What is my 12 week old trying to tell me?

[Elf1981]

My DD is 12 weeks old. For the past week she has been doing the following:

Putting anything she can into her mouth (fist, fingers, top, dress etc)
Constant sucking of thumb, even breaking off feeding to suck her thumb for a bit

I thought she might be teething but keep being told by people (ie my MIL and step MIL) that she's too young, so thought I'd ask on mumsnet if anybody had any ideas ie teething or something else. I have checked her gums and they have gone from being pinkish to being a bit grey / whitish.

Any ideas? TIA

My cousins 1st little girl had 2 teeth by 16 weeks so it is possible.
I'm a terrible mother and can't remember the gums changing colour prior to teeth arriving. 3 children ahve totally destroyed any hope of remembering.

(BTW appartently some babies are born with teeth!!)

DH mentioned to his step MIL yesterday that we thought DD was teething, she said it wasn't possible because her granddaughter didn't get a tooth until she was one.
I've tried explaining to her that it's possible as my friends DD is five weeks older than mine and she has six teeth alread ! So then she decided to upset me by saying the earlier the teeth come through, the more problems they have. Grrrr.
I just wish I knew for certain what was wrong with DD, so I could help her! I've given her a cooled teething ring which she likes, and a little bonjella (even though the box says not to under four months )
Thanks anyway

It is possible that she is teething and if the teething ring gives her comfort then sounds a good move.
Are you sure that it isn?t simply that she has found her fist and her mouth? It is very normal for young babies to chew and suck anything and everything they can find. Some think it is a comfort thing, like an extension of thumb sucking, others I have read reckon it is simply exploration of their little world, tasting and feeling. Breaking off a feed might be just for a break - just like adults like to have the odd break during meals.
If she is not crying, no high temp, obviously happy and well I wouldn?t worry too much x

It does sound like teething. Could you try some teething powders? AFAIK there is now lower age limit and I seem to remember using them on my dd about the same age. ALso, I think if you buy baby bonjela the lower age is 3 months? (Hopefully somebody will correct or confirm that!) My dd started teething about 16 weeks but I know somebody who had 2 teeth by 14 weeks- it takes a while for the tooth to come through so there's no reason why she shouldn't be teething!

ds has been threatening teeth with similar behaviour, plus lots of dribbling, since about that age, no sign yet and he's 8.5months so it could go for a while! ignore step MIL, what 'problems' can teeth cause anyway?

Its just a developmental stage IMO & IME. OK my own children were starting to teeth at this age - DS had his first tooth at 4 months. They also both started dribbling at that age. But both my nephews started doing it at the same stage and one didn't get any teeth until 7 months and the other not until 9 months, although my Mum and MIL respectively (one nephew on each side) insisted they were teething.

The teething ring sounds a good idea - DD loved hers. But I really think it is a developmental stage and she is doing it because she has realised that she can.

I agree with xmas pudd. If there is no redness or anythign else, it is likely she is just enjoying a good chew. I think mine started chomping at around that age, but they didn't get their first teeth until at least 6 months.

Oh yes my DS had all his front teeth by the time he was 6 months and all 20 by the time he was 20 months and at nearly 5 he has a perfect mouth of little white teeth. I have heard the thing about early teething causing problems but you can't keep the teeth in the gums can you?

I think it may be right about the finding of the hand, she's also got a thing for hair grabbing at the moment!

The other day she had a temp (mild fever) and three poohs in one day, which makes a change from the one a week. Mind you, rather that then seeing her constipated!

I think all the things together made me think she may be teething, but the fever and poo could be down to the 2nd lots of injections she had and the other stuff (including all the dribble) may just be finding the hand and mouth.