Babies and Teething

[mistral]

Oh well after 11mths of blissfull sleep my little boy who is teething badly awake the last 4 nights which is so unusual.
So to give mum a rest here we sit at 4 am watching a new film recorded from sky +.
So I have tried Calpol , teething gel, icecubes and I am running out of ideas .
Sleep would be nice for all of us but any ideas greatfully received !

[mini]

Ho, sorry to hear you are suffering sleep deprivation, when mine were teething I used to give them Calpol at 2pm & again at 6.30pm just before they went to bed, also if they don't settle well to begin with out a hot water bottle in the place where they sleep half an hour before they go to bed then take it out before you put him in, it's more comforting for them to get into a wram bed than a cold one.

I also ised Bonjela but I think the taste only gavethem something else to think about, not sure it helped with the pain!

There are other homeopathic remedies some people swear by, if you're interested let me know & I will look them up. Hope you all have a better night tonight

mini

[vanoonoo]

A chunk of fridge chilled cucumber works a treat on my "odd"daughter :) it's naturally cooling and doesn't breakup too dangerously in her mouth

[Pal]

We have been using a homeopathic powder you can get in Holland and Barrett called Nelson's Teetha. Apparently it doesn't work on some babies at all but our little one stops crying almost instantly.

Of course occasionally he sneezes when we give it to him. Stings like hell when it goes in your eyes!

[mistral]

Thank you for you kind comments the hard bit about this i we did have the perfect baby .
From 6 weeks old he slept through the night never waking from 11pm to 7 am .
Then from 5 mth when he slept from 7pm to 7 am never waking .
So I guess all you mums are chuckling and saying pay back time .
Does anyone know if you can get ibrofen for babies ?.
The resr of the ideas I will try one at a time to see what they do , so many thanks
By the way it was 2 am this morning I have forgotten what sleep was !
David

[mini]

Hi

Have you ever seen the film insomnia about how lack of sleep drives you mad? You remind me of that (in the nicest possible way)

I found this for you, not sure if there's different brands, somewhere like Boots may have a bigger range

http://www.nurofen.co.uk/main.asp?pid=216&rnd=2313

I hope you & sleep and son & sleep are reunited soon

mini

[mistral]

Oh well first trial of Nelson's Teetha tonight so we will wait and see.
But I am well and truely knackered which is not uncommon for me after years of shift work !
Bed bekons

nighty night

[Andrea]

Night night Mistralflow. Hope it does the trick. Say night night to your little one and your other half.

Andrea :) :-*

[mistral]

OK well last night was 11pm , 2am 4. 30 am .
I even tried all three at once , calpol , teething gel and powder .
No effect .
Just wish he was not smiling his head of at me while we are so tired . lol.
One day I will get my back like when he is a teenger !!!
Oh well I want the last great tip please so all you mums dig deep .
Off to get the nurofen version today

[Judi]

Flow, if hes smiling at you then hes not necessarily in pain from his teeth. Do you feel like smiling when your in pain? Maybe its just a habit the little darling has got into.

[Andrea]

Don't shoot me down on this one. I have no idea whether it would work as I don't have kids but its something I remember hearing on some chat show once.

They basically said not to do anything. Leave the baby to carry on crying. It will eventually stop when it knows no-one is coming and in time it will stop crying in the middle of the night.

To be honest I think its a bit harsh as it must be pretty hard for a parent to leave a baby like that and not at least check that there isn't something wrong. But, that was the advice. I have a feeling it was an American chat show I saw it on, Opera or something similar, a few years ago.

Anyway, I wouldn't blame you if you decided not to try this one.

Andrea :)

[Judi]

Yes Andrea, i tried that one with one of mine, except i had the neighbours hammering on the walls. They must have thought i was deaf!!!! Not only that we were all kept awake.

At the time, he was still in our bedroom, and someone told me it was best if he slept in his own room as when he woke up, he could see us lying there and would yell for attention. (plus the fact it was hard to have a (s_e_x) life)

Desperate times call for desperate measures. We put him in with his brother. For a few nights he winged and moaned, but i think after a fortnight, he was sleeping through at night.

[mistral]

No he is not smiling at night he is very distressed , no he smiles in the morning when we are both looking half dead !!!!
No I have used controlled crying to great effect and I am an exponent of the little baby book and its torture techniques .
lol
No as a parent you get to know your babies cry very well and he is genuine distress .
He also knows not to !!!! his daddy off !
Its ok this is just a stage he will get through but it is interesting tapping other mums or dads for imfo and I will be back no doubt for more advice

[Galstonian]

My daughter is partial to single malt though I'm sure I could have got away with a cheaper whisky. No I am not saying getting your baby drunk, merely wet your (clean) finger and apply as you would Bonjela. Its what my mum gave me and it never caused any harm (hic!)

I am fully aware that giving alcohol to babies could seriously damage or kill them so, before anyone shoots me down in flames, it all depends on how much (much the same as Calpol).

[vanoonoo]

have you tried the chilled cucumber chunk yet?

[Galstonian]

Only in a Bloody Mary, not whisky ;)

[PurpleGreen]

http://www.mothercare.com/images/shop/cats/WH8044_dep.jpg

Picture of Galstonian as a baby after having a cucumber chunk inserted somewhere ;)

[vanoonoo]

Only in a Bloody Mary, not whisky ! ;)

*rolls eyes and waves celery stick around*

and as for you Allan - don't be so crudite

[PurpleGreen]

lolololol. Good use of words there, nanoonanoo

[vanoonoo]

shazbhat

[PurpleGreen]

Charming Im sure! ;)

[cathy]

One day I will get my back like when he is a teenger !!!




oooh you recon do you ??? this is chicken feed trust me!!
:o :o

[alison6692]

Hello

Your little one can have paracetamol (calpol) and ibuprofen together. You can buy brufen as a liquid in any pharmacy. These work really well together.

