What should I feed my baby when she is teething?
Teething is an important milestone for every baby. This stage can be quite painful for the baby as the new teeth must cut through the gums to emerge. Teething is the most common reason for fussy behaviour in infants. Read on to find out more about the different signs of symptoms, what to feed your baby and lots more.
What to expect while teething
Most babies go through teething between the ages of 6 and 9 months. While some babies may face no trouble while teething, others may experience terrible pain and discomfort. The intensity of the discomfort may also vary from one baby to the next. The signs often begin appearing a few months before the first tooth can be seen. Many infants show signs of discomfort only when the canines come through; not when the molars and incisors are emerging. Some of the signs of teething patterns in babies are:
- Reddened gums and cheeks
- Rash on the chin
- Excessive dribbling
- Irritability and restlessness
- Loss of appetite
What to feed your baby?
Teething usually coincides with the introduction of solid foods to your baby’s diet. This means, there will be occasions (usually before teething) when your baby will refuse solid food. The good news is that the loss of appetite and fussy behaviour is not constant throughout the teething period. Most babies lose their appetite for about 5 days before the new tooth emerges and 3 days afterwards. They should then be back to having a normal appetite until the next tooth starts growing out.
Some of the foods you could try to feed your baby as baby teething remedies are:
- Semi-solid foods
Soft foods like a thin porridge are ideal for teething babies. This type of food needs minimal chewing and can almost be swallowed directly from the spoon.
- Mashed fruits
Mashed bananas and strawberries are good for babies going through the teething stage. It is easy to eat and a good way to introduce different flavours to your baby. Hard fruits like apples and pears may need to be cooked and softened a little before they can be mashed.
- Vegetable Puree
Pureed vegetables are another easy-to-eat food for teething babies. Simply boil the vegetables and then puree them till smooth. You could add a little water or milk to these purees.
Yogurt is one of the most popular traditional Indian home remedies for teething babies. It is easy to eat and good for the baby’s digestion. This can be given to the baby as it is or flavoured with mashed fruit or fruit puree.
- Overcooked food
Soft, overcooked rice or pasta can act as comfort foods for painful gums. In addition to be being overcooked, the food must be slightly mashed before it is fed to the baby.
- Carrot or apple sticks
Though your baby may not have the teeth required to chew as yet, you could give him cold carrot or apple sticks. Offering these foods as home remedies for teething babies is based on the assumption that the cool temperature soothes the gums while the act of pressing down on something hard offers counter-pressure to the new tooth and relieves pain. Always be around when you give your baby such hard foods and make sure he or she does not choke on them.
- Breast or formula milk lollipops
In addition to breastfeeding, you could also express breast milk and freeze it in the form of lollipops for the baby. This helps get milk into the little one’s tummy and relieve the gums at the same time.
What not to give your baby
Though your baby’s teeth are still peeping out of the gums, do not feed him or her any processed foods with added sugar. Avoid rusks of all brands. You should also give your baby only freshly-made, natural fruit juice. Do not give him/ her any packaged fruit juices.
Teething can be frustrating for mother and baby but this is a natural stage of the baby’s life. Choosing the right types of food can be very helpful in easing this discomfort.