Teething is Not To Blame For Your Baby Waking Constantly
Something that almost always comes up when discussing baby sleep issues with parents & caregivers is teething. It’s a natural scapegoat because of course the sight of swollen gums and an increasingly fussy baby leads us to believe it’s the culprit. But is it really? Let’s dig a little deeper and check out some facts about both teething and sleep and why waiting for teething to be over is not the best strategy when considering teaching your baby how to sleep.
Does Teething Hurt?
Yes, teething can cause your little one discomfort. As their teeth push upwards through their gums, some babies experience some tenderness which can lead to irritability. However, the pain from teething is generally short term and comes in spurts with newly incoming teeth. It is NOT something that continues for weeks or months at a time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teething typically causes minor discomfort but not significant pain that would disrupt a baby’s life long-term or interfere with their ability to sleep consistently.
Can Teething Keep my Baby Awake at Night?
When your baby is cutting a tooth, they may have the occasional rough night! But teething is not the reason why your baby is waking up throughout the night for weeks or months. While teething could lead to a cranky night here or there, if you find that your little one is waking frequently over a long period of time then something else is likely going on.
Sleep training to give your child healthy sleep habits will help prevent occasional disruptions - like teething - lead to months of sleepless nights. The National Sleep Foundation supports this, stating that babies who have learned self-soothing skills can generally go back to sleep even if they are dealing with temporary discomforts like teething!
How Long Should I Expect Teething to Last?
Teething is a gradual process that typically begins around 6 months and can continue until 2-3 years old. That’s a reallyyyy long time if you are waiting for teething to end before working on solid sleep routines for your family. Not to mention, there will be many other growth spurts and developmental milestones that can occur simultaneously so it’s truly important to not let teething be a deterrent for beginning sleep training!
Teething is Not a Great Excuse to Avoid Sleep Training
Let’s face it, while teething can be to blame for some grumpiness and irritability, it is not the reason your little one is waking up frequently every night for long periods of time. The real (and truly only) key to long-term sleep success is consistency. If you wait until your child is done teething, you’ll be waiting for over a year, during which their poor sleep habits become even more ingrained while you become more exhausted.
Practical Tips When Baby is Cutting a Tooth
While teething can absolutely lead to a rough night or two, if you’ve already worked to establish good sleep habits, your baby can get back on track quickly once that tooth is through! Here are some tips to help manage teething discomfort while remaining consistent with sleep:
Use safe teething remedies: Soothe sore gums with cold teething rings or gently rub & massage their gums with a clean finger. Avoid over-the-counter options unless advised by their doctor.
Stick to the routine: even if your baby has been fussy due to teething, maintain your regular bedtime routine! Babies thrive on consistency, and changing sleep tactics will not help get them back on track faster.
Offer comfort, not crutches: if your baby seems uncomfortable, offer additional comfort in the form of soothing voice/sounds, gentle pats, or holding them. Try your best to avoid introducing new sleep crutches like rocking or feeding to sleep as these can disrupt their ability to self soothe.
Maintain Perspective: A rough night here or there may be due to teething, but as long as you remain consistent, your baby should return to their normal sleep patterns in just a few nights!
Final Thoughts
In short, teething can cause some temporary sleep disruptions, but it is not the root cause of ongoing sleep issues. Building healthy sleep habits and routines will help your baby better navigate teething (and other growing pains!) with minimal disruptions to their sleep. Don’t let teething become the excuse to put off sleep training. Let’s chat if you are feeling stuck and defeated by sleep issues - your child and you deserve the best rest!
Sources:
American Academy of Pediatrics
National Sleep Foundation