;D - hopefully he will have a set of these very soon!

[kabie]

I used ashton and parsons powders for mine and they worked a treat. Boots sell them if you fancy trying. Good luck ;D

[chicken]

Kabie,
I swore by Ashton and Parsons powder, I have twin boys and was I desperate for a remedy, they are two now and only have a couple of teeth to come through thank goodness.
;D

[Frances_O]

Well, my little boy's 5 months old, and he's been teething since about 3 months....!
I've been giving him the teething powders too, which he seems to love, but I find the best thing is to let him have a good chew on my finger! Also, if you rub their gums for them, it eases it a lot too.
Oh, and I haven't tried them yet, as they're from 6months up because of the gluten content, but several people have reccomended Bickie Pegs to me. They're like really hard, long biscuits that your baby can just munch away on.
www.bickiepegs.co.uk
They sell them in Boots too, and most chemists. :)

[Murphy_The_Cat]

My seven month has been teething for the last few months and I found several solutions work. If you get a baby size toothbrush, you can put teething gel on it like toothpaste and when the chew on the brush they apply it themselves!

Also boots do a homeopathic teething powder called teething pain relief. This is brilliant and works all the time...and you get your points. You usually find it in the childrens medicine section. Also as an alternative instead of calpol, try using Medised. Its runnier so goes down easier and it contains and anti histamine so good for this time of year. Good luck with all of these.

[Tony-Anfield]

Try peeling a carrott and putting it in the fridge, our little fella finds great relief from this.
Our Doctor advised us against giving him ibuprofen untill he is one year old, best stick to calpol...... :D

[Spendless]

18 month old daughter has been late cutting teeth. Tried Calpol and Teething gel still crying eyes out. Anyone any tips? Cos I need a nights sleep!!! :'(

[sce37]

See item on cloves (http://www.purplesage.org.uk/profiles/cloves.htm)
The only reason I thought of this was that a friend uses cloves to numb her horse's mane area when it is all tangly and she needs to brush it. !It does mention on the site about toothache uses too. !However I would urge you to check with your health visitor first that its ok to use on a toddler

[trafalgar]

18 month old daughter has been late cutting teeth. Tried Calpol and Teething gel still crying eyes out. Anyone any tips? Cos I need a nights sleep!!! :'(
Have you got a teething ring ,the ones you freeze ???

if not give her something really hard and cold to chew on .......I gave mine a spoon ;D

Hi

My 18 month old was also a late starter with her teeth and still has loads to get :(

I find Nelson's Teetha granules good. They're homeopathic, main ingredient being chamomilla. She seems to calm down almost as soon as she swallows the stuff - think it must taste sugary as she doesn't object to taking it.

http://www.mypharmacy.co.uk/alternative_medicines/medicines/n/nelsons/nelsons_teetha_granules.htm

You can get it in Boots if I remember right.

If its really bad, I give her Nurofen liquid at bedtime which I find better than Calpol. I believe you can give both Nurofen and Calpol together, but haven't tried that - seems a lot of drugs to be giving such a little person :-/

[Spendless]

Thanks will try Nurofen and granules. Have to get tommorrow now.

Traf, struggled to find one of the teething rings you freeze when had eldest, ended up buying in Canada. Anyone know where I could get one here? Tried spoon instead but was having none of it. She is v ery fond of her dummy.
Do you think popping one of dummys in freezer would work ???

[divadee]

I second maridley's suggestion of the teething granuals they were brilliant when little miss divadee was teething.

Dont forget as well you can use calpol and neurofen together i used to stagger it every 3 hours or so one then the other.

By the way i have no medical training spendless so always seek advice from your gp first. ;D

[trafalgar]

No dummy won't work and it could very well make the rubber split and break off so don't do that.
You can get them in boots or tescos but if you can't find one even the hard rings (you know the ones that are usually on a ring to encourage grasping things :-/)popped in the fridge till it's really cold..........................or a carrot,peeled of course :)

[Spendless]

didn't get round to freezing dummy- just as well since have just seen Trafs post.
Will hunt for rings tommorrow, perhaps been looking for wrong thing. Ones I remember you could see 'water' in them.
GP told me recently that you could use calpol and nurofen together (when were up all night crying about having chickenpox!)

[trafalgar]

That's right ..........the water ones................others are gel and you can't use them

The water ones are brill.............good luck finding one, it's awful for them and you when they are struggling coming through :)

[divadee]

it dont stop either :o

little miss divadee had just got her back teeth and shes 6 but she was chewing everything

[Jay-Jay]

ooh poor thing :'(

I was going to suggest calpol (for the pain) and ibuprofen (for the inflammation) together and cold carrots sticks but they've already been suggested.

I got those water filled soothers from Boots (about 5 yrs ago) but recently saw a poster up in Boots saying they'd been recalled due to the water leaking out. That explains why you can't find them.

Hope she feels better soon :(

[Spendless]

Had better night last night. Got granules and Nurofen today, coulsd still only find gel teething rings tho. If anyone spots the ones you can freeze, will you let me know.

[16011996]

i swear by gingerbread men, or just ginger biscuits, worked with all three of mine, has a natural painkiller in apparently, and was recommended by my health visitor.

[Spendless]

ooohhhh. never thought of that. Will go get some later.

Hope the granules work for you.

