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On Teething and the Pangs of Motherhood

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This post has been sponsored by Baby Orajel™, however all opinions are my own.

In our recent morning baby routine, you may have noticed that Akilah is now with tooth! She had been gnawing on her little fingers for a few months now, so we’ve been patiently, okay, I’ve been impatiently waiting for a tooth to come up. It’s been so hard for me to not compare her milestones with those of her brothers. Having a baby girl is all very new to me whereas with the boys, they took after me and my growth patterns and with Akilah, it looks like she’s taking after Daddy. Knowing that this is common genetics helps ease this over-analyzing mind of mine.

Since I’ve so casually calculated a new growth and development schedule for her (about 3 months after the boys), I try not to stress over the charts. I remember when Jayden started thinning out as a toddler, those charts drove me mad. Each visit to the pediatrician, meant getting more familiar with the lower end of the graph. And between that, me worrying if his communication was up to par, and battling his extreme Eczema, I was done. Having Juicy showed us what a difference having a sibling makes. Juicy is our energetic one, with a big appetite, and interesting vocabulary. He has a big brother to look up to and emulate. A big brother to thank for his ability to use “How about them apples?” in the most hilarious of situations.

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Ultimately, each child develops at their own pace and will come into their own in due time. Comparison will just result in nerves frazzled to bits. It’s just not worth the stress. Having baby Akilah feels like I’m a new mom again in a sense; having a girl, having a girl who happened to be born different. I find myself back in that space when Jayden was a baby. Sometimes it’s comforting because we’ve made it eight years so surely, we can make it eight more. And sometimes it brings back raw feelings of uncertainty. I still haven’t figured out what to do with uncertainty other than facing it day by day until it backs down. What I do find comfort in is Akilah having not one, but two big brothers to help guide and protect her.

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The trials that accompany the care of little ones may seem impossible in the moment, but they come and they go or they become more manageable. Teething, often a rough time for babies and parents may seem to linger on and on, leading to periods of helplessness and defeat. But it’s little things that add up and help us get by like patience, snuggly blankets, and pain relief when we’re all out of patience.

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Ever since Akilah’s first tooth came in, she’s been fussier during the night. She’s become more drooly and even turned down nursing, leaving me pretty sore and engorged. Her little gummies have definitely been bothering her. Getting her to bed has been a challenge with her having sore gums. During our bedtime routine, I reach for the Baby Orajel™ Homeopathic Teething Gel to rub onto her gums to help relieve the pain. Then, I rub her and her lovey with a calming blend of baby-safe essential oils and tuck her in. Sometimes she requires extra snuggles while the teething gel works its magic.

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Like a baby cutting a new tooth, motherhood is full of pangs, but it is from within those pangs that we grow and sprout new tools to help us navigate the journey ahead.

Dhemz

Monday 12th of September 2016

Awww, they're so cute! Oralgel has been my family's teething solution. Thanks for sharing!

Erin Kennedy

Monday 12th of September 2016

Oh my goodness. I have a 7month old who officially has 6 teeth coming in. I think that is a bit early, but she def needs some relief. I haven't heard of this. Thanks for sharing.

christina aliperti

Saturday 10th of September 2016

Baby orajel got my son and I through some tough nights. It was instant relief for him and me, lol.

Rose Pingol

Thursday 8th of September 2016

I had 4 children and they all have hard times when teething. Good thing they have this product now.

Nicole Etolen

Thursday 8th of September 2016

I remember when my son was teething. That looks really difficult on him.

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