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Original poster

To give Calpol everyday?

249 replies

PricklesPick · 14/04/2021 09:06

May be a stupid question but I'm a bit of a paranoid FTM so I apologise!

Is it okay to give Calpol every day? (For a period anyway) whilst teething?

He is only just 3 months old but already has a tooth showing and seems in pain mostly during the evening.

He's been having Calpol every night before bed for about a week now but I'm just concerned about giving it too often. It's the only thing that seems to settle him down though.

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 14/04/2021 09:55

@WeatherwaxLives

I'm pretty shocked at PP jumping on a worried new mum, telling her not to give her 3 month old baby paracetamol once a day for teething, and telling her to use bloody lidocaine instead which isn't to be used under 5 months and not for more than 7 days! It's hardly a better alternative to paracetamol!
Maybe we should all skip the lidocaine completely and move straight to coke?
MaMaD1990 · 14/04/2021 10:00

I'd say its fine but do get his ears checked out just in case. Teething symptoms can be worse at nighttime because there is nothing you can do to distract them like you do when they're awake. I would call the GP again, as he's so young they should accommodate this and I'd push for an earlier appointment and not be fobbed off.

dobidobidooo · 14/04/2021 10:01

I think once a day for a week is fine OP. The guidelines on the bottle are assuming that you are giving it every 4-6 hours. You are giving ONE dose per 24 hours! Your baby will be fine. Never mind all the nasty comments. My DS was very sick in hospital at 9months and the amount of paracetamol he had was insane! He is just fine now.

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BloodyInternetFood · 14/04/2021 10:04

SO the Capol has an effect. (I was asking because obviously don't give it if it doesn't - not to be patronising but I know how hard it can be to have a baby cry endlessly)

The OK during the day but inconsolable in the evening pattern does make sound make it sound like colic (however it usually starts at a younger age)

What does he do when he cries? Does he put his hands in his mouth or pull his legs up or arch his back.

Seeing you can't get an appointment quickly have you spoken to a pharmacist about it?

Owwlie · 14/04/2021 10:05

OP, you can’t use anbesol until 5 months.

I used neurofen for about a week running (just once in the evening or again in the night if she woke really distressed) when DD had her first two teeth coming in together. I asked my health visitor and she said that was fine, they wouldn’t recommend longer but leaving a baby to scream in pain isn’t fair on them. It says to consult a doctor if you’re using it for more than 3 days on the bottle in case their are underlying causes that aren’t teething.

Do you have a number for the local health visiting team, rather than just your health visitor? You could call them in the mean time until you can speak to your doctor.

I’d try without tonight though and see how you get on.

Hadtonamechangeforthis21 · 14/04/2021 10:06

I never gave Calpol for teething and certainly wouldn’t be getting in the routine of administering it every night. I second what a PP said about Anbesol- was a life saver for my little one. Or try gels or teething powders but again I wouldn’t be getting in the habit of using them every bedtime.

AmyLou100 · 14/04/2021 10:06

Omg he's 3 months old, you can't do that! try natural teething rub or iced teething biters.

RestingPandaFace · 14/04/2021 10:07

I found these to be really good. You can give them from 3 months and you can get them in Tesco

To give Calpol everyday?
KurtWilde · 14/04/2021 10:07

One dose at night for a few days isn't going to cause any harm at all! It's not like OP has dosed him every four hours every day!

OP it's fine, if he had a bug with a temp he'd need far more than one dose a day for as long as it took to get over it.

Teething formulas didn't work on my babies, so I used calpol because I choose for them not to be in pain. GP had no issue with it. Baby neurofen is good too.

Itsmeagainandagain · 14/04/2021 10:08

I think like with adults taking paracetamol you take it for 3 days then consult your doctor if symptoms haven't improved...
I would consult your babies doctor

Fieldsofstars · 14/04/2021 10:09

They say that there’s no scientific evidence that teething causes pain.
I think teething gels etc are just a taste distraction as there’s nothing in them to stop pain or discomfort.

If your baby is in so much pain I’d be eager to rule out other issues.

Itsmeagainandagain · 14/04/2021 10:09

@KurtWilde

One dose at night for a few days isn't going to cause any harm at all! It's not like OP has dosed him every four hours every day!

OP it's fine, if he had a bug with a temp he'd need far more than one dose a day for as long as it took to get over it.

Teething formulas didn't work on my babies, so I used calpol because I choose for them not to be in pain. GP had no issue with it. Baby neurofen is good too.

