Let the Teething Begin

While teething actually starts several months before the actual first tooth erupts through the baby's gums, it usually begins with very mild symptoms such as drooling and sticking objects in the mouth. Little Bear started this at about 4 months, which put her right on track to get her first tooth around 7 months (which is average for a first tooth ... though many babies get teeth earlier or later; in some rare cases, babies are even born with a few teeth!). Little Bear is now 6 1/2 months old and I can start to see a few white spots starting to show through her top right gum. She started teething in earnest about 2 weeks ago. What a change it brought on in my little baby girl!

Before teething, nightly routines were easy. She would sleep 9-10 hours straight at night. Now I'm lucky if she goes 3 hours in a row. It reminds me of the first month after she was born: I am exhausted every morning and night-time seems to drag on for an eternity. After spending the last 2 weeks thinking I needed to "solve" this issue, I read a wonderful post on the wonderful pediatrician Dr. Sear's website. He basically states that once teething begins, all bets for a restful night's sleep are off. He also reminds parents that it is a fairly recent myth (started sometime in the 1970's) that infants should be sleeping through the night. He suggests that it is actually more normal for a 6-10 month old child who is teething to be waking up off and on throughout the night. This instantly made me feel better about the situation, and helped me relax. Sometimes I just need a kind reminder that Josephine is a baby, babies have their own sleep routines, and we as parents signed-up for respecting their routines while they are small.

That said, Dr. Sears (and others) do suggest a few things that can be done to help a teething baby feel more comfortable, which may in turn help mom and dad (as well as baby) get a few more hours of sleep each night.

1. Cold things (wet rag in freezer, frozen waffle, frozen banana, cold chewy toys, etc.). We have two frozen toys that are soft and made for teething that we give to Little Bear during the day. We have two so that one can always be in the freezer, ready to go. She LOVES them and knows exactly what they are. As soon as she sees it she gets excited, reaches out for it, and sticks it directly in her mouth. Great for day time, not so much at night. 

2. Camilia liquid vials. I started using these vials several weeks ago when I noticed that Little Bear looked uncomfortable. It seemed to help a little. The effect at night, however, didn't seem to be as strong as in the day. They contain German chamomile (relieves teething pain), poke (also relieves pain), and Chinese rhubarb (relieves stomach upset related to teething). They come in small plastic vials of clear liquid that have no flavor.

3. Hyland's Teething Tablets. Small little pellets that can be dissolved in water and then rubbed on the gums, or placed directly in the mouth. They are cherry flavored and Little Bear loves them. I've only used them twice so far, but they seem to work for short periods of time (1-2 hours). They contain chamomile (calming and pain relieving), coffea cruda (helps calm the nervous system and assist in getting rest), Belladona (eases redness, inflammation, and discomfort), and Calcarea Phosphorica (supports teeth formation). I was a little concerned when I read "Belladona" on the ingredient list. I recognized it as a pain medication we used at the hospital on patients. After reading information on the dosage amounts in the tablets, however, I felt 100% comfortable giving it to Little Bear. Here is information from their website: "The amount of Belladonna alkaloids in teething tablets is minuscule, especially when compared to conventional medicine. Conventional medicines typically use 0.2 to 5 mg of Belladonna alkaloids per tablet as an anti-spasmodic – roughly 1,000 to 25,000 times larger than the quantities used in Hyland’s Teething Tablets. The side effects sometimes caused by conventional medicines delivering more than 0.2 mg of Belladonna alkaloids – such as dry mouth, blurred vision and urinary retention – are not associated with homeopathic medicines because of their minute dosage.To put homeopathic dosages in perspective, typically a 10-pound child would need to ingest 1,000 Hyland’s Teething Tablets (at least 6 bottles of 125 tablets) to exhibit even the first possible side effect of Belladonna."

There was recently a recall on Hyland's Teething Tablets. Please visit this website to see specific UPC codes that were recalled.

3. Infant's Tylenol. I haven't used this yet, but I think I will pick some up today at the store to see if it helps Little Bear at night. She is definitely uncomfortable during the night hours and I'd like to find something to help! Dr. Sears recommends 7 mg per pound of body weight every 4 hours. Little Bear weighs 16 pounds, so she would receive 112 mg. Make sure that you calculate dosages right for infants if you choose to use Tylenol (Children's Tylenol is usually 160 mg per teaspoon ... I am not sure what infant dosages are). It takes 45-60 minutes to kick in, so plan accordingly if giving before bedtime. NOTE: Overdosing a child on Tylenol is extremely serious and can cause long-term injury or death. Make sure you use Infant or Children's Tylenol and dose correctly!

