How to Get Teething Baby to Sleep

One of the biggest concerns parents have about their baby's sleep is how to manage baby's sleep when they're teething. They fear that teething can undermine their baby's ability to sleep independently. Rightfully so, seeing baby's red cheeks, constant drool, swollen gums and general fussiness makes most parents feel they need to do something. But do they really? Simply put, teething bears the brunt of the blame for any sleeplessness but I'm going to spend some time to take a look at the truth behind teething and the impact on sleep. I will discuss why teething may or may not be as daunting as parents make it out to be.

How Sore is Teething for Babies?

As your baby's teeth push through the gum surface, swelling and tenderness result in a generally fussy baby. Thankfully, teething pains are often brief and come in bursts instead of being sustained for months at a time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, although teething may cause minor discomfort, it typically does not consistently interfere with a baby's sleep.

How to Get Teething Baby to Sleep Overnight?

Although a few broken nights are to be expected while your baby is cutting a tooth, teething is not the reason a baby should wake overnight for weeks or months on end. If there are frequent night wakings for a prolonged period of time, more often than not, there is something else going on and is typically associated with sleep props or improper sleep schedule.

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To help a teething baby sleep overnight, sleep training and establishing an age-appropriate routine provide the most direct line to better sleep. When baby learns to fall asleep independently without sleep associations, minor disruptions like teething are less likely to lead to months of broken sleep. The National Sleep Foundation explains and supports this by saying that babies who can self-soothe to sleep tend to link their sleep better without parental intervention and can do so even during situations like teething pains.

How Long Does the Teething Stage Last for Babies?

Teething typically begins around six months of age and lasts till your child turns two to three years of age. Which means if you're waiting for teething to be over before you sleep train, you will be waiting for quite some time! At the same time, throw into the mix, mental and physical leaps or growth spurts, you'll soon realize there is never an "ideal" time to sleep train. This is why it is important not to let teething be a reason for delaying sleep training.

Do Babies Refuse Sleep When Teething?

When it comes to the blame game, teething gets blamed for ongoing sleep disruptions. But in actuality, teething is not the true reason for your baby waking up multiple times overnight for a prolonged period of time. The best way to help baby sleep better in the long run is to be consistent with healthy sleep habits. Instead of waiting till your baby has finished teething, avoid letting poor sleep habits become deeply rooted in the first place, which then become even harder to remove.

Ways to Get Teething Baby to Sleep

While teething will result in a few rough nights, the good news is if baby has already been acquainted with healthy sleep habits, your baby's sleep will bounce back. To help your teething baby sleep better, here are some ways to manage teething symptoms while keeping consistent with sleep routines:

1. Alleviate teething pains: soothe baby's gums with a cold teething ring, a cloth soaked with frozen milk or a gentle gum massage using a clean finger. If needed, use over-the-counter medications advised by your pediatrician.

2. Maintain a consistent bedtime routine: although baby will be fussier than usual, babies thrive on consistency. Continue to respond to baby using consistent techniques you use during sleep training can help prevent a full-blown regression.

3. Offer comfort without creating sleep props: it's a great idea to offer using a soothing voice, patting or extra cuddles, but try to avoid rocking or feeding baby to sleep. It may help in the short term, but more often than not, it will interfere with their self-soothing abilities.

4. Avoid the snowball effect: it's not easy to see baby have a bad night, but if we keep compensating for poor sleep and rely on sleep crutches during teething spurts, it makes it that much harder for your baby to recover their normal sleep patterns.

Teething inevitably will cause some temporary sleep disruptions; even then, teething is not the source of sustained sleep troubles. By maintaining healthy sleep habits and teaching your baby sleep skills, you can avoid ongoing nights of sleeplessness. Don't let teething be an excuse for avoiding sleep training!