teething

We know that when lil ones are teething they love chewing on just about anything. Save your jewelry with a homemade teething necklace that's just as chic as you are. It may look complicated, but this helpful soother is easier to make than you think. Make a couple in different patterns to mix and match, or give some to friends who also have ornery teethers. All you need are a few supplies that you might already have around the house. Or, after a quick visit to the craft store and only a few dollars spent, you're on your way to making a stylish teether that will make both you and your baby happy.

Keep reading for the easy instructions!

Teething is confusing for many moms. Babies' teeth develop at different paces, and in different orders, and it's sometimes even hard to be certain that teething is the source of your baby's discomfort! Here are some ways to get a handle on the process.

1. How Do I Know If My Baby is Teething?

According to Dr. John Mersch of MedecineNet, babies who are teething may be fussy, with red or swollen gums, and perhaps even a bubble-like blister over the site where a tooth will erupt. They may refuse food, put their hands in their mouths, drool a lot, and have trouble sleeping. Babies who drool excessively might also develop a facial rash.

While many moms insist that fever, runny nose, and diarrhea also seem to be associated with teething, doctors say that these symptoms are more likely caused by a virus or other illness. (For a discussion of this issue, visit the Circle of Moms conversation, Do babies develop cold 'symptoms' while teething?)

2. How Long Will Teething Last?

Most parents on Circle of Moms teething forums agree that the worst symptoms come three or so days before a tooth erupts and ease up considerably on the tooth pokes through the gum. But remember, this process is true for each tooth, so teething in general can go on (and off) for quite awhile.

3. In What Order Do Teeth Come In?

Talia wonders in what order her kids' teeth should appear. Her first child got his bottom two front teeth first, but his little sister got her top two front teeth first. Bridget points out that, while there are patterns that parents can testify to (front teeth usually come in first, bottom then top), exceptions to this are completely normal. Mersch says that the front teeth, top and bottom, usually come in between six and 12 months of age, but that this is a very general range.

4. How Many Teeth Should My Child Have By 18 Months?

On average, most kids have both central and lateral incisors by 16-18 months, as well as first molars. Many have canines as well. Second molars don't typically come until 22-24 months of age, and can be more painful than small front and side teeth.

5. When Should I Call the Doctor?

If your child has a fever of over 101 degrees, a rash that extends all over his body, or has other symptoms that concern you, call the doctor right away Don't assume that these symptoms are related to teething.

And regardless of where your little one is in the teething process, you both can take comfort from 7 Ways to Soothe a Teething Baby.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

If your child's teeth have started coming in, you're probably wondering whether it's time to take her to the dentist for the first time. The official word varies: While the American Dental Association (ADA) says your child's first visit to the dentist should happen by her first birthday, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says you should take her when she gets her first tooth and no later than her second birthday. As if to confound you even more, the American Academy of Pediatrics says you can wait until your child's third birthday — unless she sleeps with a cup or bottle, sucks her thumb, or has other risk factors for dental problems.

What's a mom to do? With such conflicting advice from the experts, I thought it would be helpful to find out when other families start their kids on dental checkups, and why. Here's what I found.

Is There a Right Time to Start?

As with the doctors' and dentists' associations, moms' answers to this question vary widely. But there is a general consensus among Circle of Moms members that what's really important is that your child has a successful first visit so that she doesn't develop a fear of getting her teeth checked and cleaned. As Crystal D. says, "First impressions are everything."

Moms also say that there's no harm in starting dental checkups early, and that you should go ahead and do so if you think your child is ready. Can she sit still long enough to have her teeth checked and cleaned? Does she allow you to wipe her gums or clean her teeth? If so, she's ready when you are.

