Teething & Sleep

Teething usually occurs from about 5-30 months and it affects all babies differently. Some babies don't even notice when a tooth is coming in and for others it causes a lot of discomfort. First make sure that it is actually teething and there is not something else going on.

Some signs of teething:

• Increased drooling

• Swollen gums

• Irritability (which is also a normal part of development and doesn't always mean teething)

• Not wanting to eat solids or the bottle/nurse

• Placing objects and hands in mouth

Visit this website for more info: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/symptom-checker/Pages/symptomviewer.aspx?symptom=Teething

Teething may affect sleep but if it does it will only be temporary for a few nights NOT for weeks or months at a time. The best thing you can do is have a healthy sleep foundation set before teething occurs. But even great little sleepers are sometimes impacted by teething. Keep your routine in place but offer comfort as needed to soothe your baby. If your baby is in pain it is always okay to comfort them. A few nights will not ruin their sleep habits! Once you can see that the tooth has erupted the pain should subside and you can go back to your normal routine. Always consult your pediatrician on what to do for pain management. Teething should only last a few nights so hang in there!

As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions doulasandbeyond@gmail.com

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Happy sleeping!