How to feed a teething baby

You could try:

• Soft purees - some babies prefer to eat soft purees when they are teething
• Cool smooth food - yoghurt from the fridge may help as the cold can relieve discomfort
• Chewable food - Other babies prefer something hard to chew as the pressure of chewing something firm can also relieve the pain

Whether you are using purees, mashed food, finger food or baby led weaning, your baby will let you know if they don’t want to eat it. Let them eat if they want to, and if not, be reassured that they will once the tooth is through and they feel better. As always, if you are concerned see your doctor.

Why teething can affect weaning

"Not all babies will be affected by teething, for some lucky babies the first you know about teething is when the tooth appears and you can see it. For others, it’s a painful process," says Dr Kaye."Although the process of a tooth erupting from the gum does not affect the ability to eat itself, the pain and discomfort and feeling generally rotten that can go with teething can affect weaning. Put simply, if your mouth hurts you may not want to eat!"

"Annabel is teething, four teeth on the top about to come through," says Nicola, a member of our MadeForMums community, of her daughter. "She can't seem to chew food that she previously was able to eat independently for example melon, roasted parsnips or even potato wedges.

"I thought melon would be soothing and she would enjoy eating it, however instead she sucks it and attempts to bite it but is not able so ends up spitting it on the floor.

"I have reverted to purees or extremely soft foods, she can't even manage a slice of cucumber. I'm hoping this is just because she has got four teeth at once. I am giving her regular painkillers, the poor little thing!"

And Lucy kept her baby's diet as cool as possible. "She really suffered with her teeth her cheeks used to swell and everything.

"I found letting my daughter chomp on a sugar free rusk helped to cut them through, and nice cold yogurts or ice pops/fruit juice lollies."

5 ways to wean a teething baby

1. Try giving your baby something hard to gnaw on like a teething ring. You can also try chilling the teething ring for extra relief.
2. Try offering a dried crust of bread, or a baby rusk - but always monitor your baby to prevent choking.
3. Rub your baby’s gums with a clean finger to ease the pain in his mouth.
4. Use a soft clean cloth to dry your baby’s face if he dribbles a lot, so that his skin doesn’t become sore.
5. Teething gels, granules and powders all soothe your baby’s mouth but make sure you check ingredients to avoid excess sugar and the risk of potential allergic reactions.

When does teething start?

Teething often starts around the time of weaning, at approximately 6 months of age, though it can start both later or earlier than this.

Products that can help your teething baby

The best solution comes for free – give your baby lots of cuddles and try not to be anxious around mealtimes. But there are also useful products which can help

• Teething gels
• Teething granules or powders
• Teething rings
• Infant paracetamol

Read more:

• What to buy for weaning
• 18 weaning Instagrams you need to follow
• The 6 best toys for teething