Early Starts, Tag-alongs, and Waiting to Age 3

Crystal D. suggests starting at age one even if your child has only a few teeth. She found that it worked well to ease her little one into the routine by taking her along on her own dental visit, which gives a toddler the chance to observe the process and meet the dentist. Carianne C., a Circle of Moms member who has worked as a pediatric dental assistant, says that the dentist she worked with encouraged "training sessions" before one year, followed by regular visits to monitor the number and growth of teeth. Training sessions can help both parents and kids acclimate to consistent brushing, which will prove to be important in upcoming years.

Daneen J.'s 13-year-old daughter has no cavities and likes going to the dentist. Her mom attributes at least some of this success to her daughter's early start with dentist visits, which began at 2 years. Age 2 was also the magic number for Laura M., in spite of the fact that her dentist said she needn't worry about scheduling an appointment for her daughter until age 3. When Laura insisted, her dentist began including her daughter in Laura's appointment at age 2 1/2.

Elisha tried to take her son in at age two, and after a quick inspection her dentist agreed with Laura's, that most kids can wait until age three for their first dental cleaning.

3 Tips for a Good First Visit to the Dentist

In spite of the lack of consensus here, all moms agree that whenever you do take your child to the dentist, it's important that the visit be a positive experience. Here are some tips for ensuring the best possible first dental visit for your child:

1. Laura suggests scheduling your appointments back-to-back with your child's and with the same hygienist. Not only does this make dental visits more efficient for you, it can help your child overcome any fear of the dentist or hygienist, as seeing the same person working on your teeth will reassure them that tey won't be harmed.
2. Christy H. points out that the chances of your visit going smoothly for your child will increase dramatically if you choose a pediatric dentist, since they are skilled at making children comfortable.
3. Erin. L. recommends preparing your child by reading her a book about going to the dentist. There are many out there, but her favorite is Mercer Mayer's book, Just Going to the Dentist.

Image Source: makelessnoise via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Yeeeoow!! When a baby starts biting during nursing sessions, the breastfeeding experience can quickly turn from peaceful to extremely painful. To discourage biting while breastfeeding, try these five tips from Circle of Moms members.

1. Pause the Nursing Session

One of the most common suggestions from Circle of Moms members is to briefly stop nursing when biting occurs. As Melody C. shares: “My son started biting when he was 7 months and getting teeth. I unlatched him, said ‘ow’, and sat him down away from me. After a couple of minutes if he was still hungry I'd latch him again. He stopped after about 5 times of doing this." Emily S. agrees: “Gently tell him ‘no bite’ and unlatch him. He’ll learn quickly that biting = no milk!”

2. Pay Attention to Timing

“Do you notice that she bites more towards the end of a nursing session?” asks Cassie C. “It may be that she is done eating and is just figuring out what those teeth are for. She is not trying to hurt you but she doesn't know any better.” As Cassie suggests, babies often bite when they are distracted, bored, feeling playful, or teething.

Try paying close attention to whether your child is actively feeding, suggests Meaghan T.: “If your child is actively nursing it is impossible to bite (the tongue covers the bottom teeth). Most babies will pause before biting - pay attention! Have a handy teething toy available to pop in the mouth before the biting begins!"

Or try Julie B.'s advice: “Keep your finger on your breast while she's nursing so you can quickly break suction and remove her if you see her sucking pattern slow down so you know a bite is coming.”

3. Nurse When Baby is Rested

As Maaike K. found, some babies bite when they are tired, so changing your nursing schedule may help eliminate biting behavor: “I have tried everything (I mean EVERYTHING) to make her stop and nothing really worked...This week I figured out she only bites me if I nurse her before putting her down for either nap or night time. Now I only nurse her when she wakes up in the morning and after her afternoon nap, and this goes really really well!”

4. Don’t Pull Away

When biting occurs, your instinct may be to recoil. Instead, many moms suggest pulling your baby in towards your breast to cause the baby to unlatch. As Alicia E. explains: “The baby's nose is brought again the breast just enough to block the nostrils. The baby immediately opens her mouth to breathe. Thus she unlatches.” The unpleasant feeling also discourages babies from biting again.

