Babies go through the first part of the baby teething stage sometime between their 3 and 12 months. Some sail through this stage with nary a whimper while other experience a great amount of pain and discomfort. While thinking that the beginning of your baby’s ordeal is but impossible, there are some signs that will help you get ready. Read on and learn about the four baby teething signs.

The very first sign that indicates your baby is going through the teething episode is the seeming loss of appetite, especially if your baby has always had a good appetite. During the teething process, the gums of your baby will ache. If you are breastfeeding, he might seem unwilling to feed and may show fussiness. This is due to the discomfort caused by sucking with swollen gums. If he is already eating solid foods, he might entirely refuse to eat his meal because of the sore mouth. Technically, these conditions have very little to do with his appetite but more on dental sensitivity.

The second sign to be aware of is slight fever. When you are breastfeeding, your baby gains the immunity to some infections through antibodies ingested in breast milk. The immunity he develops begins to wane around the first stage of baby teething. Because of this, there is an increase in his vulnerability to infections. As his first tooth comes out of the gum line, there will be inflammation in the affected area and this can lead to slight fever. You definitely have nothing to worry about; however, if the fever lasts for over 3 days, you should consult your pediatrician.

The third sign includes tugging, rubbing, and pulling. When the baby’s gums become painful, he will surely rub his cheeks and mouth and you will see your baby tugging on his ears more often. This is because of the nerves. His ears and cheeks share the same path as the gums; thus, when the teeth are coming out, he feels pain and discomfort. When he pulls on his ears and rubs his cheeks, it is because your baby would like to relieve or lessen the soreness. While this is generally a normal behavior, it is still a good idea to consult a pediatrician to check if it is because of something else.

Finally, teething can cause sleeplessness because the baby also has to endure teething pain and discomfort during the night time. When their first sets of teeth are struggling to come out, they don’t stop working. For parents, this often means sleepless night because their babies have to cope with aching gums.

If your baby is showing some irritability and fussiness, there is actually very little you can do except soothe him. Do not ever try to breastfeed your baby just to provide comfort because once this stage is through, it may be hard for you and your baby to break his late-night eating and feeding habit.

Baby teething is an inevitable developmental and growth period for all babies. It is painful and uncomfortable not only for the babies but for the parents as well. The good news is that it is only for a short time; thus, a little love, patience, soothing, and caring will significantly help your baby bear his pearly white teeth.