Julianna is 5 & 1/2 months old, and I think she might be starting to teethe or a tooth is coming soon. She's been drooling like a leaky faucet for 2 months now & I know that's normal before teeth come in (and it also protects them from germs since they stick everything in their mouths!)...
Since this is my first child, I really can't be 100% sure though. I've been checking out her gums - I don't feel any hard nubs and I don't see anything yet.
Julianna is normally one of the calmest babies you'll ever meet. Everyone tells us that. We are blessed. So, when she cries (and I'm talking about inconsolable, deafening, purple faced, hoarse, screaming crying!) we know something is really wrong. When your baby cries, you usually know what's wrong. A mom knows when their baby's cry means hunger, tired, annoyed, hold me, or change my diaper ... Problem solved.
Well, not this time. For for the past 3-4 days now, out of nowhere, Julianna just starts crying hysterical and it's the kind where her voice goes hoarse and she balls up her fists and just looks severely pissed off!
She's not pulling her feet up to her belly, so we suspect it's not belly pains. She doesn't have a fever or anything like that. It will happen out of nowhere. The beast will emerge with no warning! She will go from being happy & smiling ... then she just winds up and lets loose in a matter of seconds. I do all the normal mommy things like snuggle her, rock her, sing to her, walk around, talk calmly to her,rub her belly... all the usual stuff. Nothing works until SHE decides she is good & ready to be done crying.
Yesterday was the worst episode yet. I got home from a baby shower and there's my mother, sitting in Julianna's room, holding Julianna on her lap, with the child's purple face screeching as loud as she can get her little lungs to go! Uh oh - Time for mama to step in! So I took over, and tried everything I could - to no avail.
Finally after about a half hour of this, she finally started to calm down (it didn't help that she was exhausted too!), I was able to finally get the binky in her mouth without her spitting it across the room - and I was rocking her, with my arms around her, while she leaned against me. Then it happened - the beast decided to retreat and it was time to fall asleep while making those pathetic gasping sounds she makes after a long cry ... and then she was out cold. I was able to eventually move her into her crib and she slept almost 2 hours. She exhausted herself into a crazy-long nap. I know 30 minutes of hysterical screaming may not sound like a lot for some moms ... but for us it is! She never does that...
So ... we came to the conclusion, the only one we can think of - that she is indeed teething (maybe?!). She has red cheeks, and I heard that is a symptom of teething too... She also has not been taking as much formula as she normally takes. It's not enough to concern us, but she might be stopping early b/c it's irritating her gums possibly ...
Anyone else care to comment?
About being an older Mom, life with my husband and 2 beautiful children, and a little bit of photography
Monday, November 8, 2010
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I love how Julianna and Nadine are around the same age because we go through so many things at the same time. It sure sounds like she is teething. Nadine does those things too for a while now, but still doesn't have a single tooth. Her pedi said that her gums are swollen but when I feel it or look at it, it sure doesn't look swollen to me! One of the mom bloggers told me that as parents, we have the right to blame teething when out little ones act up UNTIL they get ALL of their teeth! Hahaha.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I hope she feels better. :)
I was wondering if you had though about her ears. The screaming and the not wanting to suck on the bottle makes sense that it could possible be an ear infection. Just throughing it out there. When Brionna went through the begining teething stages i never had her scream like that. And at this time she is getting her 2 year molers and we have not had any screaming issues or not eatting issues. However when ever she had an ear infection her eatting decreased as well as her drinking decreases when her ears are hurting here...Just something to think about
ReplyDeleteI'm now following you from bloggy moms! I would love for you to stop by and follow me too at www.becauseidontscrapbook.blogspot.com (my mainstream mom blog) and/or www.thegossamerjewelbox.blogspot.com (my fictionally based fairy blog just for fun!)
ReplyDeleteThanks!!!!
Teething is rough stuff. I would agree with ruling out a possible ear infection. Drooling is par for the course but not taking a bottle and that much screaming may be something else. Is she grabbing/tugging her ear?
ReplyDeleteAs far as teething with both mine I tired EVERYTING under the sun.Nothing worked. I just cuddled them and if a slight fever came about I gace Tylenol- very rarely. Frozen fruit in a mesh teething bag worked great with my daughter- my son wouldn't take it.
Good Luck and you will find what works best for you and Julianna.
Kitten - Thanks! I know, Nadine is just a couple weeks ahead of Julianna, so I love seeing what you're going through and what is coming soon for us! Yours has quickly become one of my favorite blogs b/c of that! :)
ReplyDeleteErin & Mommysankey- Ya know, you might be on to something. I haven't noticed if she's grabbing her ears but I also wasn't looking for it either. I'm gonna pay attention to that and I am curious to see what my babysitter says today also- whether or not she had an episode there too?! Ugh I hope it is not an ear infection - guess I'll want to take her temp next time she is having an episode... thanks for your input!
I'm not a volcano - Thanks for stopping by - I'll be checking out your blog - thank you!! :)
Skye - those definitely are fried plantains in crisco! they call them patacones here.
