New mom Serena Williams has never hesitated to reach out to experienced parents on social media for help with various worries and woes. But her past concerns — on topics like itching and the breastfeeding blues — haven't seemed as distressing to her as the latest one.
Her daughter, Alexia Olympia, is now 3 months old, and that means the tennis champ is facing the terror of teething for the first time.
"Teething- aka the devil - is so hard," she wrote in an Instagram caption alongside a photo of the little one. "Poor Alexis Olympia has been so uncomfortable. She cried so much (she never cries) I had to hold her until she fell asleep."
Yes, as any parent will attest, teething can turn the most mild-mannered baby into a crying, shrieking, not-sleeping mess. And mom and dad are often left in a similar state from watching their babies suffer so much.
That appears to be the point Williams is at now.
"I've tried amber beads... cold towels.... chew on mommies fingers.... homeopathic water (lol on that one) but nothing is working," she continued. "It's breaking my heart. I almost need my mom to come and hold me to sleep cause I'm so stressed."
And then came the plea: "Help? Anyone??"
There was certainly no shortage of that. Williams' followers bombarded her every imaginable suggestion: topical and oral medications, teething rings, chewing mitts, rubbing onions on her gum line (um...), serving up ice-cold breast milk pops, etc.
And, of course, as is the way on social media, there were also plenty of people eager to tell her that she was wrong about what was bothering her bundle of joy. It couldn't possibly be teething at 3 months old, they told her. (Note: WebMD says otherwise.) Alexis Olympia must be "gassy," "hungry," "just sleepy" or maybe had "an ear infection."
But no matter what's causing the distress or how it's treated, when hope baby and mom find relief — and sleep! — soon.