After several months of irregular sleep schedule and plenty of learning experiences, you finally feel like you got this motherhood thing down. Then one day, your baby is suddenly cranky most of the time, keeps you up at night, and bites you during breastfeeding sessions.
Welcome to the teething stage, mama! This developmental milestone is not only uncomfortable and stressful for your little one, but for parents as well. Your child will experience discomfort and you will need to soothe a fussy and irritated baby and distract them from the pain.
While symptoms are different for every baby, there are common signs to watch out for to know that your baby is experiencing this major milestone that is teething:
- Excessive drooling
- Biting and gnawing
- Sore or tender gums
- Cheek rubbing
- Ear pulling
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Sleep disruption
- Low grade fever
- Diarrhea
- Increased biting or chewing on objects
When your baby bites and chews on objects, light pressure is applied onto their sore gums. They feel a sense of relief and comfort when this happens. But of course, we don’t want them grabbing just about anything in the house to chew on. After all, everything that goes inside your baby’s mouth should be safe.
Enter teether toys or teething toys. For teething babies, biting into a teether helps reduce the pain and discomfort of their swollen gums. But teethers can do more than that. Your child can also play, explore, and have some fun with their teething toys. Hence, you can use them even outside the teething stage.
Choosing and buying a teether
Before you purchase one though, you have to consider several factors: design, made from safe materials, cleaning, and durability.
Since your baby will be playing with it while they ease their discomfort, a teether’s design should be made in such a way that it has a nice grip, a soothing texture, and large enough so as not to be swallowed by the infant. Teethers come in many different types, such as teether rings, teether pacifier, teething toothbrushes, and more.
Teethers are usually made of silicone, wood, or rubber. Silicone teethers are safe and soft to chew on, which makes them the most popular type of teethers. Wooden teethers are light and easy to hold, and not to mention they’re eco-friendly. Rubber teethers are also safe, except when your child has latex allergy. No matter which material the teether is made of, the important thing is that it is safe for the child and doesn't contain toxic materials.
Cleaning the teether should also not be a herculean task. You already have so much on your plate as a mama, so choose ones that are simple to clean and sterilize. Check if it can be cleaned in a dishwasher, microwave, or sterilizer.
You also need to ensure that the teether you choose is durable enough to last for a long time. It should not break easily, especially when babies put them in their mouth all the time. You don’t want to keep on buying a new one, so you also save some money.
Safe teether usage
As much as we ensure that everything that gets close to our child is safe for them, the same goes with teethers. Always check the teether before giving it to your baby. If it has tears, throw it immediately as it can already be a choking hazard for your little one.
Some parents put teethers in the refrigerator before giving them to the child. Experts recommend chilling them instead of freezing as frozen teethers can damage your infant’s gums.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also does not recommend teething jewelry in infants as they can cause choking and strangulation. Also avoid teethers that have small parts or accessories to prevent choking incidents.