Teething?

[Twice as nice]

How do I know if my baby is teething or if its something else thats bothering him?

He has been drooling for a few weeks now and his hands are almost always in his mouth. He is usually a very calm baby but this evening he started crying and nothing seemed to calm him down. I tried to get a glimpse at his gums but didnt see anything on them. He is turning 4 months old tomorrow. I got him the Hylands teething tablets but dont want to give them to him pointlessly if he's not teething. What do you think? Thanks!

[canadian mama]

My daughter was 4 months when she got her 1st tooth.I use the hyland's teething salts with her and the homeopath assurred me that even if you give them afew tissue salts and no teeth pop out it won't hurt them. When i first started using them I would only dissolve 2 in water rather than the recommened 3 or 4....i hope that helped. good luck

Mother to RP 1/13/2005

[deleria]

Sounds like teeth to me, too.

I just started getting my wisdom teeth in at the age of thirty. Teething HURTS! Now I know what babies feel when they go through it over and over.

[happiestmomma]

Brady's doing this, too. He's drooling so much, it's like he's foaming at the mouth and his fist or a toy always seems to be in his mouth. DH swears he sees, and I think I feel, two little teeth working their way out on the bottom.
Our first DS didn't get teeth until after he was six months old, and Brady's just three months old today. Our neighbor has a daughter a week older than Brady and says they think she's working on teething too.
I so feel for the poor babes when they're teething...what a painful process.

[LavenderMae]

That's exactly what my little guy is doing and he is teething. He was 3mths yesterday.
My ds1 got his first teeth at 4mths.

P.S. it can take a while for the teeth to actually come in though.

[MidnightCommando]

DD is 10 weeks and starting this process: poor baby gets miserable and strokes her lower jaw a lot in the evening. Our Dr said that her bottom gums did look inflamed and wouldn't be surprised if teeth push through in the next month.

I was hoping this wouldn't happen so soon but my Bfs dad was BORN with a tooth and his family all teethed very early. We've tried icy cloths and teething rings but she doesn't want them in her mouth. I am going to pick up some hylands next time I'm out.

For those who have been thorugh the teething thing before - were there cetrain times a day when it really affected your DC? Aislyn seems to be cranky and most drooly about 5 pm


ps - We are so proud of her. She rolled over last night!!! Now today that's all she wants to do! And to think she used to hate tummy time...

[littleteapot]

I actually think this is pretty normal, otherwise everyone's babies would be "teething". While certainly there are early birds, it's not 100%...

My baby has been drooling by the BUCKETLOAD (seriously, it's disgusting. My daughter never drooled like this even when she WAS teething!) and chew chew chew and loves his gums rubbed. He goes nuts for it.
But he's not teething.

My daughter had "Teething behavior" until she was 11 months old, when she finally got her first teeth (she got five teeth in three days, all on top, starting with her left canine).

[OMama]

It might be teething, but probably not. People often think babies are teething all the time -- like for the next two years. Sometimes this is true, but often "teething" is just the best explannation for why a babe is fussy and you can't explain it any other way. And I agree too that it often takes a while for a tooth to come in, even before you see it breaking through.

I've been reading a lot about reflux lately because I'm afraid that is what DS has, and not saying that your babe has it, but a lot of drooling can be associated with it as well. It supposedly peaks between 4 to 6 months so this is the age many of our little ones are now entering. Most reflux is normal and not a problem.

No matter what it is, I'm sure you'll do you best to comfort your little guy. One of the best things for teething (and all other ills) as you probably already know is just to nurse as much as possible.

[jule924]

Sounds like what Quentin is doing, too, but I'm not sure if he's teething either. He's 3 months adjusted so this would be pretty early for teeth. I think they can feel things moving around in their gums even if they're not "teething" - maybe like pre-teething?