Going back to poochy's comment about freezable teething rings being withdrawn from Boots, I'd read that using these isn't recommended as not only can they split but they are so hard that they can damage the gums and emerging teeth - and also cause frostbite :o

Someone suggested that I try freezing a clean moistened facecloth which they can chew on - haven't tried that one yet.

[Spendless]

That would explain why they have been so hard to find.

[trafalgar]

Yep your probably right Spendless , that's why they can't be found easily.............they worked with no problems for thousands of kids but someone suddenly decided they might not be such a good idea :-/

You wouldn't put it in the freezer for a week or even make it rock solid so it wouldn't give frostbite ::)

They never damage the gums because even young babies aren't daft enough to bite harder if it is uncomfortable :-/

And the ones that were freezable don't split................its people putting all sorts in without checking ,like the gel ones with rubber that went brittle:-/

Just one of those times where they take something that works off the market cause someone says it might do this or that!:o

Ah well ......................I'm sure some of the other ideas will work and that's all that matters.....................daughter gets teeth cut and you get sleep ;D

I used to have a couple of water filled rings by Tommee Tippee, but from memory the instructions didn't mention that you could put them in the freezer. Daughter didn't like them so ended up chucking them. She preferred her fingers anyway ::)

Have you actually tried the gel filled fridge ones? Only reason I ask is that I saw a Tommee Tippee one called Icebite soother in the supermarket earlier - was £3.50 - looked quite good. Doesn't gel retain the cold for longer than water ???

[Spendless]

No I haven't tried the gel ones, as I was looking for the 'freezer' ones.
Granules seemed to work tho, couldn't find ones recommended but Boots do their own.

That's good news ;D

Fingers crossed for a good night's sleep for you.

[16011996]

let us know how you got on last night spendless. :-/

[Spendless]

Not too bad. Didn't wake screaming in pain.Bought ginger biscuits as well so she'd also had couple of them.

[16011996]

glad it wasn't too bad.

take care 160.

[Jay-Jay]

Spendless I think Little Miss Poochy's been reading your thread. Just noticed today that her top teeth are coming through. :(

[Spendless]

Haven't even had to resort to Calpol or Nurofen. Ginger biscuits & granules are doing the trick.

[16011996]

really pleased. this (http://www.greenchronicle.com/recipes/gingernut_biscuits.htm) is a good recipe for ginger biscuits if you want to make your own.

[Allexie]

Thought this might cheer you up!

SHOOP SHOOP - MOMMY'S KISS (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/mommyskiss.cfm)

[Allexie]

Or this

DIRRRTY (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/dirtybaby.cfm)

[Allexie]

Or this

OPERA BABY (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/operababy.cfm)

[16011996]

pmsl. they are fab. i like the first one best though.

They're great - my 18 month old especially enjoyed!

[Allexie]

More?

BATH BABY (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/splish_splash.cfm)

[Allexie]

***ING BABY (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/peebaby.cfm)

[Allexie]

BABY DANCE (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/Baby_Baby_Dance.cfm)

[trafalgar]

That ing baby is brill ;D ;D

[Allexie]

NURSIN' FEELING (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/nursing_feeling.cfm)

[Allexie]

ITS MY PODDY (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/itsmypoddy.cfm)

[16011996]

love em all. ;D

[Allexie]

SUPERTYKE (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/supertyke.cfm)

[Allexie]

POOIE LOUIE (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/pooie_louie.cfm)

[Allexie]

LIL SQUIRT (http://www.bottlejockey.com/flash/lilsquirt.cfm)

That's all folks! :-* :-* :-*

[16011996]

pmsl.

how are things going on the teething front??

[Spendless]

pmsl.

how are things going on the teething front??Fingers crossed. Seems to have settled down. Has slept thru past 2 nights. Tho bought Nurofen haven't had to open it. 2 things that worked best were granules and ginger biscuits (the 2 cheapest!! - was a money saving thread after all!!) :)

[16011996]

am glad. ;D

[mumof3girls]

you can also get some liquid stuff mainly directed at people with braces and ulcers but can be used on little ones as well. works in the same was as teething gel. i think its call absol its in a little bottle over the counter.

[16011996]

never heard of that. my 3 yr old has an ulcer, will give that a try.

thanks.

[KimA]

Hi,

Try Medised (can buy this in Boots or any chemist) - can use it from 3 months onwards - think it's just that bit stronger than Nurofen/Calpol - makes the littl'uns slightly drowsy and better able to get to/stay asleep. Worked a treat with our little boy - we had weeks of sleepless nights, but as soon as we started using this it eased off (good for flu, colds, fever etc too).

KimA

[sheenagh]

I really rate the teething granuals they worked for mine and my sisters littlies. You could also try cammomile powders/drops as they a large constituent of the granuals.

I have heard that amber necklaces are good too, don't know how or why but it is a non intrusive thing to try. :-/

[sheenagh]

Thanks Allexie love the links, I would type lol but I'm not sure what it means. ;D ;D ;D

[Gromit1972]

;Dmedised is brill .Use it only during the night as it makes them very sleepy which is really good if they cannot sleep because othe pain

[Peakma]

I used nelsons teetha on all mine.brilliant stuff.sell it in boots hollan and barret etc.bonjela is supposed to be good, but I just find it tastes too chemical to put in a babies mouth.

[Lurverick]

love the links,they are fab!!! :D
i used medised at night when nedded with my little girl,dentinox teething gel was the only one i found that was good for when out etc and at home we used to let her chew/play with a toothbrush.....was really effective and also helped het her used to the whole teeth cleaning thing too.
claire x

[ELHicks]

Anbesol is good. It's a liquid and so goes on exactly where you want it to, rather than sliding off which the gels tend to do. Make sure you say it's for teething when you ask at the chemist or you might end up with pile cream (ones anbesol and the other's ambesol). :D

[AfternoonTea]

:o pile cream ! ;D

Do you know what age the anbesol can be used from ?

