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7 Tips to Put a Teething Baby to Sleep
Babies start teething between four and seven months after their birth. As a mother you get excited, when you see your baby teething. However, teething is extremely painful for a baby, causing many issues, including difficulty in sleeping. So, here are some ways in which can ease the pain and put your baby to sleep.
Signs and Symptoms of Teething
1. Biting
Teeth poking through the gums are painful, which is alleviated by applying pressure on the area. Hence, teething babies bite and chew on whatever they can find to suppress the pain, which is a natural instinct.
2. Drooling
Teething makes babies drool more than usual, so if you notice excessive drooling, chances are your baby is teething. Keep a towel or napkin handy to wipe your child's chin every now and then.
3. Crankiness
The pain from teething puts babies in a sour mood. Expect your little one to be fussy and irritated during the teething phase.
4. Disrupted Sleep
The discomfort babies face may prevent them from being able to sleep peacefully, and you may notice your child periodically waking up in the middle of the night or having difficulty going to sleep.
5. Loss of Appetite
Though this may seem contradictory, the suction from nursing can cause the baby’s sore gums to feel worse, causing a loss of appetite. Try and soothe the pain before nursing, and you may notice the appetite rising.
6. Cheek Rubbing and Ear Pulling
You may notice you child pulling his/her ears or furiously rubbing his cheeks. This could happen as a result of shared nerve pathways in the cheeks and ears. However, excessive ear pulling could indicate a ear infection, so keep a look out.
Tips to Help a Child Sleep During Teething
As a new mother, you will receive ample advice on parenting, which is bound to boggle your mind. Your baby will be in intense pain, due to which his sleeping schedule may get disrupted. Therefore, here are some useful tips to get your teething baby to sleep.
1. Give the Baby Something Cold to Chew On
Cold desensitises nerves and reduces pain. This is why, nowadays, more toy companies are creating rubber or gel-core based teethers that can be refrigerated. Teethers are special toys, made to be chewed on by teething babies. The pressure on a baby’s teeth, caused by chewing, can provide relief from teething pain. The instinct to begin chewing to reduce the pain of teething is natural in humans and animals. If you do not have any refrigerator-friendly teething toys, you can substitute it with a clean, frozen cloth, instead. Do not freeze teething toys, as that will make them hard and could hurt your baby's teeth. Simply chill them before handing to your baby. Also, always be present to supervise your baby when he is chewing something. Teething toys are designed to be chewed and not swallowed, so keep an eye on your baby.
2. Massage the Gums
Your baby might refuse to sleep alone when he starts teething. As you lay the baby on the bed, massage his/her gums with your finger. This will ease the pain and help put your baby to sleep. If he/she wakes up in the middle of the night, you can massage the gums again. As you massage your baby's gums, you will be able to feel where the teeth are coming in. Focus on massaging these areas, in particular. Ensure that your fingers are clean before massaging your baby's gums.
3. Give Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea helps reduce inflammation, soothe stomach aches, boost immunity, promote relaxation, and induce sleep. Giving chamomile tea to a teething baby will provide relief from teething pain and even induce sleep. Chamomile tea can be given to a baby through a feeding bottle at room temperature or when mildly warm. You can even soak a clean rag in chamomile tea and freeze it before giving it to your baby to chew on. However, it should be noted that chamomile tea should not be given to babies who are less than six months of age. You can give it to a baby who has crossed the half-year mark, but it is advisable to consult a doctor before opting for this remedy. Make sure that the chamomile tea is at a slightly cool temperature, but not very cold. Also, while massaging the gums, a clean finger can be dipped into chamomile tea before massage.
4. Feed the Baby Cold Food Before Bedtime
Cold soothes pain in the gums and a full stomach induces sleep. You can give your baby cold yoghurt or cold fruits and vegetables, such as grapes or boiled carrots. However, keep in mind to give him age-appropriate food, i.e. fruits or veggies that can be chewed properly. An option here would be to buy a mesh feeding bag. This is used to start young babies on solid foods safely, without the risk of swallowing too big a piece, and choking.
5. Create a Calm Environment
To make your baby sleep, it is important that you set a sleeping schedule. When babies have a set pattern of sleep, their bodies adjust accordingly. A bed-time routine automatically makes them sleepy as bedtime approaches, as it subconsciously signals that it is time to sleep when certain activities are performed in a set sequence, for a period of time. It essentially works on the same principles of habit formation. The routine could include a warm bath, changing to pyjamas, reading a short story, singing to your baby or rocking him in your arms until he falls asleep.
6. Breastfeed
Breastfeeding calms your baby. As your baby begins teething, he might gnaw on your nipples and hurt you. To prevent this, massage your baby’s gums prior to feeding. Breastfeeding is an effective way to soothe your baby and put him to sleep.
7. Use Pain-killing Medication
This should be your last resort if you’ve tried the other methods, without any positive result. Pain-killers can help alleviate your baby’s pain and put him to sleep. Always consult your doctor before resorting to medication. Do not buy over-the-counter pharmaceutical products for this. Painkillers such as Ibuprofen have special, diluted formulas made particularly for children and babies. Do not use adult painkillers. Also, consult your paediatrician before giving any medication to your little one.
