Teething may make your baby restless and irritable. If fever, vomiting, or diarhoea occurs do not relate this automatically to teething, as it is not generally the cause of these conditions. It might be a good idea to get your baby checked out by your health professional to rule out any other cause if you have any concerns.
Some signs that your baby may be teething :
- Red cheeks or rash on cheeks increased saliva/drooling restlessness irritability
- Clingy or restlessness
- Wakefulness during the night
- Swollen red gums, sometimes you will see a blister on the gum where the tooth is coming through
- Diarrhoea and nappy rash
- Loss of appetite
What to do?
Let your child chew on a cold, hard object, such as a teething ring. The coldness helps ease the discomfort and the hardness will speed up the eruption of the tooth. See my recipe for teething rusks, or you can try a few different types of teething rings to see what your baby prefers. These are best kept in the fridge rather than the freezer to minimise the risk of frost bite. You will find a lovely hemp and organic cotton knotted teething doll in teh Natural Transition Shop- A lovely chemical free chew toy for tender gums.
Massaging your baby’s gums with lemon juice can help reduce pain and discomfort during teething. Some older babies like to chew on frozen lemon wedges. Defrost it a little first to minimise the risk of frost bite.
Homeopathic remedies
See Using homoeopathy for Infants for general guidelines and safety considerations.
Calc phos
- Slow and painful teething that seems to go on forever
- May develop diarhoea, colds or ear trouble every time they are cutting a tooth
- Green stools
Chamomilla
- Pain seems intolerable
- Your baby will be bad tempered and inconsolable except when you carry it (and then often only for a short time)
- One cheek looks flushed and feels hot, the other is cool and pale
- Stools turn green and loose
- Worse at night
Belladonna
- A hot flushed face. May be feverish
- The baby is very restless and will thrash about
- May have a fever
Merc sol
- Worse at night
- A lot of dribbling
- Stools may be green and slimy, with soreness in the nappy area
Remedies should be discontinued as soon as symptoms improve or if symptoms worsen.
Aromatherapy
See Using aromatherapy for Your Baby for general guidelines and safety considerations.
- You can make an antiseptic/anesthetic oil to rub on your baby’s gums
- Use 2 drops of clove oil in 1 teaspoon of olive, avocado or apricot kernel oil
- Keep this in the fridge and massage on the gums regularly
Chamomile and lavender oils in massage oil or in the bath can help with the emotional disturbances that often accompany teething as well as addressing the inflammatory nature of the problem.
Reflexology
See Using reflexology with babies for general guidelines and safety considerations.
This is a routine designed to reduce inflammation, improve circulation to the gum area and to fight any potential infection.
This routine can be carried out whenever the baby is distressed or a least twice daily until symptoms subside. Sessions should only be around 5 minutes in length.
1. Relax each foot with relaxation techniques and end with a thumb press on the solar plexus point in both feet.
2. Work the points suggested below. Use the chart below to locate the points.
- Neck/Cervical
- Lymph/neck area
- Head
- Gums and mouth
- Adrenals
3. Finish with relaxation techniques and thumb press on the solar plexus point in both feet.