My babies only 11 weeks but already seems to be getting a fair bit of discomfort and most things seem to be 'from 3mths'

[morlandbanks]

I hope you're not still having problems, but if you are, this is my miracle cure - ASHTON & PARSONS INFANTS' POWDERS. They cost a couple of pounds from the chemist (haven't found them in supermarkets yet)
Now here's the catch...Half of people I know that have tried this have said it's amazing. Just pour the powder into little ones mouth, or use a spoon, the results are instant! No more tears!!
Sadly, the other half have said it was useless!
For me, it had no effect on my first child, but on my second it was a true miracle.
It's certainly worth a go anyway. Good luck!

[perryash1]

I used Ashdon and Parsons powders for all three of mine and they were excellent and also settle the tummy that usually comes with teething !!!

[megasaver]

My 6 month old dd is going through her first teething phase at the moment. I bought her some rusks and biscuits to chew on which she loves. Apart from being really expensive, the majority of them end up on the floor and they contain sugar. Can someone please suggest a rusk/biscuit recipe that I can make for her or what biscuity type food I can give her to chew on instead?. Oh and just to be complicated she hates the toys that you can give babies to chew on.

By the way I find this website and the people on it a complete inspiration. I am so sorry to hear that some of you are going through tough times at the moment and wish you all the best at getting back on track ASAP. ;)

[moggins]

Bad bad recipe!!!!!

[tiff]

Bless you megasaver.

Have you tried Bickypegs? You can get them in Tesco, no idea how much but they last for ages. Or a teething ring that you can sterilise and re use. I have no idea what I used for mine, they are 7 and 4 and it seems like so long ago!

[moggins]

Just noticed the above one has salt so disregard it completely, I've found this one instead.

Mix:
1 cup flour
1 cup baby cereal
1 cup juice

Roll out and cut into shapes. Bake for 20-30
min @ 350 deg. F.. They freeze well.

[Js_Other_Half]

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/baby/baby56.html

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/baby/baby30.html

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/baby/baby7.html

hth :D

[Queenie]

My Mum used to give us a cooked bone to bit on ... it was preferable to the wooden ornaments by father brought back from Africa after the Mau Mau uprisings.

Bread Rusks: Cut fresh bread into finger sized pieces and bake in a low oven until hard. (About 1hr)

Massaging the gums with your finger occasionally too - brings relief.

[krishna]

Use sticks of cucumber. Cucumber is cooling and anti-inflammatory, so gives them something to chew on AND reduces discomfort.

[Queenie]

Have we got two threads exactly the same running? Or has my time imprisoned in the Arms today meant too many shandy's are making me see double? ;)

[bis_si]

dd liked cucumber, also carrot sticks, bread sticks and baby rice cakes. My mother swore by toasted stale bread. Actually what dd really really liked was a dog chew . . . but the dog wanted it back so we had to get her her own

[Js_Other_Half]

Or has my time imprisoned in the Arms today meant too many shandy's are making me see double? ;)

I don't know you well enough to comment...:p

After I answered this one, I did find another thread somewhere else - so you aren't imagining things :D

[Glad]

two threads have now been merged

[Jay-Jay]

Make thick-sliced wholemeal toast in the toaster, cut into fingers and leave to go cold and hard :)

Mine's really struggling with her back teth at the moment and always has her hands in her mouth. I find that if her gums are sore she doesn't want to eat very much so I tend to give her lots of little snacks/meals and plenty to drink as she's always salivating.

Don't forget Calpol at bedtime too ;)

[Dormouse]

Try Bickipegs - you cat get them in Boots etc (about £1.40-ish I think). There's no sugar or salt in them and they're very hard - impossible to bite bits off, so great for a 6-month-old who might not cope with small bits of toast/cucumber/etc in her mouth. :)

[carpool72]

We used a MAM teether (after much trial and error!) which is shaped like a flat ring with 3 gel-filled prongs. It's easy for a 6month old to hold and fit in their mouth & when you put it in the fridge the ring doesn't get too cold, which was a problem with some others we tried. Also the nice lady in Boots took pity after a week of screaming (baby) & crying (me-lol) and recommended Ashton & Parsons teething powders which have worked like a charm every time another bout rears it's ugly head.

[Squidgy]

I think I was quite lucky with my daughter as her teggys came through quite easily. She did quite like breadsticks though and shortbread. I'm not too keen on things they can't bite bits off as I worry about them sticking in the throat. Don't bickypegs have a bit of string on them? Just makes me panic the whole time. Give em something that slowly dissolves - much better!

[£Ronnie]

Please someone help me, my six month old baby has been teething almost continously for the last 6 weeks and it is driving us all crazy.....

So far he has cut three teeth at the sides and almost has one of his bottom front ones through with another two making their way as well.

We are using paracetamol, bonjela and the boots alternative teething granules to help him, but we are using bonjela and the granules far more than recommended on the side of the packet.
I spoke to the health visitor yesterday but to no great avail. She told me it is just a natural process. But he is not eating/ drinking properly or sleeping properly either. When he is awake he is just miserable all the time. Usually a happy smiley baby.

I am shattered due to him being awake at night frequently, my daughter is turning into a monster behaviour wise as she is getting so little attention due to me trying to comfort him...

Can anyone recommend anything to help him, any other magic gel or even homemade concoction that will ease his pain???

[pdoff]

have no advice am afraid but just wanted to send hugs & sympathy!! hope it ends soon.

[Gingham Ribbon]

Sticking teething rings etc in the fridge can help too.