How Long Does the Teething Pain Last?
It is hard to say how long teething pain lasts. For example, a baby might feel the pain for months before the teeth actually come through. Meanwhile, others may feel the pain once the teeth have formed in the gums and are making their way out. The intensity of pain may differ from one baby to another. However, the pain mostly goes away once the tooth has grown out of the gums. While your baby’s front teeth do come up in the first year, the back set of molars appear after the first year, so there is a period of relief from teething stress.
Cautionary Tips
Always watch your baby if he is chewing on something, be it a teething toy, rag, or food. A baby may choke on it, so be careful.
Consult your physician before you give painkillers to your child.
If the teething toy is secured on a string around your baby’s neck, do not leave it on when putting your baby to sleep. It could get stuck somewhere and end up strangling the baby when he/she rolls over.
A common, but dangerous home remedy is to rub crushed aspirin tablets on your baby’s gums. Do not opt for this remedy, as it may cause the baby to become extremely sick.
Babies sometimes develop a habit of pulling their ear while teething, as the pain of teething may transfer to the ear canal. If the pain is excessive, consult a doctor, as your baby could be suffering from a ear infection.
Do not use over-the-counter creams or gels on your baby’s gums as a numbing medication.
FAQ’s
1. Should I Continue Sleep Training During Teething?
Yes, sleep training should continue during the teething phase. Keep in mind that this “phase” comes back around after the first year, and indeed, it will take up to 3 years before a child has all his/her milk teeth in place. Teething will disrupt a few nights’ sleep, but you should continue sleep training your child. Sticking to regular sleep timings and enforcing them by building a bed-time routine is one of the keys to putting your teething baby to sleep. Foregoing sleep training because your baby is teething and cannot sleep due to the pain usually makes it more difficult for the baby to sleep.
2. Can Teething Make Some Babies Sleep More?
According to a popular website, some parents have anecdotally reported that their kids slept more while they were teething. Teething can make a baby feel a bit dull, and hence, he/she might sleep more. However, there is no evidence to prove this. Your baby might be sleeping more because he is going through a growth spurt. Babies are in a growing phase, and although their growth may not always be constant, it can be rapid at one time and stable during another time; hence, the term “growth spurt”. Children going through a growth spurt are observed to sleep more, whether while taking naps or sleeping through the night. Teething is a natural process, and sometimes, the natural process can involve pain. As a mommy, you know best, so do what you think is right.
Meanwhile, stick to sleep training because, in some years, your child will be alright, waking up well-rested after a sound night of sleep, with a precious smile showing off brand new white teeth, which is all you need to forget the tough teething nights.
Also Read: Newborn Baby Feeding and Sleeping Schedule Read more
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Postnatal Care - A Healthy Mother is a Blessing for the Baby
Delivering a baby is one of the most beautiful and memorable moments in a woman's life. But at the same time, it is an equally crucial time to take care of yourself. As soon as your little one comes to your hands, you start showering your love on them and start caring for them in the best possible way.But as a mother, we forget to take care of ourselves. We should understand the importance of being healthy because as long as we are healthy, we can take care of our children. No matter how much we love our little one, unless we are fit, we can't take care of them in the way intended.Hence, I am going to share some really important tips for postnatal care as the first forty days are really crucial.
1. Take Rest and Have a Good Diet
A new mother should take proper rest for the initial forty days. Along with rest, a proper diet, preferably a lighter one, is also important as whatever you are going to eat will be transferred to the baby through breast milk if your little one is one breastfeeding. A new born can't digest solid food in the initial days of her life. So it's better to not have food that is hard to digest for a few days after delivery.
2. Take a Nap With Your Baby
Sleep also plays an important role in recovering from the tiredness of delivery. As baby sleeps, take a nap with her for faster recovery. In the early days, babies sleep a lot. So you can take naps with the baby.
3. Use Warm Water
Whether in summer or winter, use warm water for drinking and any every other purpose. And avoid drinking water in a standing position to avoid water retention in the body.
4. Breastfeed
Breastfeeding is beneficial for both the mother and the baby. Try to breastfeed as much as possible because the more you breastfeed, it is going to help you shed weight. Women who breastfeed are more likely to lose weight faster than mothers who don't.
5. Getting a Postnatal Massage
As delivering a baby makes our body delicate and weak, having a postnatal massage becomes immensely important. Try to have a postnatal massage as early as the third day of the delivery. It will give the required strength to your body to take care of yourself and your baby in a better way.
7. Take Medicine
Last but not the least, take medicines prescribed by the doctor. It is utmost important to have the required dose of iron and calcium. It is a real game-changer in the whole story. As baby's requirements are going to be fulfilled by breast milk, you as a mother need to transfer it to your little one.Apart from this, must-haves are green leafy vegetables and milk as they are a rich source of iron and calcium. Remember that these postnatal days are going to play the most important role in your health for a future new you.
Take care!!
