what was your teething experience?

[trumpcard]

DD is just over 8 months old and doesn't have any teeth yet. Last night she ran a low grade fever-101 degrees-and wanted to nurse all night long. I was afraid she was getting sick but this morning she seemed completely normal. Now she is fighting nap time (not completely uncommon) and I can feel that she is feverish again. I know some believe that teething doesn't cause a fever and other do. What is your experience? Does this sound like teething to you? I hate wondering about this kind of thing in the middle of the night when I feel so alone so I'm looking for reassurance . . .

[mom2happy]

That sounds like a healthy immune system response to something your baby is fighting.

They normally do perk up in the morning and in the late afternoon hours the fever can spike again.

It is very good that you nursed all night. The fluids keep the baby hydrated and help fight the fever.

The sucking also adds comfort to a baby who doesn't feel well.

Hope your little baby feels better.

[peainthepod]

Both of mine run slightly hot when they're teething. But it's always accompanied by copious drool and chewing on anything they can get to their mouth. Without those indications, I'd suspect a virus. Keep on nursing, mama--it's a great way to help your baby's immune system do its job and will keep her fed and hydrated. You're doing great.

If she runs a fever for more than three consecutive days, you might want to see a doctor just in case. But I wouldn't worry just from what you've described.

[octobermom]

 Not sure yet.. almost 11 months old and no teeth yet. I keep thinking okay THIS is teething she gets all cranky and drooly we see more loose stoll diapers and deal with various degrees of diaper rash all the things that meant teething with my first... but then it dies down and no tooth.. Today she kept clamping down on my breast when nursing (OUCH!) which with my first was also a teething sign so we will see. Shes worn an amber necklace since a few weeks old and overall shes seems content I ave resorted to a touch of baby orgal a few times though and it did seem to calm her... but still no teeth...

Deanna 

[Knitting Mama]

A fever hasn't been part of our teething experience so far, but I hear it does happen sometimes. Cecilia has 5 teeth cut and is working on #6 right now. Her bottom two she cut with absolutely no problem at all. She was maybe slightly more drooly, but mostly it was a "whoa, you have a tooth coming through," and "whoa, you have another one!" for those two. Her top teeth are a different story. She has had a hard time cutting the 3 (almost 4) she has so far. I remember asking my sister about it when she was cutting the first of the top teeth, and she remembered the same thing with her kids, so we surmised that the top ones might hurt more than the bottom ones.

[Terrilein]

We are seemingly a late teether family. I didn't get my first tooth until 16 months. My dd got her first tooth with 10 months. So I won't be surprised if ds takes his time getting his either. But often lately I've thought he's obviously teething - biting me, drooling excessively, rash on cheeks, etc - and a week or so will go by, the "teething" behavior disappears and still no tooth. With dd she mostly drooled like mad, took to biting everything and cried constantly when a tooth was coming and hurting her - no fever, rashes, nasty diapers, etc. But just as often she cut teeth, even molars, without any symptoms at all! For us it was only obvious in hindsight that the baby was teething.

But I am curious about those amber necklaces though. I'll need to ask more questions and try one out, I guess!

[ann_of_loxley]

I don't think teething causes a fever...however, I am pretty sure the immune system is 'down' a bit when a baby is teething and so they are more susceptable to things they wouldn't be otherwise...  DS1 used to catch a cold everytime a tooth came in!  DS1 was never more clingy with a tooth but he used to get a bit 'sicky' with a tooth - like baby posette.  Even when he was two and his last back molars came in! 

DS2 is more clingy but so far seems to be doing just fine with teeth!  He got his first two at three months and at 8 months he had 8 teeth!...He is 9 months now and his gums do look red hot but no new teeth yet!  ...its the dreaded molars to come!   

[angela67j]

My LO nurses all night long when she is cutting a tooth and doesn't seem to get in a good deep sleep.  She only had a low grade fever with one of her top front teeth (which took fever to come in) when it just broke through the gum line.  We have seven teeth at 11 months and battling number eight. She is OK during the day if she is distracted.....a little more clingy/whiny and if she chews on something that hurts her gum she will let the whole world know! Her naps are shorter too.  I was not prepared for teething (started at 4 months) and I think like anything you learn what is normal for your LO while teething.