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Mom supporting teething baby by massaging gums.

All About Teething: 5 Things You Need To Know

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Mom supporting teething baby by massaging gums.

Every child is different, but usually teething starts around 6 months and most children have a full, shiny set of teeth by the time they are 2½ years old. There is a wide range of variability of when a first tooth may appear—some babies may not have any teeth by their first birthday! Around 3 months of age, babies will begin exploring the world with their mouth and have increased saliva and start to put their hands in their mouth. Many parents question whether or not this means that their baby is teething, but a first tooth usually appears around 6 months old.

Before the tiny teeth even appear, your baby might have the following symptoms:

  • Sore and red gums
  • A flushed cheek
  • Dribbling more than usual
  • Repeated gnawing and chewing on things
  • More fretful than usual

It can take a couple of years for your baby’s full set of teeth to appear, and teething can cause distress for some babies. Implement these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics website below to help them come through it smiling.

  1. Massaging sore gums can help soothe your baby’s teething pain.

Cheek rubbing and ear pulling is caused by pain in the gums, which can travel to the cheek and ear, especially when the molars are erupting. Infants will rub these areas. Keep in mind that ear pulling or rubbing can also be a sign of an ear infection, please contact your infant’s pediatrician if this symptom continues or is accompanied with a high fever.

How to help your infant’s cheek rubbing and ear pulling: Try rubbing and massaging the gums with a clean finger for one to two minutes to help with the discomfort. Usually teething doesn’t cause children too much discomfort, however, many parents can tell when their baby is teething. Babies may show signs of discomfort in the area where the tooth is coming in, the gums around the tooth may be swollen and tender, and the baby may drool a lot more than usual.

  1. Do not use teething tablets, gels with benzocaine, homeopathic teething gels or tablets, or amber teething necklaces.

Stay away from teething tablets that contain the plant poison belladonna and gels with benzocaine. Belladonna and benzocaine are marketed to numb your child’s pain, but The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings against both due to potential side effects.

In addition, amber teething necklaces are also not recommended by the FDA. Necklaces placed around an infant’s neck can pose a strangulation risk or be a potential choking hazard. There is also no research to support the necklace’s effectiveness. See Teething Necklaces and Beads: A Caution for Parents for more information.

If your little one is really suffering, sugar-free paracetamol or ibuprofen can be given to relieve teething symptoms in babies and young children aged 3 months or older, but always follow the instructions that come with the medicine or check with your GP if you’re unsure.

  1. Reduce rashes and teething-induced diarrhea.

Babies produce more saliva when teething, so have extra muslin clothes and your Pura wipes to hand to clear up the dribbles. Wiping your baby’s face right away may help to prevent teething rashes. You may also want to keep a comfy bib on your little one to protect their clothes.

Some parents believe that their babies suffer from teething-induced diarrhea (check with your doctor if you’re concerned or unsure), which can lead to nappy rash. Both Pura wipes and nappies are designed to protect sensitive skins and prevent irritation. If you find your baby’s stool is loose or watery more regularly, you might need to stock up on extra supplies.

  1. Make your first dental appointment when the first tooth appears.

Try to make your baby’s first dental appointment after the eruption of the first tooth and by his or her first birthday. Both the AAP and the AAPD recommend that all children see a pediatric dentist and establish a “dental home” by age one. 

A pediatric dentist will make sure all teeth are developing normally and that there are no dental problems. They will also give you further advice on proper hygiene. If you don’t have a pediatric dentist in your community, find a general dentist who is comfortable seeing young children. And remember to stay away from sugar if you want to keep their brand new gnashers in tip top condition! 

  1. Brush up with fluoride toothpaste.

From the moment the first pearly-white milk tooth appears, you can get your baby their own toothbrush and toothpaste! The new teeth should be brushed with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste, specially designed for babies, twice a day.

Once your child has a tooth, you should be brushing them twice a day with a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice, especially after the last drink or food of the day. Remember not to put your baby to bed with a bottle—it can lead to tooth decay.

Once your child turns 3, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)recommend that a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste be used when brushing.

 

3 Tips for Preparing for a Newborn

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Whether you’re becoming a first-time parent, or expanding your family again, preparing for a newborn can be challenging. You may have to do several things around the house to prepare, like get the nursery ready or baby-proof your home. You may also have to look at your current financial habits to determine if there are areas you need to cut back. Whether it’s on regular spending or you’re considering saving money for a new home this financial check-in will be crucial in your preparation.

Consider creating a checklist that can help you make sure you’re on the right track for when the baby comes. The better prepared you are before the baby is born, the more you can relax and enjoy their company when they arrive. Take these tips into consideration while checking items off your list!

1 – Check-In on Your Finances

As you get more excited each day leading up to bringing your baby home, it’s important to make sure that you have all your bases covered financially. Are there areas where you can cut back on spending so you can save to buy new things for the baby? For example, you may consider cutting back on the following items:

  • Streaming Services: Do you pay for Netflix, Hulu, Paramount, etc.? If so, even just cutting back to one streaming platform can save you at least $20/per month.
  • What You Already Have: Instead of going on a coffee run every day, consider making coffee at home!
  • Eating Out: If you order in or go out to eat a couple of times a week, try meal planning to save money on going out.

Saving this extra money will allow you to put it towards the baby’s nursery, clothing, or even hospital expenses.

Plan for Change

Bringing a new baby into the family may mean you have to make a lot of big, life changes to accommodate the little one. For example, if expanding your family causes your current home to become too small, you may consider buying a new home. This process on its own can be costly, so where you can, you’ll want to avoid stressing about buying a new house in the midst of having a baby. Along with many other strategies, financial preparation can help with that.

