Is my baby teething?

[holliem91]

Hi everyone! Fairly new here so apologies if this isn't the right place to post this but I have a question about my little girl. She is 15 weeks + 5 days old. Normally she is an absolute dream but these past few days she has been the complete opposite and I'm wondering, could she be teething? She has been showing most of the signs, pulling her ears, dribbling, her hands constantly in her mouth, I gave her some teething rings the other day to chew on (I had to hold them there for her as she's unable to do this on her own right now) and she seemed to like them, she's been crying quite a bit and just generally unable to settle. The only thing is, I tried to have a feel inside her mouth & couldn't tell if any teeth were coming through but then I don't know if that's normal or not.

I honestly don't know what else it could be but I am aware that maybe 15 weeks is a little to early for teething. Online advice says 6 months that babies start to teeth

I'm a first time mum so really have no idea and I have no one close to me with any small children so unable to ask anyone for advice.

It might be worth mentioning too, I bottle feed her and she's been turning her head from side to side loads during feeds which is so strange and quite frustrating for both me and her and I just don't know why she's started doing that when she never used to before! I thought, maybe try a different teat size - so I tried 3 different sizes and it didn't change anything. I honestly have no idea what is wrong but any advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated

[SomeoneElseEntirelyNow]

Have you tried any teething gels or powders to see if they help? That's the best way to know, imo.

[holliem91]

I have Anbesol in the house but apparently that's not suitable for babies under the age of 5 months and she's not even 4 months yet and I think that's the same for most teething gels and powders. I could be wrong but that's what a quick google search told me

[Lockdownseperation]

If she is very unhappy you can give nurofen. It’s also sleep regression time.

[opmamatrist]

My little one started to teeth just after he was 3 months, all the signs were there but didn't actually have any teeth come through till he was almost 10 months old! You can use teething powders over the age of 3 months, there's nelsons and also Ashton and parsons. They are herbal remedies, boots do them. If she's very uncomfortable and won't settle then maybe a dose of calpol to ease her pain. I only did this on days he was just inconsolable.

[holliem91]

Yes, I was thinking perhaps the 4 month sleep regression but she's still being sleeping well during the night - well, kind of!

I'll ask the hubs to get some teething powders for her, will the supermarket sell them? I know he's nipping to Sainsbury's after work later for some E45 cream for her as I think she's got some eczema appearing too. So maybe he could pick some up from there if they sell it.

@opmamatrist that's interesting to know, I won't necessarily expect to see teeth any time soon then and this might be a long journey for us😩

[Sparkle733]

It sounds like teething with the dribbling and hand in mouth.
I'd give Ashton and parstons powder a try.
I'm sure it's from 3 months onwards.
Supermarkets may have it if not it's always in boots.
Good luck.

[Laylor]

@holliem91 my boy is exactly the same. He is 17 weeks old and turned in to a right monster last few days. Drooling chewing hands frantically and rosy cheeks. My husband has just arrived with some Ashton and parsons sachets. Also if you can, grab some aveeno baby daily care instead of e45. It works wonders on eczema and the doctor told me e45 draws moisture out of skin in babies. X

[holliem91]

Sainsbury's online has it. Will ask hubby to check and if not then I'll send him to boots - thank you!

@Laylor it's awful isn't it! I feel so sorry for her and I don't think the hot weather is helpingit's so frustrating as they obviously can't tell you what's wrong but I bet it is that! I'll soon find out with the teething powders though. Oooo, ok! Thank you so much! I'll get him to pick up some aveeno instead then thanks again! X

[Laylor]

@holliem91 your welcome. The powders I got were from tesco but I assume most supermarkets stock them. Yeah it's so sad. If anything goes near his mouth he tries to go for it. His gums look fine and no teeth yet but his cheeks are red hot. Trying to hold out giving calpol until bed time. Hope she will be okay and yea the aveeno is good stuff. X

[Whatshername20]

Completely feel your pain! First time mum here too with a 16 week old. He's been pulling his bottle out of his mouth every 5 mins and turning his head but still wants the bottle back in seconds later. Makes feeds take so long and an art not to get milk everywhere!

He's also having disrupted day time naps and at bedtime it takes an age to settle him. He'll settle, then wake crying and repeat the cycle about 6-7 times usually until he falls asleep properly. He's got what I think are two very obvious looking white marks on his gums and one white bump where I think one's cutting through. Constantly chomping on whatever he can find.
Hope the suggestions work for you, it's a tough time but you're doing great.

[holliem91]

@Laylor fingers crossed Sainsbury's have them but if not, there's a Sainsbury's and a boots nearby so he can pop into one of them! If it gets that's bad for my little one I'll be giving her some calpol too, around bed time is a good idea!

@Whatshername20 wow, feel like I could have wrote that myself. It seems our babies are identical at the minute, my little girl is doing everything you've just mentioned! In a way, I'm glad to find out that it is teething because I can help her more now whereas before, I didn't know if she was poorly or if it was the eczema bothering her or the hot weather but nope, I'm 99.9% sure shes teething now! Also, yes to the feeding part!!! That's exactly the same for me! Takes forever for her to have a bottle and the bib ended up having more milk than she did I think☹️😩 bless them!

[Whatshername20]

@holliem91 It seems that way, always nice to know its not just you though and others are going through the same thing!
It's so difficult as there isn't a massive deal you can do to help and they don't know what's happening. Just woken up as I write this and sitting loudly sucking his fingers!
Hopefully it passes for us all soon and we csn get back to comfortable feeding times haha!

[Laylor]

Yes my boy is doing the same with drinking. I just thought he was being nosey. It's so frustrating because hws taking ages to finish a bottle. He moves his head right left and sometimes right under my armpit. So pleased its not just keep going through it in the most selfish way possible. I've seen the two white Marks too. Hopefully our babies get their tooth soon ready for the next ones

Good luck ladies xx

[holliem91]

@Whatshername20 absolutely! I feel so much better after speaking to all of you, especially since it seems we're going through the exact same thing! I know that's the thing, you just want to take the pain on for them but you can't. Breaks my heart, she never cries, but the past few days it's been none stop and it's been exhausting! Awww, bless him. My little girl had a nap earlier and I had to lie down with her to get her to settle which I never normally have to do. It seems she's fighting it because of the pain. I really hope it passes soon, but the thing is, i don't understand how teething actually works, does it come in waves? Will they teeth for a bit and then stop? I hope it's not like this constantly until she has all her teeth!

@Laylor yes, I thought that too. I even changed teat size 3 times as I thought to myself it could be she's not getting enough milk, but nope. Yeah, she's moves her head so much to one side that the teat comes out and she's not getting any milk at all and then that makes her cryif you see little white marks hopefully they'll come through very soon for you but I can't see any at all! Hubs has just come back with the Ashton & Parsons teething powder sachets - couldn't believe how small they were and you're only supposed to give them half haha! Anyway, fingers crossed it works. He also bought the aveeno stuff but he brought the wash instead of the creamI'll bathe her in it tonight and get the cream myself tomorrow

But thank you all again x

[PeasInAPot]

Teething should only last a few days OP. Sometimes teething is entirely painless, but if a baby gets symptoms it will normally be a few days before the tooth pokes its head through. You will normally see some reddening ofthe gums or a little white head of tooth.

It might not be teething, often parents put things down to teething that arent. If its persisting longer than 5 days or so and no sign of a tooth I would think its not teething

[holliem91]

thank you @PeasInAPot