To think there must be another way to help DD with her teeth

[kenobi]

Sorry to abuse AIBU but I'm in serious need of some mummy wisdom asap.

Why is teething so shit?

For the last few nights DD's premolar teeth have been coming through, I can feel their wicked little rough edges. She's ok during the day apparently, though more touchy then usual. At night she is a NIGHTMARE. Last night she was awake and screaming from her bedtime to 9.45 when she calmed down, slept until 11 woke for 20 mins crying, then til 2, another 20 mins. The two nights before she woke up every 40 minutes screaming.

If she's distracted she stops crying and engages. So last night I got her up and we watched TV quietly but she was so tired it made her angry. I then went to bed and took her with me but she was just throwing herself around the bed and of course we don't have bars around our (adult) bed. I took her back into her room, and she went mental. I sang, rubbed, rocked, nothing was working. Eventually she was so tired she just fell asleep, or the painkillers finally kicked in. I felt so sorry for her - she was clearly in agony and her cheeks were flaming red - but I work ft, I'm on deadline, and I need some suggestions if only so I feel like I have some semblance of control (!) and we can all get through this without dying of exhaustion.

Short of drugging her up to the eyeballs, which I have also been doing (when she allows me to give her calpol!), how can I help her? Even my actual presence doesn't seem to be much use but I'm loathe to leave her crying.

Friends have recommended granules but how do you get them in their mouths from those stupid paper wraps? And, really how can they help when it's this bad?

[stuffthenonsense]

i know its probably going to get me slapped, but an older lady suggested to me to freeze crawfords shortbread fingers and offer them, apparently that is the best brand for this as they stay solid
i was so desperate i did, and she happily gnawed on this for ages (not much biccie got eaten as it was frozen but it at least tasted nice)
we are only 2 teeth in, 18 more! oh i am so not looking forward to this

[YeahThatsTheBadger]

I would also recommend Anbesol liquid. IME the granules only worked when dc's were younger and the gels just never stuck to the gums.
I do feel your pain though as DD was waking EVERY HOUR during the night for a week. It soon passes, but not soon enough!

[Insomnia11]

Nelson's Teetha.

[kenobi]

cottonreels - we use a syringe but i feel like I'm drowning her if I do it when she's crying. Will try and angle into her cheek. And good tip about cold wet flannel.

It's so rubbish isn't it? A major design flaw in human babies!

[kenobi]

Am going to buy anbesol right now.

[cottonreels]

re painkillers my 18mth dd used to be the same - the nurofen syringe saved us. try putting in side of cheek (think hamster pouch) so she can't spit it out so easily. If she hates the syringe do it when shes crying anyway. nurofen works quicker than paracetamol imho. my dd also uninterested in teething rings but likes a cold wet flannel to chew on. i feel your pain (my dd feels your dd's )

[stressheaderic]

We're in same boat. DD is 14 months, and up until this weekend had 2 bottom teeth. She got her top two over the weekend and now I can feel all 4 of the pointy ones coming through. She must be in absolute agony. She hasn't eaten in a week, cheeks bright red, and is just so grumpy, bad tempered and fed up (so are we).
She is sleeping of a night (thank god) but horrendous all day long. She just doesn't know what she wants or how to tell us.

I have alternated Calpol/Caprofen plus Bonjella and Ashton and Parsons teethig powders (rubbed on dummy). They all help her to calm down slightly but well, not much.
Very tough times. Any other teething advice gratefully recieved.

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

We were living in Oman and they are readily available. getting them in is easy, you just dip them in a bit of water and position them blunt end first at her bumhole. They just seem to get sucked up.

[NinthWave]

Get to Boots and ask for Anbesol Liquid. It's amazing stuff - because it's liquid, it doesn't slide off the gum like gel.

You can apply it on a finger tip or on a piece of muslin etc. It really works.

[kenobi]

Okay, so rub the granules on her gums or wait for a yell and tip the packet in, and go crazy with the teething gel. She's not interested in cool teethers, boringly.

kreecher - I think that's what's happening with DD - she is 16 months old and only has 7 teeth. I think the five or so she's supposed to have are all coming with a late run now. How did you get hold of paracetamol suppositories, and how on earth did you get them in???

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

and bonjella alternated with calteethe or something like that. Teething gel made by calpol [PFB much?]

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

DD seemed to get all her teeth at once. She had paracetamol suppositories as well as baby neurofen. Poor little girl, I still remember it. She refused cooled or frozen teething rings and her little hands got a real battering.

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

You rub the granules on the gum with your finger, bojella is also good. Poor little thing

[Lizcat]

The homeopathic teething granules really helped us. I riped the top of the packet off and opened it up wide laid DD on her back waited for her mouth to open and then tipped them in. I gave them as often as you could when she was teething. I also had teething rings in the fridge, gave calpol and nurofen as required.
I was working full time with nights and weekends at this stage.