4. Infant/Pediatric Motrin. This medication can also be used for teething, like Children's Tylenol. I have yet to use this, either. Though it does not give dosing for under 2 years of age on the box, it has been approved down to 2 months of age. The dose is 4.5 mg per pound of body weight every 6 hours. It takes about 30 minutes to begin working. NOTE: Like Tylenol, Motrin is medication and can cause overdose if not given properly. Make sure you use according to dosing instructions.

5. Children's Benadryl. This one is not recommended by all doctors, but is by some. A local pharmacist gave me this suggestion, so I did some research on it. If using Children's Benadryl for teething, it should only be used as a topical solution to rub on the gums in very small amounts (dip your finger in the liquid medication once or twice and rub on gums). NOTE: Benadryl can cause respiratory depression in larger amounts. Personally, I felt safe rubbing it on Little Bear's gums. However, it only worked well for 2-3 hours and then wore off. I feel better using the Tylenol or Motrin as a medication.

6. Breastfeeding and Bed-sharing. Little Bear usually sleeps in our room, in her own crib. However, with her frequent awakenings during the night, I found that moving her into bed with us and allowing her to nurse helped to calm her and get her back to sleep. We don't normally bed-share with Little Bear because I just don't sleep well with her moving around right next to me. So while this solution works great for Little Bear, it doesn't work well for me. It is better than getting up, nursing, then trying to put her back in her crib, though.

I'm sure there are many other medications and natural remedies to help ease the pain of teething. I'm open to suggestions and possibilities. In the meantime, I'm trying to be patient, take more naps when Little Bear does, and remember that "this too shall pass."

The Beloved Sheepskin Baby Rug

Before Little Bear was born, a friend suggested I order a sheepskin rug for her. I had never heard of using one before with babies and did a little research on the subject. Turns out that sheepskin rugs became popular in the 1970's, then sort of died-off in popularity. Recently, however, they are making a comeback. And for good reasons. Anyone that has ever worn a pair of Ugg boots (or any other brand of lambswool-lined moccasin or shoe) knows how absolutely divine real lambswool is. It keeps your feet warm, yet not sweaty. It wicks away moisture to keep you dry and comfortable. And it is so soft and comfortable! The baby sheepskin rugs work the same way. They are incredibly soft and comfortable for babies to lie on, and help to keep them warm in the winter, and cool in the summer.

I ordered a small one for Little Bear. It was shorn to 3/4" (companies usually offer shorn as well as unshorn rugs) and roughly 34" x 22". I got mine from the Overland Sheep Company off of Amazon.com. If I had it to do over again, I think I would order the unshorn as it would be even more soft and comfortable!

For the first few week of Little Bear's life, we used the sheepskin for laying on during the day. I would often put her on it naked, with a cloth diaper beneath her bottom, and let her have "belly-time" outside in the shade. Now that she is older, I use it for sitting. It makes a much softer landing when she topples backwards or sideways. I am also starting to use it for sleeping. I read that sheepskin is not safe to use during the first few months when the baby is so tiny. The surface is just too soft to be recommended for this use (although I am sure that many cultures all over the world have been doing this safely for thousands of years). Being a hyper-vigilant American, I chose not to use it for sleeping at night. Now that Little Bear is 6 months old, however, I feel perfectly comfortable using it for nighttime sleeping. In fact, it has really made a difference now that Little Bear is in the throws of teething and very uncomfortable at bedtime. I have found that she more easily falls asleep with her sheepskin beneath her!

Caring for a sheepskin rug is easy. They are machine washable. Simply put on "wool-cycle" and use warm (never hot) water. Wash with a mild liquid detergent (never bleach, as it can harm the skin of the rug). The rug may be tumble-dried (never spin dry) on warm/cool. Preferably, it can be dried outside, avoiding direct sunlight. The wool may become curly again. If this occurs, simply brush out with a wire pet-brush until soft and fluffy again. It is recommended to wash sheepskin rugs 1x month. Honestly, that seems to be overdoing it for me. I've been careful not to get it dirty by laying blankets over the top of it, or placing diapers beneath Little Bear if she was on it naked. I say wash it when it is dirty, and not before! =)

All in all, I highly recommend the baby sheepskin rugs. I might invest in one that fits in Little Bear's stroller (like a sleeping bag) to keep her warm in the cold Bend, Oregon weather!