This is an archive article published on May 22, 2024

Is teething in babies as painful as labour?

Actor Shilpa Saklani Agnihotri, who is enjoying motherhood, recalled reading about how the pain of teething in babies is equivalent labour pain experienced by women during child birth.

Teething pain is extremely hard for babies (Source: Pexels)

3 min readNew DelhiMay 23, 2024 12:22 PM IST First published on: May 22, 2024 at 10:26 AM IST

Teething in babies and labour in women are two different experiences that can cause severe pain. But can they be compared to each other? We were left wondering after Shilpa Saklani Agnihotri said she read a doctor’s comment suggesting so while researching the topic when her 17-month-old daughter Ishani Kanu Agnihotri started teething.

“Ishani ended up with 12 teeth in a matter of a week which otherwise should have taken 6 months. I started reading up on the condition, which is when I read that teething in a baby is equivalent to a woman’s labour pain — in both, something is pushed out of your system,” she said in an interview with Rubina Dilaik on her YouTube show Kisine Bataya Nahi: The Motherhood Journey.

So, we decided to learn more about the same.

They cannot be compared with each other due to differences in the intensity and duration of the pain, emphasised Dr Badshah Khan, consultant paediatrics, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road. Teething is the natural process where infants start to develop their first teeth or milky teeth, whereas labour is a process where women go through intense pain while giving birth to a newborn baby.

Notably, labour is considered one of the most excruciating types of pain felt by women. “It happens when a woman is giving birth and her uterus contracts to push the baby out. It can be intense and involves cramping and pressure,” said Dr Khan.

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“But it is difficult to compare these two experiences, based on any parameters as they are two different aspects of life,” expressed Dr Khan.

Labour pain can occur anytime at the end of the third trimester (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

When baby’s teeth start to develop, it can be an uncomfortable experience making them unable to regulate their emotions. “During the teething phase, infants can go through various symptoms that can cause severe discomfort such as excessive drooling, being fussy, constant urge to chew on hard things like toys or objects, fever, coughing, and swollen gums,” explained Dr Khan.

In some cases, mild pain relief such as Crossin drops or ibuprofen, under the guidance of a healthcare professional, may be appropriate, said Dr Poonam Sidana, director, neonatology and paediatrics, CK Birla Hospital (R), Delhi. “It’s essential for parents to discern whether their child’s fussiness stems solely from teething or if there are other underlying issues,” said Dr Sidana.

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Teething is temporary and can last from a few days or a week. “This pain caused by teething can be eased by various medications suggested by your pediatrician,” Dr Khan said. “There are various psychological and physiological changes experienced by women during labour. These frequent body changes can last longer and cause various health issues,” said Dr Khan.