When your baby begins the slow process of getting their first teeth, it may result in a loss of appetite, crying and clinginess – and sleepless nights for both of you.
In this article, early years parenting coach and BioGaia ambassador Heidi Skudder advises on how to help your teething baby.
When do babies start teething?
For most babies, it starts at around four-six months and continues up until their third birthday, sometimes beyond that. Understanding your baby’s teething patterns and being able to read the signs that new teeth are on the way can help you support your teething baby – and it can also help you, the parent, to be a little more prepared for the mood swings, sleepless nights and fuss around food that tend to go with it.
Signs baby is teething
Every baby will experience teething differently. Some will barely show signs of teething. Others struggle with interrupted sleep, runny nappies, rashes and discomfort.
Here are some of the most common signs your baby is teething:
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Clingy and unsettled behaviour
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Crying (more than usual)
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Broken naps
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Increased nighttime waking
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Early waking
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Snotty (clear rather than yellow)
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Nappy rash
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Red cheeks
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Runny nappies
How to help baby with teething pain
When your baby starts teething, you will notice that they want to chew on everything and anything they can get their hands on. A teether can help soothe the pain and irritability experienced during teething. Putting the teether in the fridge, or getting one filled with a fluid or gel that can be frozen or refrigerated, can help a teething baby.
Cold foods such as yoghurt, cucumber sticks and frozen fruit smoothies (for babies older than six months) can be a great way of soothing their gums and bring short-term relief to teething pain.
How do I know it is teething?
We often assume that teething is the reason for any discomfort our babies experience during the early years, and it is true that at a certain age teething causes both sleepless nights and excessive crying.
However, it is worth noting that teething does not go on for weeks and months on end. It tends to come and go, usually for around four-five days at a time, before easing again.
If your baby is experiencing long periods of broken sleep or unsettled behaviour, it is worth considering whether there is something else that troubles them.
In this article, we asked Heidi Skudder to go through the most common reasons for baby crying and give advice on how to better understand what your little one is trying to communicate.
Do reach out for help and support from a professional if you are struggling to work out what is going on with your baby.
About Heidi
Heidi Skudder
Early years parenting coach & BioGaia Ambassador
Heidi Skudder, one of the UK’s leading early years parent coaches, founded Positively Parenthood (formerly The Parent and Baby Coach) to provide experienced-based, compassionate support for new parents. With a background in psychology, hands-on childcare, and over a decade of sleep and behaviour coaching, Heidi has helped thousands of families navigate the early years with confidence.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional healthcare advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns.