But if they're all coming at once, you'll probably have a rest from it when everyone else with kids the same age are going through it.

[purplepurple]

to echo Gingham Ribbon, we put teething rings in the fridge which worked very well..... when it was really bad we gave them cold, thick carrot sticks ( always with supervision! ) and they worked brilliantly... they seemed to have a bit more "give" in them than the plastic teething rings and taste nicer! Both mine also had a wooden rattle (it was mine when I was a baby) that had a wooden ball at the end of the handle and that was also a godsend :snow_laug

Easing Teething (http://www.teething-babies.co.uk/easing-teething/index.html)

[shays_mum]

Ahhhhh poor thing :(, i'm going thru the same at the mo, mine was a late teether, they are all coming through now (he's 13m) & with all the other stuff, his poor bottom is really sore :(, his older sis is not responding well to all the attention:(
Really there's nothing that i can think of that's not already mentioned here, i tried to give him nurofen for kids/bonjela/ashton parsons/calpol etc etc, nothing knocks this little man out!!!!, so you gotta literally grin & bare it, goodluck i think over xmas i'm really gonna need it :rudolf:

[Glad]

Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: Sorry, some posts have had to be deleted as it is against MSE rules to ask for or offer any type of medical advice. If you have any questions about this policy please email abuse@moneysavingexpert.com (%20abuse@moneysavingexpert.com)

[jopsey]

sending you hugs I have been going through the same lately with my 7 month old and with every tooth he got a cold aswell not much advice but like your self i tried everything you name it i bought it and nothing seemed to ease it but belive me i know how your feeling, i felt it was harder than having a demanding newborn then one night a few days ago he went to bed no crying,no waking in the night and i have got my little giggly cherub back just hang in there it can go on for ever

[Shahie]

My Son was born with a Tooth!

Front bottom right, the tooth was loose and came out when the Hospital Dentist wiggled it...

He started teething at 3 weeks, Yes 3 weeks! His second tooth - front bottom left appeared at 4 weeks...

To young for ANY Pain relief medication, so we had to resort to a dummy - it helped but then stuck with a dummy which we thought at the time was a bad thing.

Next teething phase was at 5 months, a friend recommended Ashton & Parsons Powders, available from most Chemists. This stuff is an extract of Chamomile - worked very well for us and calmed him down almost immediatly.

The Dummy was actually a Godsend, helped calm him down and was his comforter which helped getting him off to sleep. However, don't just leave a dummy stuffed in their mouth, only use it when necessary or they become dependent on it.

When he was about 10 months and all his milk teeth had come through, we simply stopped giving him the dummy. For about 7-10 days he moaned and asked for the dummy before going to sleep. After that never asked for it again.

My nephew who is 7 days younger than my boy was never given a dummy and sucked his thumb. He is almost 2 and still sucks his thumb, so much so that at times, he has a red raw thumb.

Good Luck with your little one.

[Toothsmith]

Calgel is a good teething gel as well.

Really, I can only echo some of the other advice given above.

I really like the site posted by purplepurple. Never come across it before. Some sound advice for all teethy things there.



EDIT
Just read on that site that babies can be registered from the age of 6 months and they recommend first dental check at the age of 2.

RUBBISH!!!


Babies can be registered at birth, and I always like to see them from 4-6 months upwards. 2 is far too late.

Although there's not much to see before 6 months, I find it important to talk to mums about brushing and beginning good dietary habits from 1st visit onwards. Also, if kids have never known anything other than coming to the dentist, they accept it much better as they get older.

I like to see them long before a 'fear of white coats' has been ingrained by those nasty doctors who stick needles in them!!

[fsdss]

have u tried biccipegs??you can get them from most chemists...they are like very hard biscuits, totally safe and produced for teething problems.

[Gingham Ribbon]

My son cut his first tooth at 10 weeks and couldn't find his mouth with his fist, so he'd get hold of a teething ring and whack himself in the eye so I'd have to either sit for hours with my knuckle in his mouth or holding the teething ring for him.

He used breastfeeding as a soother too so I didn't get any peace, but he was in the bed with us so it wasn't like I had to keep getting up in the night with him.

My husband says Calgel was brilliant. I don't remember. I just remember the days before we could give him anything because he was too little. It's not easy, but it passes and I daresay the teen years can be even worse. :santa2:

[iwanttosave]

my son has cut his first tooth today, he is 7months, it was threatening for ages. I nearly cryed when i felt it. bonjela/calgel is great, as well as some calpol and some thick strips of cold carrot or teethers.

[sassybird]

Try a product called CALGEL. It is very similar to bonjela but my pharmacist recommended it to me. It has a VERY mild pain relieving anesthetic in it and it worked wonders for my two boys.

Any Boots or local chemist should stock it. Let me know how you get on.

Good Luck!! :xmassign:

[Alleycat]

We tried all the teething gels, powders, biccipegs, teething rings etc, but none of it worked. She puts everything but the teething rings etc in her mouth. These she just waves around!

I have to admit that when she is bad we give her calpol. At the moment she is having one sachet every couple of days as she has just got her two bottom teeth and the top ones are on their way too. I don't like having to give infant paracetamol as I try and be as homeopathic as possible but as I have said, nothing else works and she is so obviously in loads of pain.

I think teeth should be banned and we should all be issued with falsies from birth! No more teething, then losing them, only to grow back again, with fillings, wisdom teeth, nerve pain etc. You could do away with spending loads on dentists (just get a new set every now and again), sorry Toothsmith(!!), toothbrushes and paste. Plus you could just take them out when they are breastfeeding or getting into that really bitey stage that our little madam is in at the moment.....

.....well thats my theory anyway!

