The American Dental Association says that you can expect a baby’s first teeth to appear between six months and one year, with a full set of twenty primary teeth that show up by age three.
However, as your baby’s teeth start making their way through gums, your child can experience soreness which may leave them irritable. Fortunately, there are several delicious and nutritious foods you should give to your child which will help in soothing their tender gums as well as relieve pain.
What can babies eat when teething?
- Teething biscuits
- Hard vegetables
- Fruit slushies
- Popsicles
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Applesauce
- Rice cakes
- Scramled eggs
- Hummus
- Cottage cheese
Teething Biscuits
Besides relieving gum pain, by chewing on teething biscuits, your baby will be able to enjoy them as a delicious snack as well. The biscuits might be cookie-like (designed to break as well as dissolve easily in order to reduce the risks of choking) or cracker.
But as a parent, you should still pay attention to your child as they munch on the crumbly foods. You can purchase this treat in many grocery stores, however, there are some parents who make their own biscuits; they blend two cups of oat flour, one ripe banana, and two tablespoons of coconut oil. Then they stick the shapes, baking them at 350 degrees F for approximately ten minutes per side. Or they simply mold the dough into cookies.
Hard Vegetables
Carrots, celery sticks, cucumbers, as well as other hard vegetables that have been chilled in a refrigerator can feel good against the aching gums while your baby is gnawing on them. First, peel both carrots and cucumbers, give them to your baby and then watch your toddler carefully in case the piece of a vegetable breaks off.
Fruit Slushies Or Popsicles
Ice is wonderful for numbing all the areas of a body that are in pain, therefore, it makes perfect sense that frozen ice in a form of popsicles, as well as fruit slushies, would be great foods to help in relieving the baby’s sore gums.
So definitely try this method as your little one will definitely feel comfortable as the pressure gets applied on their gums while eating frozen food or treats.
Additionally, you can purchase fruit slashes and popsicles from a local grocery store or even try making your own at home.
Simply place the favorite fruit of your baby in a freezer. After they have frozen, all you have to do is toss them in a blender so the fresh fruits can turn into fruit slushies which you can spoon-feed to a baby. Or, if you’d prefer making popsicles, try blending fresh fruits with a little water, then pour a mixture into the popsicle molds. Finally, place it in a freezer and wait for it to freeze.
Yogurt, Pudding, And Applesauce
Some babies may prefer the texture of soft foods. In such cases, you should offer them chilled applesauce, pudding, or yogurt during snack time. Creamy foods will not irritate already painful gums while a cold temperature of snacks will definitely soothe the area. You can also try to pour the applesauce, pudding, or yogurt into the popsicle mold and then serve it that way.
Food To Suck And Food That Dissolves In Mouth
The sucking motions may give some temporary relief to your baby and ease their frustrations. You can put the cold chunks of the flesh of watermelon into the mesh feeder. Or you can offer the baby rice cakes as they are delicious and simply dissolve in the mouth.
Alternatives To Sugary And Salty foods While Teething
Not only does teething cause the baby to eat less, but it can also cause them to want salty and sugary foods that are easy to eat. And while puffs, bite-size cookies, crackers, and biscuits can be easier for a baby to handle, those foods are loaded with the added salts and sugars they don’t need.
So let them try these other foods instead:
- Plain yogurt
- Scrambled eggs
- Cottage cheese
- Hummus
- Mashed or soft fruit, like banana
- Applesauce
- Toasted oats cereal
- Peas as well as thin cucumber slices
Final Thoughts
As can be seen, there are more than enough delicious foods and treats your baby can enjoy while soothing their discomfort and frustrations which teething causes. All you have got to do now is to start offering your little one these foods and treats to help them relieve the discomfort.
Sources:
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/foods-give-child-teething-1529.html
https://littlegourmetbaby.com/baby-led-weaning-recipe-blog/what-to-feed-teething-baby
https://www.strong4life.com/en/feeding-and-nutrition/meal-planning-and-prep/how-teething-may-affect-your-babys-eating#:~:text=Plain%20yogurt%2C%20pureed%20meat%2C%20mashed,to%20soothe%20baby’s%20sensitive%20gums.