Stay healthy.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
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Breastfeeding - An Emotional Connect With Your Baby. My most memorable phase of motherhood
As everyone says pregnancy is a rollercoaster ride and parenting is even more worse and all. The truth I want to reveal is that whatever phase we are through if it's done with the right intention and commitment every thing falls in place and it's a journey to remember and cherish.
I am Karpagapriya Shanmugasundaram, mother of 17 months old girl baby names Diya. She's such a cute naughty little brat who initially was very calm and quiet until age of one. I ve been breastfeeding Diya ever since she was born till date and wish to continue as far as i could and as far as she demands to.
Initially when I started it was extremely difficult but with the help of my mother I was able to make it. Since I had gestational diabetes few months jus before delivery still managed and had a normal delivery at 38 weeks. Ever since then I am breastfeeding her, she was a pro at every thing right from latching till burping.
I understand her needs and feed her accordingly and we are successful till now. Being a working woman I knew I would be missing feeding her still I used to cope up by pumping storing and feeding her, still she just loved getting fed directly and would wait for me to return from office.
Now being lockdown and most of us are working from homes it's more easier to feed her whenever she demands. Infact I feel breastfeeding at night along with gentle massages and her favourite lullaby puts her to sleep hassle-free.
Initially I had a lot of my family members against me feeding her beyond 12 months and a few even insisted me stop. But I would never do that until my daughter decides by herself when to stop.
Until then my journey continues...
Thank you for reading my wonderful journey and I feel so happy to have shared it here ❤️ Read more
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What Type of Parenting Style Do You Follow and What Literature Says
Hi friends,
Today I would like to share with you the four types of parenting in our society. All of us usually train our kids as we were raised by our parents. We may/may not be having differences of opinion about the way we were raised by our parents and those who had differences will be trying to improvise it when it comes to the parenting roles. So in this context, I feel it's very important as a parent to know the types of parenting styles in our society and to evaluate ourselves as what type of parent are we. Hence here is a brief description of the same...
Types of Parenting
1. Authoritative
2. Authoritarian
3. Permissive
4. Neglected
1. Authoritative: Warm, responsive, and accepting but with set expectations for behaviour and achievement.
Positives - Differences are approached with reasoning and discussions, no forcefulness.
This type of parenting does not resort to punishments as a means to teach or inculcate a behaviour, rather it's the patient explanations of the parents and reasoning out to the kids which helps them to better understand their mistakes and rectify them. Parent-child rapport is good and increases the confidence in kids.
2. Authoritarian: High degree of parental control with obedience expected.
Punishment >>discussions
I feel this is an outcome of the busy life schedule among the parents as we don't have enough time to sit and explain things in the right way but want perfect behaviour from our kids. This approach instills fear of punishment rather than understanding. It causes emotional disturbances and psychological stress.
3. Permissive: Warmth and acceptability with very few rules and expectations. Child's autonomy valued highly.
4. Neglectful: Similar to permissive but lacks warmth and responsiveness
Often in daily life, we have mixed types of parenting. Mom and dad have a different style and studies have shown that mixed variant is better than both parents having the similar approaches.
Studies found authoritative parenting style with the most positive outcomes in most of the domains of behaviour, education, responsibility.
It's a highly debatable topic and difference of opinion are very common in the view of parents as we all feel our ways of parenting are always the right way. (I too do the same as I feel I am the best).
Kindly opine your views and evaluate yourself as to what type of parenting style you are following.
Happy parenting to all my dear friends!
Reference: Nelsons textbook of Pediatrics
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
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Sarika gupta has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
12 hours ago
Q. Hi.. Priyanka kalra doctor..I am 39 weeks 3 days pregnant, AFI level 8 is this normal?and normal delivery possible for me? Is the fluid enough for up to 1 week?Do I need a drip? please suggest me.
Sarika gupta
Mom of 2 children
12 hours ago
A. Hello there ma’am please do not worry about it too much and it is quite difficult to say anything about it without personally examination and proper reports evaluation. So better to consult with your treating gynaecologist in person as she knew the exact health condition of your pregnancy and can guide you better.
Take care
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
11 hours ago
Q. Hi, for May 1st they will check AFI fluid... should I need to be on empty bladder for that scan... which is around 37 weeks
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
10 hours ago
A. It’s completely normal this kind of an ultrasound is different it is not necessary that your stomach should be full or you should go empty stomach you can have your basic breakfast and all whatever you would want to eat before you go ahead with getting a scan and there is no need to go empty stomach for the scan
Rayan has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
10 hours ago
Q. hi everyone..the position of my baby is still in breech position from first trimester till now as I entered in my third trimester position is still breech is it normal..
Rayan
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1 hour ago
A. Check your scan report
parminder kaur has added a new answer
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Q. Mera Mera 7th month end pe hai ab scan Karate doctor please tell me
parminder kaur
Mom of a 1 yr 1 m old boy
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A. yess
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Expecting Mom due in 1 month
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Rayan
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1 hour ago
A. Cotton, Muslin clothes can be used. Prefer white or light coloured clothes since it absorb less heat.
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A. normal traditional food rich in protein ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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