feeling guilty for giving ibuprofen

[Natzer]

DD is almost 8 months, she has 2 bottom teeth and her 2 top teeth are currently coming through, she is absolutely fine during the day, no crying or anything. She goes down to sleep perfectly, but for the last few evenings she has woken up about every hour after being put to bed at 6, she wakes for a short time, cries lightly (not screaming in pain) for a minute or 2 and normally goes back to sleep, sometimes I have to go to her and give her a cuddle and her dummy.

So, because of the fact that her teeth are cutting I have given her some ibuprofen last thing before we go to bed so that she sleeps through, rather than waking every hour. On one hand I know that IF she is in pain that its better to give her something, and on the other hand I feel guilty that I am doing it so that I get a good nights sleep. (she sleeps thru normally).

Am I doing the right thing, or filling her full of unnecessary medicine and should stop being so selfish?

She is waking because it hurts. If you can take the pain away, that can only be a good thing.

If you had tooth ache would you take some pain killers to ease it?

She's probably fine during the day because she's distracted by life -

agree 100% with panzee. My only suggestion is that as ibuprofen can irritate the tummy, if you have to give something on an empty stomach, give paracetamol (calpol) instead. If she has the pain killer with a milk feed or even a small snack then ibuprofen is fine and will give up to 8 hrs relief rather than 6 with paracetamol. You're doing the right thing!

I gave dd (9 months) some a couple of evenings last week, for teething. It didn't make her sleep through, I didn't think it would, but it did help her settle.
I'm always nattery about giving drugs to the dc's unnecessarily, but like dh said to me, if I was uncomfortable, I'd take something. Don't feel bad.

I'm currently doing the same thing with DS2 (12mo) whose 'big' teeth are coming through.
He is definitely more settled having taken it so I conclude the pain isn't waking him.
I find the ibuprofen more effective than paracetamol.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that their teeth bother them more at night because the gums throb when they lie down.

Thank you, that makes me feel better. I was worried about filling her full of drugs unnecessarily, but although she's not screaming in pain, she is waking which is unlike her.

Thank you sprinkles I have found in the past that calpol didn't really help her with teething pain, but ibuprofen works, will give her a little milk feed with it shortly. thank you

you've had great advice already, well done you for helping your daughter through this tricky time.