Teething

Our twins started teething at the 3 month mark.  It started out with a cold and runny nose.  Then a couple days after, the drooling and massive sucking of fingers started.  We figured they were teething, or at least their mouths were starting to prepare for teeth, because they started crying more and got small fevers.  Even feeding them was a task.  I would wake up throughout the night hearing them cry for a short period.  When they would cry, I would offer them my finger to suck on for comfort, but instead they'd gnaw and chew on it for a half hour straight!  I'd try to take my finger out, but the crying would start again.  When they'd resume chewing on it, they'd coo and smile because it must have felt good.
























I researched teething online just to make sure that's what it was, and I also talked to our nurse.  They were definitely teething, and I was told it starts as early as 3 months.  BUT they won't get their teeth until probably 6 months or even a year later.

Well, just when you think you surpassed one challenge, another arises.  The twins drool constantly... all day and all night.  So I usually keep a bib on them to catch the drool and keep their clothes dry.

Usually they'll suck their fingers so hard at night, it wakes me up.  During their awake time, I sometimes give them a pacifier to calm down the crying.  I don't do it all the time, but every now and then I'll use it.

Teething is a widely debatable topic with parents and doctors.  Every parent experiences a different process and symptoms with their little ones.  This is just what we experienced recently.

Best thing to do is comfort them and be patient.  Like everything else, it will pass.

Possible Signs of TEETHING:

• Drooling
• Sucking fingers
• Biting/gnawing
• Rubbing cheeks
• Small fevers
• Cold/runny nose
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty feeding
• Not sleeping as much through the night
• Crying more than usual (ours cried excessively at night once teething began)

So if any of the above ring a bell, you can probably be assured that your baby is teething.  It can even start as early as 2 months, although rare.  However, remember that if a fever lasts longer than a day or two, call your doctor.  Or if something just doesn't seem right, call your doctor.  Better to be safe than sorry.  

I have also read that if the cry/scream more than usual and nothing works, not even walking around with them and bouncing them up and down, then it might be teething.  This was the case with us as well.  It was probably the worst night so far.

Here's what's working for us:

• Bibs
• Pacifiers
• Fingers for them to gnaw on :)
• Clean clothes to replace drooled-on clothes
• and a BIG bottle of patience... teething is a painful, and sometimes long, process... especially when it's your first set of teeth!  Those pearly whites can be sharp!!

And remember, as painful as it is for you to deal with this right now (crying, can't feed them, spit everywhere, stress...), it's probably 10 times more painful for them.  Fortunately, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. :)

(I will update this article as they get older and their teeth.)