Teething and Sleeping at Night

Hi N.,

Before I write more I will tell you that this will pass. The first few teeth are the worst and it should get better after that as I was told. Depends on the baby, some babies go through teething with no pain and no fuss. Some goes through trauma.

My now 10 month old son didn't get his bottom two teeth until 8 months though he started teething when he was 4 months. We also sleep trained him pretty well and everything regressed when his two teeth started popping out. He would wake every 2 to 3 hours and waking up screaming and crying. Nothing can console him. We just rock him and hold him until he goes back to sleep. Of course for my son this also happened right when he started crawling so that also made it hard for him to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time but that's a whole different story.

Just hang in there, as soon as those teeth pop out he will go back to his normal self. I heard night time is the worst when babies are teething.

I agree with Momo Y's post. I'll add that now is when she needs to be comforted when she wakes up and seems inconsolable. She is in pain and uncomfortable. I don't know if you used the CIO method or not but if you did CIO will not work now. She needs your presence. She's in pain and likely frightened because of it. She doesn't know what is going on. She knows only that she needs mama and/or daddy.

Even as an adult, when I wake up at night with pain that doesn't go away with ibuprofen, especially when the pain has been there for several days, I feel anxious and frequently wish someone was with me.

I agree with the other posts - holding her is really the best option.On and off this will be your life for the first few years. It gets progressively easier so hang in there!!

It will pass, but you may have to retrain her. Every time my son would get teeth, or even when he would just teeth for extended periods, his sleeping pattern would get so out of whack and we would have to start from scratch. We never had great sleep to begin with (no sleep training), but she will get over it, and she will sleep again happily, someday :)

Have you tried the Hyland's Teething Gel? I found it worked so much better than the tablets for my son, you can put it on often, and it's still natural. I would put that on, nurse my son, and he would often go to sleep. I guess he might have just been tired from all of the crying and fighting, but it does seem to last longer and work better than the tablets. Also, sometimes when they are in a lot of pain and aren't happy with anything (when the tooth is actually breaking through), just holding them upright (head on your shoulder) and moving around helps.

We gave our son ibuprofen before bedtime when we new he was teething. He'd sleep all night until the stuff wore off (at least 6 hrs). Then give him some more. It works better/longer than tylenol for teething. Also, if you're still nursing, just nurse her back to sleep after giving the ibuprofen. Nursing always calmed my son & put him right back to sleep.

What are Hylands tablets? If they are like Orajel, that might be part of your problem. I never gave my children orajel. The Dentist told me that the orajel nums the gums and makes them tuffer and it harder for their teeth to pop through. Basically, it prolongs the pain because it takes longer for the teeth to pop out.
I had a little teether hand that was perfect because my little one could put just the finger in her mouth and chew on the spot the tooth was at. Or she could turn in and put the 'palm' part in her whole mouth. So you might want to try different types and sizes and shapes of teethers. Plus you can use them in the future: my mom uses the hand when her hip is out b/c it fits perfectly in her back pocket, or in school lunches to keep the food cold, or for picnics...don't think you are just spending money and wasting it if your little one doesn't like the teether - throw it in the drawer for down the road.
If she is laying flat on her back in her crib, that can add to the pain because of blood flow. Sounds crazy right? When my wisdom teeth (as an adult) needed cut out I couldn't hardly lay down at all. Slept in the reclyner even for a few days after the surgery.
Based on my children's ages (yungest starts school in August) I say hold her and comfort her. Let her sleep in bed with you propped up on a pillow until her teeth are out and she isn't in so much pain. Because, as I am sure you hear, 'they are only babies for a shot time' when your little one is as old as mine (and no kisses or hugs good-bye most days, and deffinatly not from the teens LOL) you will miss these days.
Best of Luck.

It is temporary, but continuous... until she gets all of her teeth!!

Hey N.,
We are going through the exact same thing with our little guy as well. He is six months today. He has been waking us up at 2 AM and 5 AM when he used to sleep until 6. What I have done is nurse him in bed for 20-30 minutes each time then put him right back to his bed. I do not talk to him or even make eye contact with him which keeps him quiet and still sleepy.
I am so sleep deprived and my patience isn't what it used to be and I am unable to take naps. Additionally we both now have a cold which makes up both even more tired and cranky. So, you are not alone.
Another option is the Hyland's teething gel. It' isn't the same as Orajel and you can put it on every 15 minutes.

Hello! My heart goes out to you too. There is professional help if you would like to try a new way of helping your daughter. Teeth last for 2 years - so I don't want you and your daughter to suffer when you don't have to. We can solve your problem for LIFE and you won't have to worry about teeth or sickness or travel or anything else affecting her's and your sleep.
I have a 100% success rate with my private consultations. It works every time.
P.
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