This site has limited support for your browser. We recommend switching to Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

Free Click & Collect, Spend more than €40 & get free shipping!

Shopping Cart

Your cart is empty

Continue Shopping

Keeping Mum Blog Series #3 -Teething with Ella

Hi All, We are back with our stories and this time we are going to talk about teething. Ahhhhh -the dreaded teething! The most commonly uttered line in my house these days and more especially from my mother is "those blessed teeth". Every time Ella squeals, cries or acts out we blame teething! Whether the acting out is an issue as she gets older which I am sure it is, she is really suffering with her teeth. Slowly but surely she is getting them one by one and at this moment she has a grand total of 4. We felt the arrival of every one of them! Every child is different and every mother will have a different story, so this is simply my story. I know Moms that come into the pharmacy have different requirements for their babies. Some say that they don't even notice when their baby’s teeth arrive while others have a completely different story. Ella started teething around 14 weeks and her first tooth didn't make its arrival until she was over 6 months old. I also thought that it literally popped out but that is not the case. Her symptoms were crabbiness, irritability, ear pulling, and night time wakening. She was also off her food and bottle, and she loves to chew anything hard. She literally chews on every table that she comes in contact with which looks pretty ridiculous when we are in restaurants! There are literally loads of products and medicines on the market for teething and it really depends on the child. Some will work and others won't.

So first off some facts:

A rough guide to the different stages of teething:
  • bottom front teeth (incisors) – these are the first to come through, at around 5-7 months
  • top front teeth (incisors) – these come through at around 6-8 months
  • top lateral incisors (either side of the top front teeth) – these come through at around 9-11 months
  • bottom lateral incisors (either side of the bottom front teeth) – these come through at around 10-12 months
  • canines (towards the back of the mouth) – these come through at around 16-20 months
  • molars (back teeth) – these come through at around 12-16 months

Some treatments:

Teething rings:
There are loads of teething rings on the market and my house is currently laden down with them. Teething rings give your baby something safe to chew on and they also work as a distraction from the pain and discomfort. Always follow the instructions on the teether as some can be put in the fridge to cool and soother the gums-note they should never be put in the freezer! Some of Ella's favourites (which you can shop by clicking on the title) are: NUK INTERLOCKING TEETHING RINGS-these are three interlocking rings, one suitable for the fridge, the other two are soft and massaging on the palate. Sophie La Girafe Teething Ring- Ella has loved this one since she could hold things in her hand. Its soft, easy to hold, has a nice texture and made of a 100% natural rubber. We are currently on our third one as Sophie has met a grim fate twice with our canine son-Pebbles! It must be soothing on his gums too! She also loves chewing on a crust of bread! Ella also loves the Annabel Karmel by NUK Ice Lolly Moulds. These are ideal for making fresh fruit lollies from pureed fresh fruit and pure fruit juice and really soothe her sore gums (until she throws it on the floor of course). Teething gels: These often contain a mild local anaesthetic, which helps to numb any pain or discomfort caused by teething. The gels may also contain antiseptic ingredients, which help to prevent infection in any sore or broken skin in your baby's mouth e.g. Bonjela teething gel. Multi-Mam BabyDent Gel is a teething gel that forms a soft bio-active layer over the gums, which soothes and relieves discomfort, reduces swelling, and protects against friction. Multi-Mam BabyDent can be stored in the refrigerator to give an extra soothing effect, and can be applied directly onto a pacifier or teething ring. If all of the above fails Nurofen or Calpol works a charm plus a million cuddles when Ella is super crabby and irritable. Always read the label and ensure that you give the correct dose based on age and weight. I could go on and on about this topic but as I said it’s a bit of trial and error. Always ask your pharmacist if you are unsure of dosages and usage of particular medicines. As always, you can contact me via our Facebook page or simply call in. We have loads of Foophar Mamas who are more than happy to help! Until next time, Olivia & Ella xxx