Babies are adorable. They laugh, coo, and giggle which makes parents feel all warm and happy. But when their first tooth erupts, this the laughs turn into crying and whining.

This is stage is called teething and all children go through this phase. The timing of teething varies and will not be the same. But for most, the first teeth will come out between 4 to 6 months and. At age 3, a child would have around 20 primary teeth.

How Does a Baby Feel When Teething?

Teething can be painful and uncomfortable for your child. Their gums become tender and swollen. This may also lead to other symptoms such as:

• Slight fever
• Coughs and colds
• Loss of appetite
• Sleeping problems
• Irritability accompanied by face rubbing and/or biting of almost everything

The symptoms may also depend on the child. Some children don’t experience such symptoms. Other babies may go through all these.

Ways to Soothe Baby Teething

When babies go through this painful phase, it’s the parents’ job to make them feel better and comfortable. There are many ways to help soothe a teething baby. Here are some of the common methods to do this.

1. Teething toys and necklaces like the baltic amber teething necklace
2. Cold washcloth that a baby can chew on
3. Lightly press on the gums with your clean finger
4. Distract the baby by going out and/or playing
5. Medication (do not use without consulting your baby’s pediatrician)

Some families also have their own “tradition” or beliefs when dealing with baby teething. Other parents have also come up with ways to relieve teething.  If you’re unsure if a method you’ve heard or seen on the Internet will work, try to consult your baby’s pediatrician first.

Another way to soothe your child is by giving certain kinds of food that won’t irritate the gums further. And since your baby would likely experience a loss of appetite, making some new and exciting meals and treats for them would be a big help.

Simple Recipes for Teething Babies

For busy parents, it may be difficult to prepare food every day for an irritable baby. You can opt for commercial baby food, but these have been found to have ingredients that can be toxic for a child over time.

Luckily, there are homemade baby food recipes that are easy to make. These also don’t require too many ingredients and a lot of steps.

1. Homemade teething biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry oats
• 4 tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 bananas
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare your baking sheets lined with parchment paper and preheat over to 350F.
2. Process the oats in a food processor until powdery.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients until it forms into a dough.
4. Divide the dough into 24 balls. Place each dough ball onto the baking sheet and flatten it to a comfortable thickness for your baby.
5. Bake the biscuits for around 10 minutes when making ¼-inch thick cookies. Flip the cookies and bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Let them cool before storing in the fridge or freezer. You can create more and store for snacks that you can give your baby any time. Just heat them up in the oven again before eating.

2. Veggie Patties

Ingredients:

• 2 cups potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 cups vegetables of your choice, grated (use a variety of colorful veggies)
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste (but not too much)
• Grated ginger (this has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve swollen gums)

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Make sure everything is well incorporated.
2. Form into ¼-inch thick patties. You can add a little flour to the mixture if it doesn’t form well.
3. You can either bake or fry the patties. You can make the mixture and patties beforehand and place them in the freezer for easy cooking when needed.

3. Basic Rice Porridge

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water (for a thicker porridge) up to 1 ½ cups water (for a more watery porridge)
• 2 tbsp. parboiled rice

Directions:

1. Let the parboiled rice dry, then roast slightly in a pan until the grains puff up.
2. Process the rice until it turns into a coarse powder.
3. Cook the water and rice powder in a pan over low heat until there are no more lumps.
4. Turn off the heat and let the porridge cool before serving.
5. You can also add some whole rice grains when cooking the porridge if your baby can already handle solids.

Easy-to-Prepare Cold Foods for Teething

If you just need a quick way to relieve your teething child, you can always go for the cold option that won’t include any cooking.

1. Frozen fruits and vegetables cut into baby bite-size pieces
2. Fruit and veggie popsicles and ice cubes
3. Frozen fruit and veggie puree
4. Fruit and veggie smoothies

You don’t need to add any sugar or sweeteners to these options. And instead of water, you can use formula or breastmilk to make popsicles, puree, and smoothies.

Give Them Extra Attention During This Time

Babies can’t make themselves feel better and would have a hard time expressing how bad they feel. When you see the signs of teething, plan ahead. You’ll probably have some misses especially if you’re a new parent. But give them the love and attention they need and they’ll surely feel alright.