Many mothers intend to breastfeed their child as long as they can. First time moms especially want to satisfy their maternal instincts. Some are able to follow through with these desires with no problems. Others find that the baby cannot latch on properly causing feeding problems for the child and pain for the mother. This is difficult for both the child and the mother who must watch their child in pain. There are some things that the mother can do that may help the child feel better and insure the mom that the infant is getting enough nourishment.

Every infant reacts to stress differently. Some babies with a calm temperament may not let the mom know that a tooth is eminent until they hear the clink of the spoon on the gum at feeding time. Other, more sensitive children may become fussy for months before the actual arrival of that first tooth and then be fine for the rest of the teething period. Still there are those babies that cry from the time of the first swelling of the gums until the very last tooth shoves its way through. So how will a poor mother know that her child is in pain from teething or something else is wrong with the child?

In addition to pain, some of the other symptoms of teething include drooling, swollen, hot gums and being easily annoyed. Breastfeeding the teething infant may bring comfort to the child. This maybe because of the sucking action on the breast or it may just be that the child is being held close and being comforted. Either way, it seems to help some babies. For older children who may have already started solid foods, there are some over the counter foods specifically created for the teething child. These include teething biscuits and dry toasts. It seem that the actual biting down causes the pain to dissipate and helps sooth the child. In much the same way, a cold wet washcloth can also help. This is something easily accessible to most mothers at a moments notice. Simply wring out a clean wet washcloth. Then place it in the freezer in a plastic sandwich bag. When the child shows signs of discomfort, take the cloth out of the bag and give to the baby to chew on. Perhaps it is the cold on the heated gums that feels good to the child or maybe it is the roughness of the cloth as they bite down or both. Anyway, this particular cure has been hailed by many mother and grand mother for centuries.

For the comfort of both mom and infant, make sure the child has latched on correctly. When a child is teething, he may inadvertently reposition his lips on your breast different than you have been used to. This will ultimately cause you great pain over time. Make sure your baby has opened his mouth wide before latching on. Because biting down makes his gums feels better, he may want to bite down before being in the proper position. When a child is teething, they just want the pain to go away and not necessarily do they want to eat. During this time, make sure you take care of your needs as well as those of your childs'.