How Do I Know if She's Teething?

How Do I Know if She's Teething?

by Kimberly Soto
(Fort Smith, AR)

I am a new mother loving this site :). I have a question about teething. My main question is when?

My daughter Shelby is three months old, and drooling like a basset hound (hee hee!). She has been fussier than normal, she normally does not fuss a whole lot. How can i tell if she is getting any teeth?

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How Do I Know if She's Teething?

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Oct 16, 2008
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Only Shelby Knows! (But You Can Guess)
by: Heather ;-)

Kim,

In MOST cases, it's probably not teething, since the earliest most babies start teething is at 4 months. However, if your baby just HATES to follow the crowd, it may in fact be she's getting some teeth.

The signs of teething are: irritability, crying, low-grade temperature (under 100), constant drooling and a desire to chew on something hard to bring relief. You may notice that her sleeping patterns will change. Some babies sleep constantly while others will start waking up again in the middle of the night (Elena was one of those).

Some kids teeth easily (like my Lauren) and you don't even realize they're teething until the tooth pops out. Some kids behave as if life is ending (like my Elena). Every child is different. Some will have a low fever, some may not. Some kids naturally drool more than others, making the drool-test obsolete. You'll need to wing-it for a while until you learn Shelby's cues.

In the meantime, you can behave as if she IS teething by giving her a damp clean washcloth to chew on (always a favorite with my kids) or putting a teething ring in the fridge (not the freezer) for her to enjoy munching on.

Interestingly, your question comes at a good time! I will be adding a "Teething Tips" section in the next month or so (before Christmas) that will discuss that topic, and baby dental care, at length - including different remedies (natural and not-so-natural) you can try to help.

You can sign up for the Essential Infant Blog here, or subscribe to The Merry Mother free eZine (if you haven't already) to get notified when those pages are live on the web.

I hope this helps, feel free to write back!

warm regards,
Heather ;-)

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Oct 16, 2008
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Submitted by: Heather ;-)

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Kim, In MOST cases, it's probably not teething, since the earliest most babies start teething is at 4 months. However, if your baby just HATES to follow the crowd, it may in fact be she's getting some teeth. The signs of teething are: irritability, crying, low-grade temperature (under 100), constant drooling and a desire to chew on something hard to bring relief. You may notice that her sleeping patterns will change. Some babies sleep constantly while others will start waking up again in the middle of the night (Elena was one of those). Some kids teeth easily (like my Lauren) and you don't even realize they're teething until the tooth pops out. Some kids behave as if life is ending (like my Elena). Every child is different. Some will have a low fever, some may not. Some kids naturally drool more than others, making the drool-test obsolete. You'll need to wing-it for a while until you learn Shelby's cues. In the meantime, you can behave as if she IS teething by giving her a damp clean washcloth to chew on (always a favorite with my kids) or putting a teething ring in the fridge (not the freezer) for her to enjoy munching on. Interestingly, your question comes at a good time! I will be adding a "Teething Tips" section in the next month or so (before Christmas) that will discuss that topic, and baby dental care, at length - including different remedies (natural and not-so-natural) you can try to help. You can sign up for the <a href="http://www.the-essential-infant-resource-for-moms.com/Infant-blog.html">Essential Infant Blog here,</a> or <a href="http://www.the-essential-infant-resource-for-moms.com/Merry-Mother.html">subscribe to The Merry Mother free eZine</a> (if you haven't already) to get notified when those pages are live on the web. I hope this helps, feel free to write back! warm regards, Heather ;-)

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Feb 16, 2009
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Teething at 6 months?
by: tammy

My daughter is six months old now. She doesn't normally cry, but lately she's crying and fussing. She's not drooling, but at six months shouldn't she have teeth by now?

Feb 16, 2009
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6-7 months is normal
by: Heather ;-)

Tammy,

It is normal for babies not to have teeth until they are 6-7 months old. I've known babies who didn't cut their first tooth until 8 months!

If she's showing signs of irritability and is 6 months old, chances are you'll see a tooth peek through in a few days or weeks.

much care,
Heather

Jun 03, 2009
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Signs of Teething article is up!
by: Heather ;-)

Friends,

I just wanted to add the the article "Reading the Signs of Teething in Your Infant" has just been posted.

Click here to see this teething article.

This is just the first of many teething articles coming soon!

Heather