Teething Tips

When your baby starts to teeth, it can be a frustrating time for you both. Along with teething comes drool rash, diarrhea, fussiness and biting.

Thankfully, there are some tips and tricks for teething babies that can help sooth your baby AND you.

Drool Rash From Teething
During teething time, many babies develop a drool rash due to excess saliva. When your baby drools, their sensitive skin can become red and bumpy, like a rash.

If baby develops a drool rash while they’re teething, keep a towel or cotton cloth under their bed sheet to soak up the drool. When they drool in their sleep, their sensitive faces rub against the wet sheet and causes a rash.

During the day, keep their faces dry by patting their face gently with a cloth to prevent further irritation. If a drool rash is bothering your baby, try using vaseline to keep their skin moist.

I’ve written a bit more about drool rash here, including a picture of my son when he had his first case of drool rash from teething.

Diarrhea caused by teething
One of the tell-tale signs of teething is diarrhea. Baby’s bum can become red and sore just before a tooth comes through. Make sure to change your baby as soon as they pass a loose stool to minimize diaper rash. This should hopefully only last a few days until the tooth breaks through the gums. If a fever accompanies diarrhea, contact your family physician.

Biting during teething
Usually, biting is a sign of teething. Don’t get upset with your baby if they bite you – instead, give them something else to gnaw on. Here are some ideas:

Popsicle – Some moms like to freeze juice so it provides comfort and nutrition at the same time.

Frozen bagel or banana – Always supervise to prevent your baby from choking on a large piece.

Chicken Leg Bone – Kids like chewing on a bone, just like a dog does. But make sure there aren’t any slivers of bone left on it.

Teething Biscuits – Teething biscuits can be a life saver, but don’t give your baby too many as they can cause tooth decay.

Cold bottle of water – The cool water is good for them and numbs their pain at the same time.

Cold spoon – Babies like the feeling of a cold spoon, but bend the handle so they can’t injure themselves.

Teething Ring – Teething rings are great for sore gums, especially if kept in the fridge. Try to find one that is textured and only contains water. Make sure their sharp little teeth can’t puncture it.

Washcloth – Keep some wet washcloths in the freezer in a baggie, then when your baby is teething, just take the washcloths out and let them chew on them for fast relief.

Teething Necklace - I wear necklaces all the time, and when my babies were both teething, they’d chew on my necklaces the entire time I was holding them.

Other remedies for teething babies
If the items listed above don’t help, try these solutions:

Rub your fingers along their sore gums if they let you. They might not be willing at first, but soon they’ll realize the counter pressure feels good.

Try to keep your baby entertained with new toys or a change of scenery for distraction.

There are non-toxic organic toys specifically for baby to chew on. My babies would slobber on every toy they could reach, so it’s a relief to know that there are safe things for them to stick in their mouths!