When Do Babies Start Teething?
Out of all the stages of babyhood, teething might be one of the hardest. It last so long, and it can be so difficult to manage the pain and discomfort little ones feel. For some babies, teething is relatively easy. But for others, it’s weeks and months of fevers, drooling, pain, and fussiness. What makes it even harder is that you don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen! Parents everywhere want to know: when do babies start teething? There’s no set schedule, but there are some telltale signs to watch for to determine if your baby is cutting a tooth.
When do babies start teething? As with most everything, it really depends on the baby.
Most babies will begin teething between 4-6 months old. There’s a lot of growing and development that happens in that period of time! Babies are starting to sit up with support, roll over and scoot, and some may be ready for solids around this time, too. So of course, throwing teething in seems like a good idea, right?
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While most babies will start cutting their first tooth between 4-6 months of age, some babies start much earlier. You probably have a friend or two whose babies got teeth around 3 months old. Or maybe you know parents whose kids didn’t cut their first tooth until thy were 9-12 months old or even older. The age at which your baby will cut their first tooth depends on your family history of teething. So, if you got teeth early or late, chances are your baby will, too.
What are some signs that your baby is teething?
It can be hard to figure out if your baby is teething! Many of the symptoms can be mistaken for other issues, like gas pain or even an ear infection. And since your little one can’t yet verbalize what’s wrong, it’s up to you to figure it out. But there are definitely some teething symptoms that are unmistakable.
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Teething symptoms include swollen, tender gums, unexplained fussiness or crying, gnawing or chewing on things (like their fingers), and lots and lots of drool. Some babies might spike a low-grade fever and develop a mild rash around their mouth (usually from the drool!). And many babies experience sleep disruption and changes to the sleep patterns while they’re cutting a tooth.
So when do babies start teething? We wish there was a hard and fast answer! But if your little one is experiencing any of those symptoms, there’s a good chance they’re about to cut their very first tooth.
(Image: iStock / blendcreations)
