How soon do babies normally start teething?

Question

i have a 5 month old and she seems to already be teething!! she drools constantly, chews on EVERYTHING, and if fussy all the time... someone told me today to let her chew on some thick beef jerky and that that would make her teeth come in sooner... is it safe to give a 5 month old beef jerky?!

i have another concern... she is still drinking formula, but lately it seems like shes never full! she drinks 8 oz bottles like nothing! i sometimes feel like i should start her on real food sooner than the 6 months her doctor reccomended because she is just always hungry! she weighs 17 pounds already! does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer 1

My nephew got his first teeth around 2 months. (Crazy huh? He was horrible breastfeeding my sister in law said)

Your baby could be teething. I don't think beef jerky is a good idea. A piece could fall off and she could choke. If her doctor gives you the okay to feed her real food, then feed her real food!

Good luck!

Answer 2

I wouldnt give beef jerky, how about a  frozen washcloth.

at 5 months my son already had 4 teeth and was drinking 10 oz bottles, I waited to feed my son solids and opted out on baby cereals. at 7 months I started giving him fresh fruit cut up, at 10 months he had cheerios and yogurt and at  a year he was eating almost every veggie steamed and cut up, no need for purees!

Answer 3

I have an 8 month old and he started teething at 4 months - chewing on his hand and anything else he could get his hands or mouth on, drooling, very cranky, etc. I took him to the doctor at 4 months because he'd have screaming fits seemingly from it bothering him, and we were told to give him Infant Tylenol (1/3 the normal dose though) when it was really bad. We rarely had to use it though, but he did teeth for almost 4 more months BEFORE his teeth came in! 4 of them came in overnight, just last week, and he seems much relieved. Teething toys are a must - my son couldn't handle the frozen washcloth, the cold was too much for him.

My son is also quite an eater - has been on 10oz bottles since 5 months. We started him on the cereals at 5 months (he was already showing he was ready by drooling us when he watched us eat, chewing with his mouth and always being hungry), and quickly moved on to baby food. He went straight to the 2nd foods, skipped the 1st stage stuff, he can eat it all!

It's best to go by your doctor's advice, but they can tell you the signs to look for to know that she's ready - some babies are ready much earlier, and others later. But to me it sounds like she may be ready for some cereal!

BTW, my son was also 17 pounds at 5 months, and is now 21 pounds at 8 months. Fast growers we have!

Answer 4

My son was the same!  He started teething really early and is now 13 months with 10 teeth!  Babies grow at different rates and all have different needs.  I would not give her beef jerky!  Try chew toys, rings or zwieback toast, Gerber makes a great one that my son loves.  It's like a giant crouton they can knaw on.  I find these help him more than the teething biscuits.  I know that the doctor will tell you not to put cereal in the bottle, but I must say that I put it in my sons bottle since the day he was born and he is no where near being over weight.  My son was still hungry after a full bottle.  I only ad one scoop (formula size scoop) to each bottle and it makes the formula a little thicker.  It also helped with gas!  I was afraid that my son would gain too much weight because he was 19 lbs at 6 months, but all of a sudden he stopped gaining weight and just grew taller.  He is now 32" tall at 13 months and weighs 27 lbs.  I feel that if my son is hungry, I feed him.

Answer 5

My baby is 4 months..and he's toothing already..he drulls alot too!!! and as for the beef jurky..he's still too small.

Answer 6

They are all different.  For example, my first child started teething three weeks after he was born.  My girl however, did not get her first tooth until she was a year and a half.  It is all normal!

As for jerky, I would not do that one.

Food:  one of the first things is rice cereal.  mixed with formula.  I started mine at 5 and a half months.

Answer 7

5 months is about right

Answer 8

Don't give beef jerky!  I've heard of some babies teething as early as 3 months old, some later, like 12 months.  Mine started at almost exactly 6 mo.  He seemed to be chewing and drooling a lot longer than that though.

I started my son on solid foods for the same reason you are mentioning.  I don't think that there is a magic number to when to start.  I realize it's best for their digestive system if they wait a little longer.  We started at 5 months.  He is 7 mo now and has really taken an interest in finger foods.  I think like all things, some kids just progress quicker in some areas than others.