teething question - when does it end?

[sntm]

So, when (if?) do they go back to normal after teething? Jack's first tooth popped through the gum last Wednesday, though it is still a nubbin. I tried going off the nightcap of Motrin last night -- BAD IDEA.

And he still is eating next to no solids. He'll sit happily in his high chair and take one or two bites and then begins to freak out (this is also coupled with his new desire to hold the cup of food and try to drink from it or upend it over the side of the tray -- I'm all for learning about food by playing with it but that's going a little far for me.) He wants to nurse all night as well.

He may have another swollen area, so maybe he is just going to get several at once.

When did everyone stop needing meds, start sleeping better, and start eating like they did before?

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[bluej]

He might be getting another tooth already. Alex always got hers four at a time over a two week or so period (it was AWFUL!!!). Caden got his two at a time and Ryden appears to be a one toother at a time. He's had this one and only tooth for some time now. It looks odd to me. Anyway, I think once the tooth has broken through the pain is no longer an issue (unless there's another tooth on the way). But it seems to take a good week for them to get back on track. But I'm guessing if Jack has another swollen area and his sleep is considerably worse w/o the Motrin that another tooth is on its way. It will get better, but I can't tell you when that will be :(

[heytootsy]

Maya got her 2nd tooth a week after the first. I hear they usually come in pairs, so another is probably on the way. Then you will have a few weeks of quiteness until it starts all over again. We were up all night with her 6th tooth coming in. Seems like it never ends!

[Momof3Labs]

Yes, they usually come in pairs. Once the tooth pops through, Colin seems to feel better, but often there is a second not far behind. Some babies get more than two teeth in a row, so just go with the flow - he'll survive it and be fine (and then it will start allll over again with the next batch of teeth)!

[deborah_r]

Boy, I'm wondering if I'm cruel or if my baby's teeth just don't hurt that bad when they come in, but I've only given Kai Tylenol TWICE and he has 4 teeth and 2 more trying to poke through. Has anyone had a baby for whom teething was not a nightmare? I keep waiting for the really bad part of this...

We only had those two times, before bed, where he was crying inconsolably and we gave him the Tylenol and he crashed in about 20 minutes for the night.

[Momof3Labs]

Colin's first several teeth were pretty easy, but he made up for it with the last two molars!!

[nitaghei]

Shannon,
It was a while (sorry). I'm convinced that Neel is a Motrin junkie - the poor kid's been in so much discomfort between the ears and teething for sooooo long.

Neel's teeth have come out in pairs - so that might well be what's going on with Jack. Once the teeth are out, he should be back to normal in a couple of days.

One trick I found that worked was to put Cheerios down on the tray, and an extra spoon and/or bowl for Neel to play with, while I spooned his "real" food into his mouth. This kept his hands busy, and he didn't keep reaching to grab the bowl with the food in it.

As for sleeping - you know what it's been like for us!! :( Hopefully you won't have to deal with anything like that!

Nita
mom to Neel 01/05/03
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[bluej]

Caden had very few problems w/ teething. It was a dream!

[christic]

Can't add much to the teething advice you've already received, but about the solids...are you spoon feeding? It was at around this time with my daughter that she refused to be spoonfed anymore. She wanted to use her hands even though she couldn't get much in her mouth. Of course that meant her solid intake went way down and night nursing shot back up as a result--but eventually it all evened out again.

I could never get settled in my own mind which of my daughter's issues at that age were caused by teething and which by something else altogether. At least for us the solid eating seemed to be more developmental than teething related.

Good luck getting through!
Chris

[cvharris]

When Ben got his first tooth the second one emerged only five days later. Once they pop out he is usually fine, it's just the few days before that where it is the worst. So, I agree with the others, Jack is probably getting his second one, too.

Yesterday, about 8 weeks after Ben got his first two teeth, he just got his third and fourth teeth - all in the SAME DAY. He did not sleep well, eat well, or even nurse well the last few days. Now that they are poking through a little bit, he is feeling better now, eating his solids again and last night he actually slept much better, too. I stop giving him meds once they're out a little. He's still drooling a lot, though!

Carolee and Ben (6/14/03)

[lizamann]

Teething's been a breeze for us. She got her 2 bottom teeth a month ago and is about to cut her top 2 any second now. She doesn't complain about them at all, thank goodness!

[ScrapNancy]

My dd is 8 months and has been first a tylenol and now motrin junkie since about 4 months due to teething pain. She has her two bottoms on the front and is getting her two top front right now. It has been awful this last week, esp since she also has a cold!

