Thursday 13 February 2014

Natural soothing for teething

So I thought instead of just complaining about all the teething issues that we have had in our household, I might actually jot down all the ideas that I have had or I had heard of that help to soothe the poor little darlings. You could use some paracetamol, nurofen, or bonjela to help ease the pain but I don't like giving it to babies on a regular basis, sometimes mind you, medicating them is the only thing that is going to get you through the night!

These are some of the things that have worked for me now and in the past

  • Mesh feeders- whoever invented this product I do hope has it patented cause its great! I love putting ice cubes in them to numb the babies sore poor gums, or pieces of frozen food (mind you that's brilliant if you don't mind the mess and stickiness of it). I have found even putting frozen peas for a savoury treat a great non sweet option. Also if you are not keen on the bought product you could always use a bit of muslin cloth and wrap the ice cube inside. Tie a big knot and then the baby has the option of chewing the cloth or the ice cube. My little one loves the ice cubes!
  • Teething toys are also great. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and I like to pop them in the fridge in between use for the best result or even in the freezer (make sure the product can be frozen, don't want it cracking). Personally I love Sophie the Giraffe. I'm sure everyone has seen one around if not received one as a gift. My little girl loves hers and spends hours chewing it up. I have been told that if any of the painted features of the giraffe come of from over chewing, it is perfectly safe. Apparently the paint is all vegetable based and edible.
  • Rusks are also good and at least with all the chewing and rubbing the baby gets a reward, some yummy dry bread! I find that if I toast a bit of ciabatta bread and give her the crust she loves it even more then the rusks, you have to watch so no big chunks are bite off and it doesn't become a choking hazard.
  • A wet frozen face cloth is also great to chew on and numb the gums, just make sure to pop it in a sterilised bag before putting into the freezer.
  • I often find that when we are out and about wearing a teething necklace that she can chew on means that you don't have to carry around any other teething accessory. Have a look at  teething jewellery for a great selection of accessories that are perfect to chew on and look good
  • And of course there is the Amber necklaces that some people swear by. I'm yet to be convinced but there must be something to them since their popularity is forever increasing.
If anyone has any other ideas I am open to suggestions?  and for anyone that is going through the teething process with me, Good Luck!

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