Teething Time

Teething Time: What Parents Need to Know, Supplies, and the Power of Babywearing

The emergence of a newborn baby's first tooth is a milestone eagerly awaited by every parent. However, this process often comes with restlessness, crying, and sleepless nights. Here is what parents need to know to get through this period more comfortably, the supplies they need, and the practical suggestions for using a baby carrier (Babywearing)!

🎯 What Are Parents' Essential Needs?

During the teething process, what parents need most is actually information, support, and appropriate tools.

1. Accurate Information and Awareness

* Recognizing Symptoms: Knowing the reason for your baby's fussiness (understanding that it is teething) is the biggest relief. Symptoms usually include swollen, red gums, excessive drooling, the urge to bite everything, loss of appetite, and restlessness.
* When Does It Start? Typically, the first teeth emerge between 6 and 10 months, but this can be much earlier (3 months) or later (12 months). Every baby is different!
* Knowing the Tooth Order: Usually, the lower front incisors appear first, followed by the upper front incisors. Knowing this order helps you anticipate what to expect.

2. Effective Soothing Tools

The basic tools you should have on hand to alleviate your baby's pain are:
* Chilled Teething Rings: Teethers chilled in the refrigerator (not frozen) soothe swollen gums, providing instant relief. Try different shapes and materials.
* Gum Massage: Gently massaging the gums with a clean finger or a special finger brush can speed up blood flow and relieve pain.
* Medical Support: For severe pain and fever, pain relievers containing paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used under a doctor's recommendation. These medications should never be used without a doctor's advice.
* Natural Methods: You can opt to use cold carrot/cucumber sticks (under supervision due to choking risk) or a soaked cloth.

💕 The Power of Skin-to-Skin Contact: Hugging Away the Pain and the Babywearing Solution

While teething pain is physical, your baby's discomfort is largely emotional. During this process, parental contact is a scientifically proven method of pain relief and helps calm your baby. This is where Babywearing (carrying the baby) comes into play.

Why is a Baby Carrier Soothing?

1. Natural Painkiller: Oxytocin: Skin-to-skin contact triggers the release of Oxytocin, known as the "love hormone," in both you and your baby. Oxytocin has a natural analgesic effect and reduces stress. Using a baby carrier makes this contact continuous and supports the flow of Oxytocin.
2. Security and Calm: Feeling the parent's heartbeat, smell, and voice inside the baby carrier during moments of restlessness helps the baby feel secure. This instantly calms the nervous system and softens the reaction to pain.
3. Continuous Comfort and Rhythmic Movement: With Babywearing, your baby is rocked as you move. This rhythmic motion mimics the womb environment, comforting your baby and distracting them from the pain.

Tips for Using a Carrier (Sling/Wrap):

* All-Day Contact: When your baby is fussy or having trouble sleeping during the day, pick them up in an ergonomic baby carrier. This both frees up your hands and gives your baby constant reassurance.
* Preventing Focus on Pain: While your baby is focused on the pain, the warmth they feel in the carrier, the rhythmic swaying, and your breathing help to reduce the intensity of the pain.

💡 Practical Tips and To-Dos

* Watch Out for Drool Rash: Excessive drooling can cause redness (rash) around the chin and chest. Change bibs frequently and use gentle creams to keep the skin dry. Also, frequently check the area of the carrier that touches the neck.
* Start Cleaning Early: As soon as the first tooth appears, start cleaning twice a day with a finger brush or a wet cloth. This helps the baby get used to oral hygiene.
* Fever and Diarrhea: Although teething is generally associated with a mild fever (below 38∘C) and mild diarrhea, high fever or severe diarrhea is unlikely to be caused by teething and requires consulting a doctor.

Teething is a temporary phase. With the right tools, plenty of patience, and the close contact provided by your baby carrier, you and your little one can get through this period with the least discomfort.