Teething 411

It has to happen, we can’t stop it. Eventually every parent has to say goodbye to those toothless smiles and giggles and move into the journey of adorable little baby teeth. On average this will happen between 6-8 months of age.

If you ask a paediatrician what the signs and symptoms of teething are, they will likely tell you that your baby’s gums will be sore. However if you ask a dentist they will give you a much different answer. Describing many more symptoms like red cheeks, stuffy nose, diaper rash, slight fever, red inflamed gums, waking up through the night, and irritability.

So who’s right? Well I say let’s ask the parents. Of course every baby is different, so it makes sense that how teething effects one child may be very different for how it will affect another child. However most parents would agree with the dentist, saying when there little ones started teething they suffered most or all of the symptoms of teething.

Signs and Symptoms of Teething – your baby may get all of none of these

·         Increased mucus production, causing stuffy nose

·         Red cheeks

·         Diaper rash, it can range from mild to severe. Also may seem like you can’t get rid of it

·         Red gums

·         Swollen guns

·         Gums may bleed a little when tooth is breaking through gun

·         Waking up at night

·         Increased drool

·         Wants to chew on EVERYTHING

·         Irritability

·         Slight fever (a high fever signals a different problem and is not caused by teething, consult a doctor)

What you can do to help

·         Teething gel is safe, but often over used.

·         Motrin is great it works for fever, inflammation of the gums, and is a pain reliever. Also it lasts for 8 hours.

·         Try giving cold or frozen teething rings, frozen carrot works great, or wet a wash cloth and freeze that for baby to chew. The cold will feel great on their little gums.

·         Try an Amber teething Necklace.

Common Questions and Concerns

Grinding Teeth – this is fairly common and you should not worry. This is likely to relieve pain, or is new to baby and they like the sound.

Brushing Teeth – You can start brushing gums before teeth come in, this will help baby be used to it. If you want to wait until the first tooth comes in that’s fine. You should use a baby toothbrush, and brush them in the morning and at night.

Nursing – You should be able to continue nursing if baby starts biting, take them from the breast. Usually biting means they are irritated and trying to relieve pain so give some Motrin.

Teething is just one more hurdle we must get over with our little ones. Pay close attention and try to make them as comfortable as possible, if you yourself have had a toothache you can sympathize with how your baby must be feeling.

Tips for Baby's First Months

Having a baby is such an exciting time, but it can also be very overwhelming. Here are some tips for surviving your baby’s first few months of life.

• You need all the sleep you can get so sleep when your baby is. It can seem hard to do when so much needs to be done, but it can all wait and you need your sleep. 
• Always accept help when it’s offered. Even if it’s doing the dishes, some laundry or bringing by a meal, take all the help you can get. 
•  Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Having a new baby at home combined with sleep deprivation can become overwhelming. Call on friends, family and your partner to help you with baby and around the house.
•  Feed on demand.  Let your baby take the lead, his/her stomach is not developed enough yet to hold enough food to last for long time, they will let you know when they need more food, so listen to them. 
• Don’t stress over sleep training. Little baby’s have no concept of time, and they need the constant nourishment  day and night to keep their rapidly growing body and developing brain in top shape.  
• Take time to bond it’s so important.  Eye contact and skin contact are great for bonding. Feeding is a great time for eye and skin contact, also try massaging and of course lots of hugs and kisses. Try taking a bath with baby, not only is it a great bonding opportunity but also a great memory.
•  Don’t worry about breaking them. They are not as fragile as they look, actually they are quite resilient. Use your instincts and ask for advice when you need it, and baby will be just fine. 
• Swaddle. Yes swaddling can be your best friend to help calm a fussy baby.  
• Prepare meals to freeze. When you are cooking something that can be frozen, put on extra and freeze it. Having meals frozen in the freezer can make a long day a little brighter.
• Baby wearing. This can make life so much easier. Wear your baby while, doing things around the house, going for a walk, or shopping. It keeps strangers away, and best of all both hands free. Baby's love the closeness to you and usually have a great nap.

Following these tips can make the first few months with your new baby a little easier, and more enjoyable. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures and keep records of milestones! Time goes by in the blink of an eye, and memories will last forever.

Keep them warm, check out baby legs.

Are you wondering about Amber Teething necklace's, and all natural teething pain reliever.

Tips for Surving a Santa Clause Parade

Here Comes Santa Clause!

My family loves the Santa Clause parade and each year we go to 2 of them. The first one is actually a Santa Day, filled with sitting on Santa's knee, decorating gingerbread cookies, going on hay rides, pony rides, drinking hot chocolate, and lets not forget of course the parade!

The second one we attend is a much smaller parade, and after we all go to a legion sing Christmas songs, and the kids each get to sit on Santa's knee for pictures and get a present.

Both of these days are so much fun, and very exciting for our families. But if your not careful and ready the fun can turn into chaos very quickly. I have learned a lot over the years and have decided to share it with you all!


Dealing with  long Days - Santa Activity and Parade

• There will be lots of walking, so bring strollers if your child still uses one. Plan a place to go and sit for awhile, preferably inside. The little recharge can do wonders for the kids, and you to!
• Don't leave too early, this will cause lots of waiting around and boredom and that's when the kids start complaining.
• Take a snack, and drinks nobody is happy when they are hungry or thirsty.
• Bring your fold able lawn chairs to sit on, after walking all day everyone will appreciate a seat. If you decide not to sit, you can always offer someone else a seat!
• Park at the beginning of the parade route, this way you can be first to see Santa and get to your car. This way you leave the way Santa came and not get too stuck in the crazy parade traffic.
•  Park your car closest to where you want to be then the parade finishes. Then stand close to your car to watch the parade. This way when you go to watch the parade you can go get things out of your car like, lawn chairs, hot chocolate, snacks and blankets.
• Bring a backpack to carry drinks, snacks, wallet and anything else you might need
• Bring lots of Kleenex, everyone's nose runs in the cold doesn't it?

Dealing with Cold weather

• Bring extra clothes, especially socks and mittens. Those always seem to be the first thing to get wet from the snow, and cold hands and feet will make anyone miserable.
• Blankets, you will be very thankful when you are sitting outside in the cold for a rest. They can also be used to sit on, if you are sitting on a cold bench.
• Bring a thermos of hot chocolate to will help keep you warm, plus it's delicious!
• Layer your clothes, it will help keep you warm and happy!
• If you happy a baby in a stroller, take a blanket and invest in a weather shield. It's amazing how much warmer it is without the wind.

Christmas time is so much fun and the Santa Clause Parade's are so exciting, by being prepared you will be able to make the most of the time you have with your family, and everyone will have a blast!