Teething pain and sleep patterns
As
with other developmental milestones, teething can disrupt your baby’s newly
established routines. This can be frustrating but it’s an inevitable part of
the development process. This may only last for a short time, and sort itself
out, or you may need to try again to implement a good sleeping regime.
The
reason that your baby’s sleep patterns become disturbed is down to the
discomfort he’s in. The symptoms of teething don’t usually occur before he’s
around four months old and in some cases the first tooth won’t emerge until he
is a year old. Usually, your baby will
become uncharacteristically cranky or clingy but may not show any other signs
of illness. His cranky mood may begin a few weeks before a tooth even appears
so even if there’s nothing to show for it, it could well be teething pain that
is upsetting your baby. Look out for swollen or red gums (and a new appetite
for chewing) and a constant dribble. He may also get a red patch on one of his
cheeks.
The
best course of action is to give him lots of cuddles and comfort. He may want
to feed more often than usual and this is perfectly OK. You can buy teething
rings that can be chilled in the fridge or freezer to take the edge of those
hot little gums and there’s a range of teething gels or homeopathic remedies
that may help. If your baby has a temperature, consult your pediatrician
Once
your baby’s teeth cut through you may find that his disturbed sleeping patterns
right themselves. Even though this stage can be frustrating, try to see the
positive side – your baby is transforming and changing, ready for his next
stage of life!
Why
not chat to other moms about this, or other topics, by leaving a message on our
chat
forum. Alternately, if you want to meet other moms in your area
with similar age babies, visit our people section to find out what’s
happening in your area. If you have any unanswered questions, use our questions page to gain wisdom from other
moms or our resident experts for all those pregnancy or baby-related niggles.
Have a look at our kit section where we list our favorite baby gear.
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 19/06/2007
Related Chat 3
my daugher is 16 months and will not eat much at all . your somn may have gone off is food because of the jabs . just try and guive him little bits and as often as he likes he will let you know when hes hungry , they will not let them selfs be hungry
my problem is my daughter is 16 months she will not eat much at all she as 3 bites or mouthfulls . and thats it . any suggestions on what to try for her . to get her taste budds going again , as i never had this problem with my others .
Hiya
My daughter is 14 months on saturday and she has gone off food also.
I am putting it down to teething her back molars.
What advice can anyone give??/
Jayne
I have a fourteen month old son who has gone off his food. Could this be related to teething or having jabs 10 days ago? I would be grateful of any advice.
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