[Becles]

My two had some chews that looked like dummys, but instead of a teat, they had a flat hard rubbery bit to chomp on. They were helpful for the front teeth, and I used to keep them in the fridge so they were really cold.

[kiwichick]

my 3 all loved to chomp on a celery stick. Hard enough to knaw on without breaking and soft enough to provide relief. The coldness of it is great too. DONT LET THEM CHEW IT UNATTENDED!!!

[Lillibet]

I've been going through this with my now 4 month old since about 11 weeks, driving me crazy with the sleeepless nights again:rolleyes: I can firmly recommend the Ashton & Parsons teething powders (Thanks for putting me onto them Moggins:A) they are like magic & when they don't work, nothing does. To some degree, you do just have to try & comfort them through the pain though.

HTH

[donna-j]

Why has my post disappeared when others have also recommended products? Ho hum.

Can I say this then? Go to Boots, look at all the teething gels they sell, and some will contain higher levels of stuff than others. Make sure it is age-suitable.

Is that ok?

Also, the ELC has a particularly good toy for teething. It's a little octopus with wee rubber 'legs' that are good for chewing and holding onto. It's about a fiver and comes in a box with a wiggly worm toy.

[liney]

I cant remember the brand, but my local chemist sells 'Cooling Powders'. They are herbal, and were great for day time discomfort without dosing my DS up with painkillers.

A peeled, whole frozen Banana was also pretty good to gnaw on.

[djtonyb]

Ask the pharmacist for a liquid to run onto the gums

My little one loved this . The problem with the gels is that the saliva in the mouth washes it off too quickly.

The liquid sinks in and last longer.

PM me if you want the name

[Counting_Pennies]

I always give nurofen and paracetamol. I give them at alternative intervals every two hours or so, that way when the nurofen is wearing off the paracetamol starts to work etc.

I found giving nurofen, paracetamol and the teething granuals within a 12 hour period were a recipe for his supper to come back up so I dropped the granuals as I found the other two combined more effective.

I heard putting a banana into the freezer until it was frozen was a great teether but never tried it.

[kiwichick]

A word of warning...........dont use frozen things as teethers,they can burn babies gums.

[£Ronnie]

Thanks so much to all of you for all your replies, :AI have tried many of them but there are some more listed to try, so guess who is going to the chemists tomorrow.
I can't figure out how to quote in my reply so I will answer some of your suggestions individually::confused:

Have tried the carrott/teething ring but he dosen't seem to be able to hold them in his mouth long enough to get a decent chew on them.
Got absolutely no joy with Calgel, found bonjela to give better relief.
Can't have Ibuprofen due to a stomach condition, (reflux).:(


Tonight I have discovered that yet another one is trying to break through, (total now ready to cut through=4) so it seems that we will be dealing with this for some time to come. :eek: I know all babies have the same amount of teeth to cut, but we were hoping for a break inbetween some of them. It just goes to show that all babies are all different as we never knew when my daughter was teething really, she would just smile at us and we would gasp and say "OMG she's got another tooth" !

I would like to say that your replies have helped me realise that my reaction to this is normal, I had PND after my daughter and was concerned it was creeping upon me again, as I didn't feel I was coping very well, but it seems to be a normal feeling from what some of you have said. :T

Oh and Alleycat, I completely agree with your falsie recommendations, however when you talk to people with them, they would generally prefer to have thier own teeth back, so who knows......grass is always greener I suppose?:snow_laug

Thank you all, and if you think of any more suggestions please let me know.

Ronnie.X:xmassign:

[bintagz.co.uk]

My daughter is currently cutting her final molars and she seems in absolute agony at times, it's gut wrenching when there is nothing you can really do to help.

The only other option I have tried is Ambersol liquid, (it looks like a small bottle of essence) but it numbs straight down where the skin is broken, it has given her a few hours restbite. I think they do a cream as well, but we have found it better to stick with the liquid.

[jellyhead]

my 20 week old seems to have been teething for months, no teeth yet though. he was able to put his fingers in his mouth right from birth, a womb thumb sucker and he carried on sucking in the hospital. although he always has his hand to hand (!) for chewing it's not much relief, he just gets cross because his fingers hurt! he doesn't move his tongue out of the way either, so he's chomping on that too and crying because it hurts.

he doesn't have a dummy much but when his teeth hurt he wants it a lot more, it really helps. it drives me mad when people try to take it out, saying he doesn't need it - i'd rather he chewed a dummy than his fingers or staying in pain. i've had one baby who never wanted or needed a dummy and this one who does want one - it really helps so if yours wants one just ignore anybody who criticises. you can always take it away later on when baby is older or isn't in pain. teething is horrible for babies, i'll do anything to help even though i don't like seeing babies sucking on dummies all day - it's not forver and it's not every day. the dentist has told me it's okay.

somebody recommended apple rings the other day, but my baby isn't on solids yet and doesn't keep the teethers in his mouth so i don't think apple rings will help either, maybe when he's older.

the pharmacist in boots recommended a liquid teething solution rather than a gel, she said it sinks into the gums better, babies just lick off the gel. he can't have the herbal powders because he's lactose intolerant. he won't swallow painkiller medicine but he will sometimes have it in a bottle with some water. when he's in pain though he can barely suck, he just wants the dummy or my finger.

[kiwichick]

The only other option I have tried is Ambersol liquid, (it looks like a small bottle of essence) but it numbs straight down where the skin is broken, it has given her a few hours restbite. I think they do a cream as well, but we have found it better to stick with the liquid.

I used this too and found it to be an absolute godsend.

[Toothsmith]

my 20 week old seems to have been teething for months, no teeth yet though.

