There are so many things that baby has to go through is first year of life that it can make anyone a little bit fussy. However, babies are generally happy go lucky until they begin teething. There are many signs of teething and you should begin looking out for them when your infant is between three and 12 months old. There are typical signs parents know about including biting, drooling, crankiness, night waking, and sensitive gums. Other signs parents are not as aware of include avoiding food, a rash, runny nose, and just a general overall cranky baby.
Obviously, if your baby is teething and cranky it’s very possible that she won’t get good sleep. And, when baby doesn’t get good sleep it’s almost always the case that Mommy doesn’t either. The issue with teething is that during the day babies are usually busy and preoccupied enough that they don’t really feel the pain. However, at night, when they are asleep the pain can interfere with their sleep.
The best way to tell if an infant is teething is to check out the gums. Gums that are bulging, red, and irritated are most likely that way because teeth are trying to break through. Similarly, the gums may look bruised or even have a whitish streak on them. Additionally, since baby is drooling significantly and swallowing a lot of this drool it’s likely that your infant will have some runny bowel movements. If blood or mucus is present then you should rule out teething as the cause and make an immediate appointment with your pediatrician.
It is also possible that your infant will have a very low grade fever while cutting teeth. If your baby has a temperature that is more than a degree or so higher than normal you should definitely call your pediatrician because this could be a sign of infection. Keep in mind, too, that babies may bleed from their gums to some degree while they are teething. This is completely normal and something to be expected.