ReplyDeleteMaia had her 4 top teeth come in at once a few weeks ago and I read your post nodding my head the whole freaking time. Maia screamed and screamed and any amount of gum soothing just was useless, until we got a vibrating chewing ring thing. and she went to town on that. she just loved it!
Teething is so hard on mama and baby, I know how you feel. Sophia has two teeth that just popped up recently and I suspect another. Hang in there, it gets so much better once that little tooth pops up!
ReplyDeleteLucy - 4 teeth at once? Wow - that must have been something! I would be screaming too!
ReplyDeleteAimee - Yeah we are hanging in ... luckily her good nature keeps us (and her) from going insane I think when she gets irritated. I am waiting for that little sucker to pop up - we hope soon!
ALL - I did ask our daycare provider if julianna was tugging at her ears at all -she said no... and I am going to pay attention - but I don't see it yet. I am starting to think teething for sure - she woke up crying today from each of her naps chomping on her fist (She never cries when she wakes up) ...
*sigh*
... to be continued!!
I just found your blog via Shutter Mama.
ReplyDeleteTeething is so so so tough! My son got six at once. Yes, SIX! It was miserable. Have you tried Hyland teething tablets. They are homeopathic, but they seemed to work really great for my son. Someone suggested baby Orajel to me. I tried it on myself and I didnt like that it made my whole mouth go numb, but it might help soothe your little lady. I also second the mesh feeding bags with frozen fruit as well as the vibrating teether. My doctor even said that rubbing the gums with your fingers can be helpful.
Poor babies, I can't even imagine what its like to have teeth literally cutting up through your gums.
I'm sorry to hear that your having a struggle, but have faith that it passes! Hang in there!
Cassie- Thanks & Welcome! I acyually have a note to get those teething tablets this weekend (I know there was a recall but I have seen another brand that is homeopathic too - we'll pick those up) - we have the baby orajel but I have heard mixed reviews about what the numbing can do to the baby's throat - but I guess if it's only in small doses, then it's ok.
ReplyDeleteI have the mesh feeder- not a bad idea! I just don't know what type of frozen fruit to put in it? Pears? Ugh I am so new at this stuff! LOL!
Poor baby girl! It's rough when they go through that. Sometimes the symptoms of teething can go along with ear infection symptoms. She's definitely teething. Normal teething starts at about 6 mos old, but can be earlier or later, depending on the child. Girls usually start teething before boys. Most pediatricians these days don't recommend those numbing gels. Babies can swallow it which can then lead to breathing problems. Since babies drool like faucets, it's easy for fluid to build up in their Eustachian tubes. (that's the small tube that goes from the ear to the pharynx, which provides air to equalize pressure within the ear & provides a channel for mucus to drain out of the ear). Bacteria collects in the mucus if it can't drain from the inner ear, it grows and then leads to an ear infection. Here are a few things to look for with both ailments.....
ReplyDeleteTeething: Fever less than 101, Fever will go away and not return when fever/pain reducer is given, clear mucus from nose, ear tugging, loose stools, diaper rash. irritability, biting on everything, abnormal sleep patterns & loss of appetite or refusal to eat.
Ear Infection: Fever over 101 (with most ear infects.), Fever will go down after meds are given, but will return as the meds wear off, yellow or green mucus from the nose, diarrhea, ear tugging, loss of appetite, ear odor, irritability & loss of sleep. Also, a baby will cry when laid down because pressure behind the ear drum will be uncomfortable and/or painful.
Anyways, hope this info helps and I hope lil' Miss Belle feels better soon! Maybe she'll have a little tooth poking through just in time for thanksgiving! :)
Dr. Kristin - Thanks! Great information! Luckily she is all good for now ... we still think the tooth is coming soon ... but who the heck knows?!
ReplyDeleteWe just got our firstt tooth and it sounds like Julianna is for sure teething! We had some horrible times and the worst night and then all of a sudden there was a tooth one morning. Kylie drooled for a while and had the really red cheeks for a couple of weeks, but when the crying fits started it wasn't long until the tooth appeared. Kylie's usually happy unless she is hungry and always smiles, but I couldn't hardly get any smiles while she was teething so bad. Kylie didn't eat quite as much either when she was having a lot of problems, cold bottles/food seemed to help rather than heating things up.
ReplyDeleteAlicia - Yeah, the red cheeks! I know those. Julianna has those just like Kylie did. I heard that is a symptom ... she seems to be ok for now ... Thank goodness she is a happy baby! But I know a tooth is coming soon enough :)
ReplyDeleteHey Skye - Just catching up on your last several blog posts. I assume you know, but wanted to tell you just in case, that the Hyland's Teething Tablets were recently recalled. They don't have a childproof lid and the active ingredient is belladonna! I assume they are OK in the correct "dose" but kids were getting the lid off and eating bunches of them. I threw mine out just to be safe.
ReplyDelete:)