20 weeks old has only been on the planet for 4-5 months. I very much doubt this is teething, especially as there are no teeth yet.

Teething usually starts at 6 months, although there is big variation, but 'teething' is 'the process of getting teeth', and if they ain't shown up, he ain't teething.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the dummy. Dummies are easier to get rid of than thumbs, and it only becomes a stupid habit if he's still doing it at 5!!!

There are loads of reasons babies cry and bite. it's about all they can do. My youngest used to do it all the time till we realised he was allergic to milk. (And my wife drinking milk & then feeding must have been giving him tummyache) as soon as she finished having dairy products and switched to soya alternatives, crying & biting stopped.

This is one of the things I was refering to on the little teething thread on the health board. Teething has built up such an air of mystery and other symptoms around itself, that other things can often be put down to it, when really they are missing some other problem.

I'm not saying there is another problem, nor that your baby is allergic to milk, but be aware that if no teeth are appearing, it's probably not 'just teething'.

[jellyhead]

thanks, that's interesting. my other boy seemed to be always teething until i stopped giving him dairy at around his 3rd birthday (around the time he got his last teeth), can't believe now that it took me so long to realise he was milk intolerant, especially with my brother and lots of cousins being allergic to milk - i did raise it several times but health professionals are reluctant to diagnose it and i was told he was teething, he had rotavirus, he had ADHD and autism. at 9 my son is still intolerant.

baby is lactose intolerant but i was told about colief, a colic treatment. he has colief (the lactase enzyme) in his milk to break down the lactose. doctors and health visitors seem very resistant to giving soya or lactose free milk and would rather give colief on prescription instead. colief stops his colic but he still has an upset tummy and lots of mucus, his breathing is noisy and crackly so i think the milk is still upsetting him. i've never heard anything relating teething problems to milk allergy but i suppose you're right - eating his fists is about all he can do to convey a general discomfort.

[Toothsmith]

I think I may be confusing you here. There is nothing relating teething to anything other than a bit of pain when teeth come through.

It's just a coincidence that your kids problems and mine are/were similar.

If a baby is a bit grouchy and you can see a tooth coming through it's teething.

If it's a red cheek, temperature, bad nappy, pain and NO teeth, then it's something else.

[£Ronnie]

After the day I have had I am so pleased to see this thread still going....
Update: yesterday his front bottom tooth finally cut through and he was so happy all day. Stupidly I thought we might get a break from it for a while, today he has just been so miserable, not sleeping, barely eating or drinking.

He now has 4 more teeth imminent! AAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH

I have tried most of your suggestions, with little relief, so off to chemists tomorrow for that liquid that numbs the gums. Also going back to the health visitors, as worried he may now be getting dehydrated.

Toothsmith I am surprised by your comments about dummies: our dentist let us know in not too many words what he thought of them!
Off topic completely, but I am so proud off my little girl. She had her dummy in most of the day and night, but last week on her third birthday we decorated a box with Christmas stickers and she gave them to Father Christmas (he happened to be at her preschool that day) to give to the new babies! The first night she sobbed her heart out, but after 10 mins of soothe talking, she settled herself and has only mentioned it when telling someone that she is now a big girl as she dosen't use it any more. I cant believe how well she has done.

Ds uses one too, on Saturday I bought one of those teething dummies with bobbly bits on, but these seem to be much heavier than normal ones and he cant keep it in. Not very money saving though as since he cut his front tooth on Sun am he now can't use it. (Manufacturers recommendations) I suppose they may damage existing teeth, as they wouldn't do themselves out of money would they? Any thoughts on this toothsmith?

Jellyhead if you feel you would like to try this dummy then you can have this one(free naturally). Like i said he only used it for 5mins prob in total and it is suitable for steriliser. If you want to try it then PM your details.

[Toothsmith]

Dummies is a whole thread by itself!
My persnal view is that they are fine, but should really be done away with by the time the kid is 18months- 2yrs, if not earlier.

As you said, it's easy to have a ceromonial 'giving away' of a dummy. You can't do that with a thumb!!

Can't remember what I was taught on them, and I've never bothered to read published literature on them. I think opinion there is as equally divided as in society in general though. I've never seen teeth out of shape due to either thumb sucking or dummies provided the habit has stopped well before second teeth appear (That starts with adult first molars, at the back from 5+).

[kiwichick]

I would give ANYTHING for my youngest 2 to have taken a dummy. None of my kids would and as a result the youngest 2 (1&2) are both thumb suckers. I would rather a dummy as they are easier to take away.

A friend of mine managed to get her 2.5 year old off them last year by talking to her and asking if shewould leave them out for Santa. She told her that for every one of her dummies she gave to him he would leave an extra little present in her stocking - IT WORKED!!!!

I cant ask mine to leave their thumbs for Santa and think a dummy is by far a better alternative.

[donna-j]

Toothsmith, my baby cut his first two teeth at 15 weeks and had the red cheeks etc for a week beforehand. They then went away as soon as the teeth came through. Maybe there is no scientific proof for these signs but hundreds of years of parents' observations can't be that wrong.

He loves his dummy and I would rather he chomped on that than hurt his fingers on the wee razor-blades in his mouth.

[jellyhead]

i think toothsmith was just saying it's unusual and there might be other causes.

the dummies are a whole other thread but i asked my sons dentist (at a special needs clinic) and he said it's fine for now and better than a thumb. my baby was sucking his thumb in hospital, i don't know how he managed to find his gob, the midwife said he was determined to do it and she recommended a dummy as soon as we got home. my first baby never wanted a dummy but those who do will find their thumbs. my nephew kept his for ages, he was going to give it to santa but he wanted it again when his mum had a new baby, i bet i was a smug cow about it, those whose babies have never needed a dummy just don't understand lol! the special needs dentist said he sees a lot of children who keep their dummies until school age and also who are still drinking from a bottle, he would discourage it before the baby reaches 2 but he said when they're less than a year do what you feel is right and don't worry. there are worse things than giving a dummy - never brushing the teeth or giving them coke instead of water for example.

