething. I found this pack of 2 on amazon and read several reviews. When they get dirty I just toss them in the dishwasher.

When Isla is popping some pearly whites, I refer to this list. It’s on my note pad app on my phone. It’s much easier for me to focus and work my down a list when I have a toddler screaming in pain. If you’re a mom, you know exactly what I’m talking about. That scream that sets your teeth on edge because your child is in pain and you want to trade places with them.

Our Evening Teething Routine To Ensure a Good Night of Sleep

On a typical teething night, we will have an extra long bath time with some Johnson’s vapor bath if she has a stuffy nose, followed by some lotion and a quick facial massage to see if that gives any relief. Sometimes it works and sometimes she tries to bit my hand off.

We then follow with the distraction method and read a book or two or six. I slather on some aquaphor for the drool/ diaper rash and make sure to keep things upbeat to distract her.  We will have some all natural Camilia teething medicine and then brush our teeth after our milk. I will then take her temp just to check and I may dose with Tylenol if I think she is still in pain even if she doesn’t have a fever.

We take her to her room and sing our song and say our prayer and put her to bed. Usually the Tylenol has kicked in by now and she drifts right off to sleep.

If you’re in the middle of a teething fit, I feel for you, Mama. Keep these tips handy. Put them in your phone or keep a list on the fridge. There are a ton of tips out there for teething. These are just all the ones that I knew off the top of my head. Some of them worked really well, but I thought I might list them for you to try out.

Isla is going to have her first dentist appointment this month so I may do a post on that as well. I hope everyone has a great weekend! We’ve finally got some spring like weather on the way!

Be sure to check out my sick baby tips here.

What are your go to teething tips?