5. Don’t Yell

It’s hard not to yelp when those little daggers cut into you, but making a big fuss can make the situation worse. As Sara D. cautioned, some babies will be frightened by an extreme reaction: “Screaming can actually scare him enough to cause a nursing strike.” Alternatively, shares Michelle K., a baby may find your response funny and continue biting to watch it happen again: “If you give a reaction he might find it amusing and continue to bite cause he is entertained by that reaction. I used a calm 'No no' in my normal voice.”

Image Source: iPhoto

Lots of moms like to think out loud and Melissa-Emily is one of them. This is the latest post from her Life Beyond Base blog.

If you guys have been reading my mommy blog for quite sometime now you probably will notice that I am a big fan of organic baby items as well as those free of bad chemicals.

After rushing in about two weeks ago to RiteAid for a teething gel I saw this one which I've never seen before. It's free of dyes, paraben, alcohol & benzocain. Which for me is a plus, ever since my daughter has been born I've been extra paranoid with the things I give her, I try to make sure everything is as close to natural as possible therefore I'm am glad they've came out with this product for teething and it works just as well as the regular Baby Oragel, if not better!

What are some of your favorite organic/natural baby products?

Yikes! When your sweet-faced toddler starts chomping on your arm (or her brother’s) it’s natural to feel alarmed. After all, while biting is a normal developmental phase, it’s not exactly desirable behavior. Here are 5 helpful strategies for putting an end to toddler biting.

1. Identify the Reason for Biting

Since toddlers bite for several distinct reasons (including curiosity, frustration, teething, and to get attention), identifying the cause can help you tailor a more effective response. As Kate C. advised: “Look at WHY he’s biting. Is he frustrated and can't communicate (most common reason kids bite)? Is he exploring sensations and trying to see what it feels like to bite? Is he teething?”

2. Give Consistent Verbal Cues and Consequences

Many Circle of Moms members recommend immediately responding to biting behavior with a consistent verbal response, and then giving consequences. As Lauri Ann P. advises: “Say loudly ‘no biting’ and remove her from the situation. Send her to a time out chair or to a step. You need to be very consistent and very firm. She needs to know Mommy is upset with her.”

3. Model Alternatives

When children bite out of frustration, many Circle of Moms members advise teaching alternate behaviors. Maggie E. explains: “Biting is often a reaction to emotion that the child cannot fully understand and cannot channel in a positive manner...at 18 months, the child is trying to communicate in the only way she thinks she can. Tell her ‘I can see you are really ___ (angry, frustrated, upset, etc.) but it’s not okay to bite your friends. If you need to bite something, you can bite this (and give the child a rubbery toy or teether or necklace.)” Carrie G. also recommends teaching simple verbal communication for frustrating situations: “Model language they can use: ‘NO! Stop! Mine! etc.’ Other phrases that should be modeled: ‘Can I play? Can I use it?’”

4. Address Teething Pain

Often biting behavior is simply a result of teething pain. “A lot of times the child does not realize it hurts the other person because it feels good, particularly if they are teething,” explains Jenn S. “Having cool teething rings… can help the child eliminate discomfort and frustration.” (For more teething tips, see 7 Ways to Soothe a Teething Baby.)

5. Use Attention as a Reward

Many moms suggest using your toddler’s desire for attention to motivate positive behavior. “As hard as it is, try not to draw too much attention to the biting,” recommended Morgan Y. “Sometimes when kids get a reaction, they continue to do it for the attention.” Justine S. agrees: “Focus all attention on the injured child, lots of fuss and love, before dealing with the aggressor so they learn that this is not an effective way to get mum’s attention!” Additionally, mother-of-two Pamela B. emphasizes rewarding positive behavior: “Reward him when he uses words or gentle hands to solve his problems. He will want the praise and start to associate it with the behavior.”

Image Source: calliope via Flickr/Creative Commons