A tip for dealing with the feeding issue: we had exactly the same problem with her rejecting her food after the first bite or two. Then I started refrigerating the jars and feeding the food to her cold. Not very appetizing to me, but it worked like a charm. Now unless her pain is really bad she will take her meals no problem. For bottles, you could try serving them cold as well, or refrigerating just the nipples.

Good luck!

[newbelly2002]

Shannon,

I hate to tell ya but...Dante got 8 teeth in 8 weeks. The first two, then three weeks later the top FOUR, then two weeks after that the bottom remaining two. The molars came in pairs. And the eye teeth? Don't even get me started on the frickin frackin eye teeth.

It sounds like Jack may be getting his in pairs as well. It makes it hard for a couple of weeks but just when you think you can't take it anymore it'll ease up. I found that in-between "spells" Dante would eat more than enough to make up for his lost meals.

Good luck!
Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/1/02

[wagner36]

....Or at least it FEELS like it never ends!

Why, oh why, does an 8-month old (who hates solids, might I add) NEED EIGHT teeth!!!!

Sorry for the bad news Shannon, but I swear that Charlie has been teething for almost 4 months. He got his first bottom tooth at 4.5 months, his 2nd bottom tooth at 5 months, then, for the next 4 weeks after than, he got one top tooth every week. Then we had one week off, then he got the two side bottoms (which were the worst for him - we had to double dose the Motrin and Tylenol).

So, then I figured he was done for awhile. Nope. He's been cranky for a couple of days, doesn't want to be put down, and won't fall asleep without a nipple in his mouth, so I stuck my finger in his mouth and now I can feel the bumps for the bottom molars! I can't even imagine. The child is going to live on painkillers alone.

If he would use them to chew, I would feel better, but he hates anything that isn't completely pureed. And, just in the past few days, he started to notice a reaction when he bites down while he nurses. Ouch! I'm working on "No biting, please!", but he thinks it is just hilarious when I scream in pain, so it's sort of hard to get my message across...

[sntm]

Thanks everyone (I think?!?!?!)

We'll go back to the pre-bed Motrin (he opens up for it no problem!) May at least gain me a little more sleep. We went to bed early last night (8:45) in the hopes that I would gain one good stretch, but Jack was up at 9:30 and he hasn't done that in months -- we were always guaranteed at least 4.5 hours and usually 6.5 hours before his first waking.

The problem may be complicated by the spoon-feeding, but when I offer him finger foods he mostly plays with them. When I've given him the cup of oatmeal/veggies/etc he rakes it out with his hand but then just "finger paints" all over the tray, no sticking his fingers into his mouth.

And he never seemed to mind the spoon feeding before because he "helps" by pulling the spoon towards him, though it's been a while since he was eating much due to flu and teeth. I keep feeling conflicted -- I want to follow the Satter method but I don't think he's refusing food because he isn't hungry or doesn't like it but for other reasons. Actually, the only thing he will eat more than a few bites of is Yo Baby blueberry yogurt or frozen fruit in the baby safe feeder so maybe we will just stick with that for a while.

Anyway, thanks for all your help! Cross fingers for better sleep and everyone say lots of prayers for sleep on Friday night (I have the ABSITE, the annual big surgery test, on Saturday and must do well! May be giving DH some bottles and locking myself in the bedroom!)



shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[jubilee]

Just wanted to wish you success on your test!!

[barbarhow]

Shannon-we are going through a similar thing right now. We went to bed last pm at 8:45-Hoping to get a decent amount of sleep before waking #1-wrong-he was up by 10p and had no intention of going back to sleep without a big fuss. It sounds like our Jacks are on a similar sleeping schedule. We have 8 teeth so far and I think he has a couple of molars coming in. His food intake has backed off, he is waking up more at night to feed and is irritable at times throughout the day. Sounds like your Jack has some more coming in, too.
Good luck on your ABSITE-you will do beautifully. I have fingers crossed for lots of sleep for you as well.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[amp]

Jake barely batted an eye with the first two teeth, but I think he's having more trouble now that he's working on the top two. FWIW, his bottom two came in just a few days apart, so since Jack just got one, I suspect you'll see the other one shortly.

[cinrein]

Shannon,

Good luck on your exam! Locking yourself in the bedroom may be a good idea.

I still don't give Anna the cup of mashed food to hold. She gets extra spoons and finger foods, and her cup of milk. If that isn't enough to keep Jack busy, I'd give him a small bowl of whatever you're trying to spoon-feed him. Use one of those baby bowls that suction to the table/tray so he can't send it flying. It may distract him enough that you can get at least a few spoonfuls in. If not, try not to worry. He will make up for his "missed" meals when he's feeling better.

Cindy and Anna 2/11/03