Most babies get their first tooth around 6 months of age. Teeth generally erupt in pairs. Most babies will experience a few days of discomfort, including fever, crankiness, sleeplessness and diaper rash.

The bottom front incisors typically come in first, followed by the top ones, then the molars and canine teeth. The back molars are usually the last to emerge. Babies usually have their full set of 20 teeth by the time they are 3 years old. The permanent ones don’t usually start coming in until between the ages of 4 and 6 years.

What can you as a parent do to help your baby through this process? Massaging of the gums is a great way to relieve some of the discomfort associated with teething. There are many different types of teething toys on the market. The kammi^tm teething doll is made of made of soft terry cloth. The hands and feet of the doll are knots that you can wet and freeze. The cold terry cloth feels good on their gums and the body of the doll is very absorbent – for all the drool these little ones will generate during teething.

Having had three babies of my own, I’ve seen differences in each one when going through teething. My first daughter had little trouble at all – I barely even knew when she was getting a tooth in. She was about 8 months old when she got her first one, so maybe that was why she handled it better than the others.

My son got his first tooth at about 6 months. He had fever and couldn’t sleep for days. Plus, he refused to teethe on anything but my fingers! After the first couple of teeth though, he had a much easier time.

My youngest daughter got her first tooth at about 4 months – very early! She had everything! Fever, sleeplessness, crankiness, and the worst case of diaper rash! Many doctors have told me over the years that teething does not cause all these symptoms. However, I disagree since I’ve actually seen them myself. My Mom, who had ten children, also believes there are many more side effects associated with teething then what the medical community tells us.

My youngest also hated to put any kind of hard teething toy in her mouth. She did, however, love the soft ones. They are great because they catch the drool in addition to making their gums feel better.

With the kammi^tm teething doll, the addition of the frozen knots makes it a perfect teething toy all around.

This Mother’s Day I’d like to share an article that I wrote in 2000 on being a successful parent. I think that every Mother at one time or another wonders if she is making all the right choices for her children. I hope you enjoy the article and as you read, think about how important, often difficult and sometimes thankless the job of being a Mother really is. Sometimes the weight of responsibility can be overwhelming. This Mother’s Day,........

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