This developmental step will not only scare your baby, but also all the new parents out there: teething.
´Teething´ simply refers to the development process of your baby´s first teeth. As always it depends when this first milestone is reached – some baby´s teeth already show up after three months after birth, however this can also take a couple months longer.
Normally the bottom two middle teeth are the first ones to come out, followed by the top middle ones and last but not least those along the sides and back. Teeth will develop after one another or just simultaneously and will naturally straighten after some time.
The second molars just in the back of your baby´s mouth will appear after their second birthday and by the age of three your child should have got the full set of 20 teeth for proper chewing. After the age of six it is likely for the first baby teeth to fall out to be able to be replaced by the permanent teeth which will last a lifetime. Here’s a nice chart that explains the average growing in and losing dates.
The more vulnerable your child is when it comes to small infections or pain, the more you have to take care of your child while teething, as some might suffer more than others. Big tears and pain will take up a lot of the time in this process. Although your baby will most likely suffer in this period of time, it is necessary for the teeth´s growth and only shows that he or she is developing well. So better do not worry and just try to help your little one as good as possible.
Common symptoms start with drooling, biting and crying. The most obvious symptom would probably be that babies start drooling, so you should definitely keep an eye out for that. Also watch out for small wounds which may appear around the mouth. Babies also tend to balance out the pressure from their growing teeth by chewing and biting on their fingers or just anything else they feel like using. General pain and confusion will be the reason why your babies may burst out crying and sobbing more than usual. They will quickly notice that something starts growing in their mouths, so coughing or cheek rubbing will be added to the list of symptoms. Some babies will also not allow their parents to feed them, since they feel uncomfortable chewing food because of the pain caused by teething.
To help with feeding and teething, you might want to check out our Sooth, which is a bib that doubles as something for your little one to gnaw on.
Best of Luck!