Sleep Solutions for a Teething Baby

8 November 2025

Ah, teething. That phase where your adorable, drooly bundle of joy suddenly transforms into a cranky, restless sleep-fighter. Between the sore gums, constant chewing, and random wakeups at 2 AM that leave you questioning your life decisions—yeah, we’ve been there. If you’re reading this with bleary eyes and a coffee cup in hand, you’re in the right place.

Let’s talk about real, practical sleep solutions for a teething baby. The kind of advice you can actually use tonight—not a list of theoretical tips that make you want to scream into a pillow.

What’s Really Going on During Teething?

Before jumping into how to help your baby sleep, it helps to understand what’s happening in that tiny mouth.

When those little teeth start pushing through the gums, it causes discomfort. Some babies feel it more than others. For some, it's a flicker of fussiness. For others? It's a full-blown sleep apocalypse. Gums get sore, swollen, and itchy. That discomfort doesn’t magically clock out at bedtime—it shows up hard, often making sleep elusive.

So now that we know why your sweet sleeper turned into a midnight party animal, let’s dive into what you can actually do about it.

1. Create a Comforting Bedtime Routine (and Stick With It)

Babies thrive on routine. It’s their way of understanding what comes next.

Bedtime routines give your baby clues that it’s time to wind down. When teething chaos strikes, a predictable routine becomes even more essential. Think of it like muscle memory—it tells their brain, “Hey, it’s time to sleep now.”

Here’s a great starter routine:
- Warm bath (bonus: warm water soothes sore gums)
- Gentle massage (especially around the jawline and neck)
- Dim lights
- Soft lullaby or white noise
- A short cuddle-and-rock session
- Bedtime

Stick with the same flow every night. Familiarity can provide comfort when their gums are raging.

2. Use Teething Pain Relief (Safely!)

Let’s be real—sometimes, no amount of rocking or shushing will help until you tackle the source of the pain.

Here are some safe and straightforward options:

Teething Toys

Cold teething rings or chilled (not frozen!) washcloths are baby favorites. The cold helps numb the gums, and the resistance gives relief from pressure. Keep a few in the fridge so you're always ready.

Teething Gels or Medications

Some parents swear by teething gels, but always check with your pediatrician first. Avoid gels that contain benzocaine—it’s a no-go for infants.

For rough nights, a dose of baby-safe pain reliever like acetaminophen (or ibuprofen if they're over 6 months) might be exactly what your baby needs to finally settle down. Again, talk to your doctor first about dosage and safety.

3. Adjust Their Sleep Environment

Let’s face it: If you’re hot, uncomfortable, and in pain, you’re not sleeping well. Neither is your baby.

Make sure their room promotes rest:
- Keep the room cool, not cold (68–72°F / 20–22°C is the sweet spot)
- Dim or blackout curtains to block out light
- Use white noise to drown out sudden household sounds
- Try a slightly elevated mattress head (just a small incline) to reduce pressure on the jaw—check with your pediatrician to do this safely

Consider giving your baby a comforting object, like a soft lovey or a breathable blanket (for babies over 12 months). Comfort = better sleep.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Offer Extra Comfort

Alright, here’s where some "sleep training" purists might raise an eyebrow—but when your baby is clearly in pain, it’s okay to offer extra cuddles.

We’re not saying you have to start co-sleeping or rock them all night, but some extra TLC won't ruin their sleep habits forever. Teething is temporary. What they need right now is security and love.

Hold them. Rock them. Rub their back. It's okay.

5. Try a Dream Feed (If They're Still on Night Feeds)

If your teething baby is still feeding during the night, a dream feed might work wonders.

Here’s how it works: right before you go to bed (around 10–11 PM), offer a quiet, sleepy feed without fully waking them. It might fill their belly just enough to help them make it through the night without waking up from hunger plus teething pain.

Some babies sleep longer when they go to bed with a full tummy—others might not. Try it for a few nights and see if it helps.

6. Daytime Teething = Better Nighttime Sleep

You know what makes a cranky baby even crankier? Being overtired. When babies skip naps or don’t nap long enough, they often sleep worse at night.

Make daytime naps a priority. Offer teething relief during the day, too—don’t save all the tricks for bedtime. If they’re chewing everything in sight by 10 AM, break out those cold teething rings early.

When you can minimize their discomfort during the day, it sets them up for better sleep at night.

7. Know When to Ride It Out

Here’s a hard truth: sometimes, no matter what you do, your baby is just going to have rough nights.

And that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.

Teething can be a storm you have to ride out. It typically lasts a few days per tooth. You might think of it like baby boot camp—you and your little one are both running on fumes, but you will come out the other side.

Take care of yourself too. Hand baby duty off when you can. Sneak a nap. Uber Eats your dinner. Whatever helps you survive.

8. When to Worry (Spoiler: Usually You Don’t Have To)

Teething can mimic other issues, so keep an eye out for symptoms like:
- High fever (over 100.4°F / 38°C)
- Diarrhea
- Persistent crying beyond typical fussiness
- No sleep for days on end despite relief efforts

If you’re unsure something else is going on, definitely call your pediatrician. Better safe than sorry.

But most of the time? It’s just teething. Uncomfortable, annoying, sleep-stealing teething.

Real Talk: What Worked for Me

When my son started teething, I honestly thought something was wrong. He went from sleeping 6-hour stretches to waking every hour on the hour. I tried everything—pacifiers, gripe water, lullabies in 12 different keys.

What finally gave us a break? A combo of:
- Chilled teething toy before bed
- Baby Motrin (per doctor’s okay)
- White noise machine
- Tons of extra cuddles (because wow, he needed them)

Within a few days, he was back to longer stretches of sleep. Teething still came and went, but we had a system.

And you’ll find yours too.

The Bottom Line

Teething is rough—like walking through parenting with a pebble in your shoe. It’s irritating, unpredictable, and messes with sleep in a big way.

But it’s also short-lived.

With a little prep, some safe pain relief, and a whole lot of patience, you can help your teething baby (and yourself!) get through those exhausting nights.

You’ve got this, even if your shirt has drool stains and your coffee is cold again.