I am a HORRIBLE mother!!!!

[LibbyRutt]

Alex has been a bit crankier than usual lately, and I just assumed it was b/c of lack of sleep this weekend. Then he has been waking up from naps early and waking up earlier in the mornings too. Again, I just thought it was lack of sleep and that he was overtired.

Well I felt his gums again tonight after he was literally screaming his head off for over an hour without me being able to console him what so ever. BOTH of his top molars have poked through on one side!

At least I know what's been going on, but God, how horrible am I for not even knowing they were coming in and bothering him? He's been drooling like CRAZY for the past few weeks, and his gums were somewhat swollen, but usually his gums are swollen for months and months before his teeth actually come in. I feel SOOOO bad! He's been getting lots of extra cuddles tonight though. But I still feel horrible for not knowing that's what's been going on with him today.

[Random Gemini]

Aww poor munchkin!

I used those cooling teething rings that you shove in the freezer for both my kids and that seemed to help them get to sleep. My friend has two little girls and uses clove oil when her youngest has a tooth coming in. She said that Moira passes right out after she rubs it on the gum. So... those are some things you can try.

You are NOT a horrible mother! But I know hearing someone else say that can only do so much to make you feel better. I know how it is. So glad my two are teenagers now, but when they were babies... stuff like that happened at least once a month that made me feel like I was two inches tall.

Try not to let it get to you. You know now and now you can make him comfy and give him lots of loves.

[PopTop]

Oh all people, you are NOT A HORRIBLE MOM!
Having discovered the teeth or not, it still would have been a very trying time.
You know what, you're human, and from what I know of you on this site, a darn good one and a great Mom.

[Christen99]

Poor buddy! You're not an awful mother, believe me this would not disqualify you from mother of the year. It's not like he can tell you what's wrong, and it's so hard to tell at that age what the heck is wrong with them.

Tyler got really sick once, to the point of rupturing both of his eardrums and having it spread into his eyes. It came on FAST, but I didn't know he was so sick until I got a call from my MIL saying he was lethargic and would not wake up. He ended having shots of antibiotics, and he was nearly hospitalized. I felt like the worst mother in the entire world that my child was so sick and I was clueless. I thought for sure someone would have taken him from me because it was plain to me that I was negligent. His amazing ped. reminded me that even though he got sick quite often, kids are very stoic and they don't react as adults do when facing pain or illness.

You're a fantastic mama, but Alex is a very brave and happy boy. Give him something to chew on and some extra snuggles and then let him climb and destroy to his hearts content.

[LibbyRutt]

Thank you! I know I'm not really a horrible mother, but I'm having one of those "I feel like a horrible mother" day.

I have given him some of the freezer chewy things,and put orajel on his teeth and he's MUCH happier now! I will be giving him some tylenol before bed tonight though I think. Ugh, I can't believe I missed it!

[PopTop]

Just thought, DAH, does he like the Pedilite frozen pop thingys? DD used those with GS one time when teething. It was a mess, but it worked.

[LibbyRutt]

Awwe Christen! I'm glad he was ok. I used to get ear infections like that horrible when I was little too b/c I never ran a fever. And I KNOW you're NOT a bad mom either!

As for the freezer pops, don't know about the pedialyte ones, never had them, but we do have some del monte fruit ones that are frozen fruit. Hadn't even thought about those! He's been enjoying crunching on an apple though.

[Paws n Jaws]

I wish I could tell you that this won't be the last time, but it'll happen again. We're not perfect, and it's not like they can tell us what's wrong. Sorry, Liz.

[newmommeg]

You're so NOT a horrible mother. I'd be the same way. I would have just thought he was cranky and maybe not feeling too great. Alexander won't even let me feel inside his mouth without biting me.

I'm glad you were able to figure it out though and now you can help him out.

[Mom2Hershey]

OH Lizz you are not a horrible mother..but I know that feeling too. Ray said it best...there will be many more moments!

[ttitus1957]

Liz you are so not a horrible mother. I actually laughed out loud at your post because I just went through the same thing with Marisa only it was 1 front molar, weeks of crankiness, unusual sleeping pattersn to the point I thought I was going to lose my mind and then bingo this weekend front molar peeked through. SOOOOO...I felt pretty bad myself. I can tell you should pointed at the "tooth" and was like oooh oooh and that is when I felt the molar peeking through....I gave her a lot of snuggles then too. I have been giving tylenol and it seems to take the edge off enough that she at least has been sleeping about 8 hours straight through the night which is better much better then her 2-3 wake up and be up for up to an hour then sleep 2-3, oh I thought I was going to lose my mind.

In any event, you are not alone and we are great mothers!!!

[mckjen]

one of my bad mommy stories....my oldest was a toddler, maybe 18 months....I passed shoe sale and decided to measure his feet and get a new pair and low and behold his feet were 2, yes 2! whole sizes bigger than the shoes on his feet. Talk about bad mommy!

[BaxtersMama]

My take?

True horrible mothers are in denial and would never admit to such a thing and wonderful, concerned mothers have moments when they feel horrible. Motherhood can make us crazy, can't it?

Hugs to you!