I'm learning that ideas about parenting are best learned through trial and error. You hear something, try it on for size, see how it fits... keep it if you want, throw it away if you don't. Here are a list of things that I've been doing to help soothe my boys through the teething process. I wish I had seen something like this a few weeks ago! :) Take away what you'd like, throw away the rest, and feel free to add more!
Feed them more often - My boys were unusually fussy a few weeks ago and I assumed it was all because of the pain from their emerging teeth. Most of it, yes. But really, I think they were crying because they were hungry! My husband was the first to mention this possibility; I'm ashamed that I hadn't thought of it sooner! I guess they have an increase of moisture (i.e. saliva) in their system and that they're more hungry during this time. That sometimes turned to mucus, too, making them more prone to throwing up. This moisture also peaked its ugly head through diaper rashes on both of my boys' private areas; Desitin has been really helpful in clear that up. But to curb their appetite, I've been feeding them more often throughout the day in smaller meals and snacks. That seems to help a lot. They especially like Gerber's Lil' Crunchies because it helps soothe their gums. Cheerios, too.
Keep their noses clean - Whenever we have a hint of a cold in our house, I have the saline and a nasal aspirator handy. The boys don't enjoy getting their noses cleaned... alright, they hate it. But what a world of difference it makes when they're clean! We also use a humidifier in their room when they're sleeping and if they have a cough, we put a generous amount of Vick's VapoRub on the feet under the socks.
Give baths every night - We had been giving the boys bath every other night, but increased it to every night when they have colds. The warm water helps clean their nasal passages and they absolutely LOVE playing in the water. It probably has something to do with the fact that daddy is the one giving it to them plus they are able to play with their brother since we put them both in the tub inside a laundry basket. We usually let them play until they get fussy, around 15-20 minutes. It's a nice part of their nightly bedtime routine.
Keep your tools handy - Some of the best tools we have on hand are ice teething rings and cold washclothes. They'll chew on anything, but seem to really enjoy the cold rings. We also use Munchkin mesh holders and put fresh fruit (including bananas, cantaloupe and apples inside) so they can suck the juice. My sister also put ice cubes inside for her son, which he absolutely loved!
Use medicine when you need it - I don't like using a ton of medication, but I use it when I feel like it's necessary. The boys seem to be doing really well with Hyland's Teething Tablets, which we found (on recommendation) at the Feel Rite Pharmacy. They'll all natural tablets that dizzolve almost instantly. We put 2-3 under their tongue and it seems to help with the pain. We usually give them a few Tylenol drops before they go to bed, which seems to make them more comfortable to sleep through the night. Hurricaine Gel (which you need to ask for at the pharmacy at Walgreens) helps numb the area really well, too.
Don't be discouraged if your baby doesn't seem to want food - I noticed that even if Benjamin was hungry, he would push food away, especially anything I offered him on a spoon. I thought it meant that he didn't like the baby food anymore. But then I realized that if I held down his arms long enough to get a taste of the food on his lips, he'd be jumping up and down for more. I just had to keep trying.
Keep your cool - It's easy to get frustrated when your baby isn't sleeping, eating and acting as they normally do. Instead of getting mad, remind yourself that they are in pain and are simply looking for comfort. That idea helped me stay a little closer to the "sane" side of the fence rather than jumping over.
What other things have you tried that work? I'm always open to new ideas and suggestions!
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