I get what you mean about not wanting to overthink every fuss, but honestly, I’ve learned the hard way that sometimes it’s worth digging a little deeper. Like, I brushed off my daughter’s crankiness as “just a phase” for a few days, but then it turned out she had an ear infection.
For me, even without a fever, if something feels off—like if she’s pulling at her ear or not eating—I try to check in with the pediatrician. Sometimes my anxiety is just anxiety, but occasionally it’s instincts kicking in. It’s a balance, and I’m still figuring it out.“I try to just go with the flow unless something seems really off, like a fever that won’t quit.”
That gut feeling is no joke. I remember when my granddaughter was teething, everyone kept telling me it was “just teeth coming in,” but she just seemed... off. Not herself, you know? Turned out she had a little sore in her mouth from biting her own cheek—nothing serious, but it made her miserable. I always say, you know your child better than anyone. If something feels wrong, even if it’s not textbook symptoms like a fever, it’s worth checking in.
I totally get the worry about overreacting, though. It’s hard to find that sweet spot between trusting your instincts and not letting anxiety run the show. But honestly, I’d rather be safe and ask too many questions than miss something important. You’re doing great by paying attention and trusting yourself—parenting doesn’t come with a manual, and sometimes you just have to go with your gut.
That “off” feeling is real—my nephew was teething and everyone kept saying it was just the usual crankiness, but he ended up with a tiny mouth ulcer too. Poor kiddo was drooling like a St. Bernard and chewing on everything in sight. I do wonder, though, how do you even tell the difference between teething pain and something else? Sometimes I feel like every weird baby mood gets blamed on teeth... but maybe that’s just me overthinking it.
This is something I keep circling back to with my own kid. Every time she’s cranky or doesn’t sleep, someone in the family’s quick to say “must be teething.” But honestly, teething seems like the default explanation for a dozen things—drooling, chewing, red cheeks, even random fevers. At what point do we say, “maybe it’s not teeth this time”?
I’ve noticed with my daughter that teething pain usually comes with really obvious chewing or gnawing, and sometimes she gets a low-grade fever. But then, I’ve read that fevers aren’t always linked to teething, and it’s just coincidence. How do you separate what’s “normal” teething stuff from signs you should be looking for something else, like an ear infection or a sore throat? Do you just go by gut feeling, or are there specific symptoms that make you think, “okay, this isn’t just teeth”? I sometimes second-guess myself and worry I’m missing something more serious... anyone else get stuck in that loop?
I get stuck in that loop all the time. With my son, he’d get super clingy and chew on everything, but once he started tugging at his ear, I knew it was more than just teeth. The fever thing always trips me up too—sometimes it’s nothing, sometimes it’s an ear infection. I usually watch for how long the crankiness lasts and if there’s anything “off” with eating or sleeping. But honestly, half the time I’m just guessing and hoping I’m not missing something big...