You’ll need to take into account whether you will be living off of one salary after the baby is born. If that is the case, you’ll need to determine how much you can afford on a house based on your income. You don’t want to put yourself at risk for not being able to afford a new home, pay your bills, and provide for your family. So reassure yourself that you can afford a home that will fit your family’s needs.

2 – Think Ahead When Designing the Nursery

One of the most exciting things about having a baby is designing the nursery. The baby’s room is an area where you and your newborn spend a lot of time together. Creating a separate checklist for the nursery room may help you identify everything you will need or what you already have and may just need to pull out of storage. You’ll want to think about the setup of the room as well in regard to where you want the crib, changing table, and rocking chair to go. For example, you don’t want to place the crib near the door where your baby can easily hear noises throughout the house. You also don’t want to place the crib or changing table under a vent. If a crin is located under a vent, the heat and air conditioning could be blowing directly on the baby, causing them to potentially fuss or become too warm or cold.

If you’re reusing a crib from one of your other kids, it may be best to invest in a newer mattress, and if you are investing in a new mattress, shop with us at Colgate Mattress. Mattress safety is extremely important when it comes to your baby as it affects their quality of sleep. Purchasing a new mattress will also ensure that the mattress is sanitary and you can ensure that it is firm enough for the baby. Since babies should not be sleeping with extra pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals, the mattress should be comfortable for them to lie on without extra support. Babies can’t sleep with extra items in their crib because of the potential for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), so investing in a mattress that is breathable too is crucial. At Colgate Mattress, we can supply you with a variety of crib mattresses that will best fit your needs. Babies tend to roll on their faces while sleeping, so making sure they can breathe while snuggled in their crib is important.

3 – Baby-Proof Your Home

Creating a safe space for your baby is crucial not only for them but for your family as well. Babyproofing your home is an important step as it brings a level of comfort to your baby and family knowing that they won’t have to worry about anything tragic happening. If you’re moving into a new house for example, you may consider babyproofing the home before you move in. This may consist of adding locks on all doors, installing gates around the stairs and in certain areas of the home, or adding window stops to all windows in the house. Taking these steps before moving in will reduce the stress of having to babyproof your home after the baby arrives.

Along with babyproofing your home, there are also safety precautions you should take in addition to standard babyproofing. Make sure that you have smoke detectors in each level of your home and a carbon monoxide detector. Each home should have one, but purchasing extra batteries and detectors to have on hand will also be in your best interest in the event of a fire, leak, or other safety issues.

Preparing for a newborn is such a fun and exciting process, but it can often become overwhelming. Taking these steps and tips into consideration and crossing things off your list will help you to feel ready for when the big day is here. In the meantime, make sure you are enjoying each moment and taking it all in, as it will go by fast. Before you know it, you will be in the nursery room creating memories with your new family member!

 

 

Becoming a Parent During COVID-19

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We are surrounded by images of blissful motherhood on social media, TV and in magazines. But many new mothers experience some distressing feelings after giving birth. That’s normal because the responsibilities of being a new parent are both tough … and exhausting. Fathers are also at risk of depression after the birth of a baby, and the risk goes up significantly when the mother experiences depression too. 

New parents need plenty of support during the best of times, but when faced with hospitals overwhelmed with coronavirus patients, new visitation rules for delivery rooms and the general uncertainty about how coronavirus affects our lives, the stakes can feel especially high.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your plans for support after childbirth from family and friends have probably been changed or may have even been cancelled. Losing your support system can make it harder to figure out a smooth transition to parenting. 

Fortunately, help is available – from family, peers and providers. However, support looks a little different now. Most providers are using telehealth visits for most of their visits, and support groups have moved online. 

Below are resources for providers, support groups and ways that we all can support parents and families during this uncertain time.

These groups and resources can offer the chance to communicate with people who get it. We hope these make the day-to-day challenges, fear and overwhelm a little easier to take.

Surviving Love, Marriage and a Baby Carriage

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tired parents with newborn

Sleep deprivation is no joke for new parents.

For many, the word “tired” takes on new meaning during the first months after bringing a baby home. You and your spouse are often surprised by just how drained and exhausted you are. Where are the grand visions you had of a slumbering little angel, peacefully dreaming while you and hubby adjusted back to normal life with romantic dinners and the latest Netflix series? Soon, you feel like zombies from an episode of The Walking Dead.

At times, it can seem as if you’ll never feel rested again. While it can be difficult to avoid sleep deprivation entirely thanks to the fact that newborns typically wake up every three hours to eat, these tips can make it easier to get through those special, but sleepless days and nights.

Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps

The golden rule of new parenting is to follow your baby’s lead and snooze whenever you put your infant down to sleep. This means ignoring your to-do list, shutting off your cell phone, and sneaking in as much rest as you can until your newborn wakes up.

Go for Morning Walks

The exposure to natural sunlight in the morning can reset your day to day rhythm after a sleepless night. It also helps an infant develop a regular sleep-wake cycle.  Plus, the exercise may make it easier to fall asleep when you do have a chance to nap.

Avoid Bed Sharing

While it’s tempting to snuggle, when sleep is a priority it’s best for moms to place their baby back in the crib or bassinet after nursing. Being alone in the bed may improve the chances of getting better quality sleep.

Call in Help

Ask your spouse, a parent, a sibling or a friend to alternate baby duties with you so that you can make up for missed sleep with short naps during the day.  Even 15 minutes of shut-eye can be beneficial to body and mind.

Keep a careful watch – a lack of sleep may actually increase the chance of postpartum depression, and, on the flip side, postpartum depression may make it more challenging for a new parent to get sufficient sleep.

The good news is; the weariness won’t last forever. New parents say they get about six hours of nighttime sleep and a one-hour nap during the day by the time their baby turns 2-months-old.

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