[black-saturn]

I would give ANYTHING for my youngest 2 to have taken a dummy. None of my kids would and as a result the youngest 2 (1&2) are both thumb suckers. I would rather a dummy as they are easier to take away.

I was a thumb sucker :o I sucked my thumb whenever I wasn't in public or at school until the age of 11 :o I sucked my thumb so much I had to have a brace on my teeth for 3 years from about the age of 11. I went through so much agony with my brace that it sometimes was unbearable and reduced me to tears.

Both my daughters had dummies. They both decided they didnt want them anymore when they were about 2 and a half and just threw them in the bin. They never mentioned them again.

[Toothsmith]

Toothsmith, my baby cut his first two teeth at 15 weeks and had the red cheeks etc for a week beforehand. They then went away as soon as the teeth came through. Maybe there is no scientific proof for these signs but hundreds of years of parents' observations can't be that wrong.

He loves his dummy and I would rather he chomped on that than hurt his fingers on the wee razor-blades in his mouth.


There is also a thread on this ongoing on the health board (? merge them webmasters?) I addressed the point about these other symptoms being mistaken for 'teething' here (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1257655&postcount=2) basically, there's lots of things going on in baby's life at that time, and it's just coincidence that some of these symptoms occur at the time that teeth are coming through.

What I would like to get across is that if your baby has a temperature, runny nappies, redness or other symptoms of poorlyness, then they are poorly! It may just be a very mild poorly, but teeth coming through do not make a baby poorly (A bit grouchy and cry maybe, but not ill) Kids from 7-14 are not made poorly by their adult teeth coming through, and neither are babies.

If a baby has signs of poorlyness, keep an eye on it. Don't dismiss it as 'teething'.

P.S. I have never seen a baby injure it's own fingers through biting them!! Other peoples (Namely mine!!) but not their own.

[Juicy_Tube]

Hi All,

Any suggestions on how to relieve it? And can I?

Baby is 5 months almost and has been 'teething' for last 3 weeks. I have the usual gels in the fridge etc. Powders on hand.

Teething rings etc don't work-HTH someone else!! A good finger is a good substitute.

Generally sleeping ok, but a big niggly at times in the day. Today has been the worst for red cheeks and nose.

Any tips? When are they likely to come through?

JT x

[joannasmum]

Hi Juicy Tube

Biccy Pegs, which are very hard sugar free biscuits which the baby can chew on but they dont break down. Also raw carrot thats been in the fridge is very soothing. If it gets to the point where sleeping becomes a problem I went down the paracetamol option, we used Medised at night as it has a component in it that causes drowsyness.

I know its heartbreaking when you know there suffering but you will get through it DD has 12 and has another 8 to get!!

[penypincher]

My 2 loved teething powder, especially as they got a bit older. It was like getting proper medicine and a sweet in one. I felt ok using it as it was homeopathic. Found it in sachets at Boots.

[tammyfshr]

thankfully i didnt have this problem.my baby is now 1 and has 10 teeth.he had his first one come through at 2 months.my mother in law recomends a drop of alcohol dapped on but i dont think the health visitor would approve.:o

[deaththecat]

I second the raw carrot from the fridge, DTK always liked that because it's food and food always cheers her up!

[Juicy_Tube]

Hi Juicy Tube

Biccy Pegs, which are very hard sugar free biscuits which the baby can chew on but they dont break down. Also raw carrot thats been in the fridge is very soothing. If it gets to the point where sleeping becomes a problem I went down the paracetamol option, we used Medised at night as it has a component in it that causes drowsyness.

I know its heartbreaking when you know there suffering but you will get through it DD has 12 and has another 8 to get!!

Do you know where to get biccy pegs from and are they suitable for a baby of 5 months?

TIA

JT x

[jellyhead]

my boots has bickiepegs, not sure of the age though. if they contain gluten they might be for 6m+

my baby is still lactose intolerant so can't have the powders, bah humbug! the anbesol liquid seems to work fast though. teeth 5-8 all came through at once, it was a nightmare lol! 9 and 10 are on their way now so again he hurts on both sides but at least it's only the top gums. when they have a few teeth it's dangerous putting the anbesol on :rotfl: someone at toddler group commented last week on my baby having 8 teeth already, her one year old only has one tooth. but i think it's probably easier that way, they can chew on foods and eat ice lollies. teething before weaning was tougher i found.

oh, and toothsmith my baby bites his fingers until they bleed - maybe he doesn't realise he's causing the pain, is he not very clever? :rotfl:

[Toothsmith]

oh, and toothsmith my baby bites his fingers until they bleed - maybe he doesn't realise he's causing the pain, is he not very clever? :rotfl:


I'd be surprised if it's the biting CAUSING the bleeding.

Could it be the fingers in the mouth all the time is causing the skin to dry and crack leading to the bleeding?

It actually takes a fair bit of force (and self destructive determination) to bite through your own skin.

[jellyhead]

they don't bleed all the time and i don't think it's eczema although i see your point. maybe he's angrier and more destructive than the average baby :rotfl:it hasn't happened this time around, he's 10 months old now, he's chewing on other things instead. my eldest used to rip out his hair and poke himself in the eyes, perhaps i have odd children :D

next time i'm in boots i'll have a look at the bickiepegs for age range.