As soon as Ella was born and the doctor put her up on my chest, screaming her first cries, the first thing I noticed is two little white bumps on her bottom gums that looked like teeth. The nurse looked and said it was just that her gums were swollen there where the teeth will come in later. Okay, I guess. And then I just kind of let it go.
Tuesday night we had a rough night. By 4:30 am I had literally had half an hour of sleep somewhere between 5 diaper changes, 4 feedings and several trips in to try and quiet her. So far Ella had been pretty easygoing at night and my milk had just come in that day, so I figured her digestive system was adjusting or something. Then the next day she had her first check-up and I noticed when she was crying while they weighed her that those white bumps were back! After the nurse left I took a closer look and that was definitely a tooth! I told the doctor when she came in for the check-up and she was shocked when she looked. She said that you always read about it in books or hear about it, but this was the first time she had actually seen it. She even admitted that when I told her about it she thought it was just going to be a cyst or something. She was very excited to have seen her first neonatal tooth!
Anyway, she felt it and said that it's nice and sturdy in her gums, so there is nothing to worry about. The only problem would be if it were loose it could be a choking hazard. So when the other one breaks through, and it looks like it will pretty soon, we just have to check to make sure it is not loose either. Otherwise it is fine and shouldn't cause any problems in the future when the rest of her teeth come in. And yes, I'm still nursing her! The teeth are on her bottom gums, so if she's latched on properly, her tongue covers the tooth from hurting me. And no, she will not be eating solids any time soon!
I tried to get a picture, but trying to get a newborn to hold still, open her mouth and keep her tongue and hands out of the way is pretty much impossible, so this is the best I got.
It looks like some kind of light reflection from the camera, but that is a tooth and the little bump to the left of it is the other tooth just under the surface. It doesn't look nice, but I promise I wasn't hurting her holding her mouth like that! 
Not that we don't have enough pictures on here of her, but here are couple more normal pictures of her.
So cute!
5 comments:
Wow!! I have never heard about a newborn having teeth!! That is so amazing. I even told my mom about it. She's so beautiful Claire - congratulations!! :)
Claire-bear! She's beautiful!! I'm absolutely shocked about the teeth - unreal! Boston's not even 9 months and has 0 teeth! I can't wait to meet little Ella! Do you realize that we haven't seen each other since you got MARRIED?!
She is cute--and I like her outfit :) And the teeth is amazing. If you had her a week later she would've been born with her teeth! I wonder if she would've been as fussy inside of you?! Anyway, wish I could see her. So fun to have a girl for you.
Claire, she is so cute!! Hope it's okay, we found your blog through Neil and Kelli. Our blog's private so we'd love to give you an invite. Email me at heidi.essig@gmail if you want one so I can have your email.
Teeth already! Oh my!
Congratulations on the birth of Ella. She is beautiful!
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