But still she should still consult her doctor though
mynameiscalypso · 14/04/2021 10:09

@AmyLou100

Omg he's 3 months old, you can't do that! try natural teething rub or iced teething biters.
I don't understand this kind of reaction at all. Baby is in pain. Calpol is safe to use from 3 months. It reduces pain. What is wrong that that?!
DinosaurDigestive · 14/04/2021 10:10

I asked a GP about this previously when I was concerned about one of my mine as it obviously states - for legal reasons! - on the bottle to contact GP if needed for more than the set number of days. I was told not to worry about it and if baby or little one needs it then to give a dose. A mother knows when her child is in bad pain and we wouldn't want to be left in pain. The OP has given one dose at bedtime for a week so nothing crazy. Helps her baby with the pain so that's the main thing.

Some babies just don't handle teething all that well as some others do. One of mine shows no interest at all in a dummy or the ones similar that have the flat bits to bite down on and also cold teethers or very much else really!

I've spent a small fortune on different things including the herbal powders and herbal gel from pharmacy but nope. Bonjela sometimes helps for a little while and Calpol helps the most.

I would say that sometimes baby Neurofen works better but pretty sure that is only from a certain age but happy to be corrected!

It isn't like OP is feeding her baby Calpol to try and keep him quiet etc or giving it unnecessarily. She will know when her baby is in lots of discomfort/pain and need it

DinosaurDigestive · 14/04/2021 10:11

@mynameiscalypso exactly what I thought when I read some of the posts!!! The outrage at a dose at night when a baby needs it... seriously. There are plenty other things for people to get outraged about but not this

FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack · 14/04/2021 10:12

I worried about this with DS1 and asked the Dr and she said that one age appropriate dose a night during teething spurts wouldn’t hurt him.

Bluntness100 · 14/04/2021 10:12

Op, calpol state no more than three days running, the teething gel seven days, so no it’s not ok, I’m sorry.

Darkstar4855 · 14/04/2021 10:13

There’s some terrible advice on this thread. OP please get proper medical advice from a pharmacist, GP or heath visitor.

RedMarauder · 14/04/2021 10:13

You can get ibuprofen suspension for babies over 3 months from Boots and Supermarkets.

I gave that to my DD when she was teething at night and screaming in pain. Though most of the time it was just a case of one of us holding and cuddling her.

It has the advantage that most of them are orange flavour which means if like mine your baby doesn't like fake strawberry flavour, they may take that.

SnipSnapGiraffe · 14/04/2021 10:13

I know of a lady who gave her kids a dose of Calpol every night “to help them sleep”. She must have done it for a couple of years, and there was nothing wrong with the kids to warrant a dose of Calpol, let alone every night..., it was just a habit possible from when they were teething! Everyone was shocked when she told us she did this. I think her kids are fine, however it’s most definitely NOT recommended!

Itsmeagainandagain · 14/04/2021 10:14

It's not about the calpol or how often she gives the calpol as in every night it's to keep herself right.. So by calling her doctor or even NHS 24 and asking look I've given baby a spoonful of calpol everynight for teething is that OK and can I continue, that way it's logged and if God forbids anything happens and kid needs hospital care she has kept herself right by informing medical staff he was given calpol..
So nobody pulls her up for anything

Toddlerteaplease · 14/04/2021 10:14

@Newname12

Try replacing the calpol with a spoon of sugar syrup.

There is evidence that the sweetness acts as a pain killer itself.

It's true. We use little pots of sucrose solution, for dummy dips during painful procedures for babies at work. (Paeds nurse). It really works!
RedMarauder · 14/04/2021 10:15

Oh and teething gels and powders often have sugar as an ingredient. As it is not something you really want to put in your baby's mouth overnight check the ingredients.

Icenii · 14/04/2021 10:16

Do people really leave their children in pain because they have an aversion to giving them age appropriate pain relief?

OP, I'd check in with a pharmacist or GP if it is prolonged, but as long as you follow the instructions, you should be fine.

mynameiscalypso · 14/04/2021 10:18

@SnipSnapGiraffe

I know of a lady who gave her kids a dose of Calpol every night “to help them sleep”. She must have done it for a couple of years, and there was nothing wrong with the kids to warrant a dose of Calpol, let alone every night..., it was just a habit possible from when they were teething! Everyone was shocked when she told us she did this. I think her kids are fine, however it’s most definitely NOT recommended!
But that's not what the OP is doing. Her DS is screaming in pain.