Thursday, May 22, 2008

Oh What Joy, Teething

Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the principal one was that they escaped teething. - Mark Twain

Despite saying that I was abandoning the parenting books (which I have for the most part), I did look in them to see what to expect on the teething front. Because there can't really be that much up to fate on this aspect, right? I mean getting teeth seems to be a fairly straightforward affair. Pretty much everything says they'll get that first tooth around 6 months and then get one a month after that. Additionally, these teeth will come in a particular order - bottom front two and then top front two and then
top sides and bottom sides and so on. I know that kids get their first teeth at different ages, so I was surprised but not worried when her first tooth popped through at 4 months. Of course, I was a little nervous as to how this might impact nursing, but so far that hasn't been much of an issue. Small mercies.

Since then, her teeth have been coming in hard and heavy and in an order that can only be considered erratic. Right now she has all of her teeth on her left side and one on her bottom right and an ugly area that looks to be another tooth on her right side. With this newest tooth, expected to come through any day, her average is up to two a month. The good news is that it is the other front tooth, so at least she's starting to look a little less like a hockey player. And it does look like at least one other right sider is gearing up to make an appearance, thankfully. At this rate, I fully expect her to have a complete set of teeth by the time she's a year old.
Do I just skip the baby food and go straight to steak?

And I'm seriously thinking about nursing her that long with a mouthful of razor-sharp baby piranha teeth?

4 comments:

  1. Like your Bean, my Bubby started getting his teeth early and often. I stopped paying attention really, except to dole out Infant Tylenol when appropriate. Basically, for a long period, if he started acting fussy and unlike himself, I checked to see if a tooth was poking through. If no tooth seemed imminent, I took him to the doctor and an ear infection would then be diagnosed.

    Just a few days ago, he started telling me "teeth hurt," and I noticed that he has a molar coming in. Nice that he can tell me about it now!

    As for the nursing, we were able to go on pretty long even with all the teeth. I think he only bit me on one occasion.

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  2. Really? 1 tooth at 6 months and then one a month after that? Hmmm. I have 3 kids (youngest is turning 7) and I didn't know that? How could I have spent so many years with babies and not have known that? Maybe I should have read some of the parenting magazines?

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  3. Whoops! I forgot to add Thank You for coming by and commenting over at 3giraffes!

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  4. My kids' teeth all came in quickly - and always in 2's. All three of them pretty much had a full set at 1 yr.

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Give me some sugar, baby!