The Teething Trenches (What they don't tell you about teething babies from a first time Mum in real time)

Teething is hard. Period.

From the uncertainty of when it'll happen or how long it'll take to cut through, to not understanding what your baby is feeling because they can't communicate, to the less sleep, the restless baby, and a little one who doesn't ever want to be put down. Teething is hard on everyone.

So let's talk about it.

First. Timing.

There's no real knowing when it'll happen. Jude has one tooth cut and one coming through. He also has a friend seven weeks older than him with nothing on the horizon. Meanwhile that kid is climbing furniture and parkouring all over the house.

When we talk about babies being on their own timeline, this is what we mean. Because comparison is the thief of joy, and in motherhood, it can also be the thief of your own mental stability. The second you start comparing your baby to someone else's, you're in a danger zone, and I want you to get out fast.

The key is to focus on your baby. Step by step, progress by progress. Watching, listening, and leaning into their own pace. It not only helps your baby develop, it also brings so much peace to stay in your lane and celebrate all the mums and babies around you who are going at their own pace too.

Second. Pain.

Because how are they supposed to tell us they're in pain? Crying. Obviously. But other signs of discomfort include putting everything in their mouth, pulling funny faces as they play inside their own mouths, tugging at their ears, seeming more fidgety, or seeming more subdued. And often, their signals of pain change, frequently.

So this paragraph might be useless, because other than Panadol (the cherry flavour is gross FYI, we've found Dymadon more effective), Bonjela and Nurofen, you're limited for options. But some of the best things we've found are teething toys constantly within reach, frozen teething rings, and frozen fruit popsicles, which all seem to soothe and give the baby something to focus on.

(Quick honest note: I'm a mum sharing what's worked for us, not a health professional. Always check with your pharmacist or GP before giving any pain relief, and follow the dosing for your baby's age and weight.)

Third. Sleep.

Or should I say, the lack of it.

Just when you think you've cracked some kind of rhythm, teething comes along and throws the whole thing out the window. The nights feel more disruptive. The catnaps get shorter. The baby who was finally going down in the cot suddenly wants to be held. Putting them down to play lasts for just a few short minutes before they crack the sh*ts and want you to hold them again.

And when you're solo parenting through the week like I am, there's no tapping someone in when you need a minute, it's just you, a sore, wriggly, upside-down baby, and the blue glow of your phone as you google "how long does teething last" for the hundredth time. (The answer, by the way, is a deeply unsatisfying "it depends on your baby.")

So here's my permission slip to you, because I had to give it to myself: lower the bar.

Survival mode is allowed. If that means contact naps on your chest, extra cuddles, holding them through the night in whatever way is safe for you both, then do it. This is not the week you're going to "build good habits" or win any parenting awards, and that is completely fine. contrary to what your boomer relative might tell you, you are not creating bad habits, you're meeting your baby's needs through something genuinely painful. There's a difference.

Look after yourself in it too. Drink the coffee. Order the dinner. Keep the to-do list short and the expectations shorter. Building a business on no sleep while soothing a teething baby is a special kind of hard, and if you're doing even a fraction of that, you're doing incredibly well. This is something I am constantly reminding myself, and so thankful I have a husband who reminds me of it too.

Rest where you can, and let some things drop. Some things can most definitely wait.

The bit I want you to hold onto.

Teething is hard. All of it, the timing you can't control, the pain you can't fully fix, the sleep you're not getting. But it's also temporary. That tooth will cut through. The night wakes will settle. And one day soon you'll catch a little toothy grin beaming back at you, and it'll wind you with how worth it it all was.

Until then, stay in your lane, keep the freezer stocked with teething rings, and be so gentle with yourself. You're not doing it wrong. It's just hard. And you're getting through it, one tooth at a time.

Are you in the teething trenches right now? Come tell me how you're really doing over on Instagram, and share your best teething tip while you're at it, I'm always taking notes. 🤍