Even if you can't yet feel your baby's first tooth, the symptoms of teething can begin as early as 3 months old and periodically last until your child sprouts her two-year molars. Because teething is such a painful experience that disrupts your baby's sleeping patterns, it is imperative to understand how to quickly and efficiently get her back to sleep.
Symptoms
Teething often causes babies to wake more frequently at night due to pain and discomfort in the mouth. Additional symptoms include excessive drooling, crankiness, fussiness when your baby awakes and throughout the day, and bulging along the gum line. Your baby may also chew on his fingers, hands, pacifier, the toys in his crib or even his bottle or your breast during any late-night feedings.
Remedies
Stick to your regular bedtime routine, even if you know your baby will awake during the night. Changing the routine, even temporarily, confuses your baby and leads to further sleep disruption. Massage your baby's gums with your finger if she awakes during the night. Give her a partially frozen flannel cloth or teething ring to chew on, which will numb and soothe symptoms. If your doctor approves, give your baby the correct dose of infant acetaminophen, ibuprofen or paracetamol to soothe pain and inflammation and help her return to sleep.
Considerations
If you give your baby a teething ring at night, consider using a rubber ring rather than a plastic one. Plastic teething rings are often filled with liquid and objects that can break if punctured. Do not tie teething rings to an object or around your baby's neck so that he can easily find it if he awakes at bed time. The string could easily get wrapped up or caught and pose a strangulation hazard.
Warnings
Call your doctor in the morning if your baby's teething symptoms are severe, do not subside with treatment or include extreme fussiness, a fever of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or diarrhea. Although teething causes a slight rise in your baby's temperature, it will not trigger diarrhea or a high fever. These signs typically indicate that your baby is suffering from an underlying condition or illness, such as an infection or virus.
References
- AskDrSears.com: 31 Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep and Stay Asleep
- AskDrSears.com: Teething
- KidsHealth; Teething Tots; October 2008
- BabyCentre; I Had Just Got My Baby Settled at Night. Could Teething Be the Reason Why She Has Started Waking Up Again?; August 2009
- AskDrSears.com: 8-M-O Recently Started Nightwaking; July 2011
