Levi is presently in the throws of Stage 3, and he's not happy about it! As any parent can attest, molars take forever to completely erupt. (We've got two partially erupted as of yesterday!) For weeks now, we've been doing all that we can to relieve the pain and discomfort so that we can all enjoy our days (and sleep at night!). This is a list of the teething remedies that I've tried, and a brief description of each. If you've got any more tips of tricks that worked for your child, I've love to hear them!
Hyland's Teething Tablets
These are, by far, my favorite teething product. I've used them for both boys, and have had success every time. Hyland's Teething Tablets are a homeopathic remedy that relieves the symptoms of teething (swelling, etc). They do not numb anything, and they certainly do not contain benzocaine! If you're interested in the ingredients (and their purposes) or about homeopathy, click here. The only time (for either boy) that teething tablets have not been enough to relieve the pain of teething has been at bedtime when the molars are coming in. We absolutely love Hyland's products, and I would recommend teething tablets to anyone with a baby!
Baltic Amber Necklace
This is the most recent addition to my "teething arsenal", and also the one that I've been most questioned about. Yes, my youngest son is wearing a necklace. It's a beaded necklace made of Baltic Amber, which has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. When the amber warms upon skin contact, it releases succinic acid, which reduces pain and inflammation in the body. The necklace is not to be chewed on for teething, but rather just worn against the skin. More information here. Levi's necklace was made specifically for young children, and it is knotted between each bead so that in the event of the necklace breaking, only one bead will fall off to reduce the choking risk. It also has a safety clasp so that it will pop open if pulled hard enough--to reduce to likelihood of strangulation.
Since putting on his amber necklace, we have noticed a significant decrease in night wakings. Also, we are still using teething tablets, but only for bedtime. (Before the necklace, we were administering teething tablets around the clock, and ibuprofen at every bedtime.) The amber necklace hasn't eliminated all of the discomfort of teething, but it has helped dramatically.
Food
Food might seem like the most obvious way to reduce teething pain, but it isn't always such. Often times, babies/young children will refuse to eat when their mouths hurt, so mealtimes can become a challenge. Purees and other smooth foods can be good since they don't require chewing--and are especially welcome when chilled. On the other hand, babies who enjoy chewing to relieve teething pain can take advantage of mealtimes to gnaw uninterrupted. Cold cut-up fruit is a good choice, as are teething biscuits (We like homemade or Earth's Best).
.jpg)
Frozen Fruit Pops & Smoothies
These, obviously, fall under the category of Food, but since they're such a hit around here, I figured they deserved their own blurb. To avoid the high sugar and dye contents of store-bought popsicles, I make my own for the boys. They're easy to make, and much-loved as treats! Best of all, the cold numbs the painful, swollen gums of a teething baby! Since I use 100% fruit, I have no problem at all allowing the boys each a smoothie each morning for breakfast and/or a popsicle every single evening after dinner. My recipe is simple: throw any mixture of fruit into the blender, blend until smooth, and there you've got a smoothie! Pour it into popsicle molds, and freeze, and you've got popsicles! Easy, huh? If I'm feeling really crazy, sometimes I'll add yogurt, almond milk, or peanut butter into the mix. And, a little top secret parent info? You can blend spinach, kale, and/or avocado into ANY smoothie/popsicle mixture, and you CANNOT taste it (kale has a stronger flavor, so be a little more discerning with it!)! Yes, it will turn your smoothie/popsicle a disqusting-looking shade of green or greenish-brown, but it will still taste sweet and fruity--I promise! Some of our favorite flavors: banana/strawberry/yogurt(spinach/avocado), watermelon/blueberry/strawberry, banana/peach(spinach/avocado), banana/peanut butter/yogurt/almond milk (avocado), mixed berry/banana (spinach/kale). The thinner your smoothie (higher water content), the more solid it will freeze. Popsicles are made best with a smoothie that is about the consistency of a milkshake (bananas and yogurt are both good for thickening smoothies/popsicles).
Sophie the Giraffe
Sophie the Giraffe is a teether, plain and simple. We got it when Nate was a baby, and both boys have enjoyed gnawing on it since. I like Sophie more than other teething products for a number of reasons--first and foremost, Sophie is made of natural rubber and decorated with food-grade paint. It is stimulating for babies to explore (visually appealing, lightweight, and squeaky!), and super cute for parents. I've heard Sophie called "a really expensive doggie chew toy marketed to babies", and I will admit I was skeptical at first. But, after having two babies who are huge Sophie fans (Nate more so than Levi), I will say that Sophie is absolutely worth the money! Another benefit of Sophie is that the different shape (a giraffe!) allows babies to chew with the front OR back gums while teething; many conventional teether shapes aren't really conducive to being chewed in the back of the mouth.
Ibuprofen
This is usually my last choice in teething remedies, simply because I like to avoid medication whenever I can. That being said, if either boy is in pain, and I can't help in any other way, I will not hesitate to give them ibuprofen. We always use the dye-free kind; it's still flavored, just a cloudy white color, rather than fire engine red! Obviously, this is the strongest teething remedy on this list, and it has always worked to give my boys the relief that they need to rest peacefully. Sidenote: The reason that we choose Ibuprofen, (rather than Tylenol) is that Tylenol depletes glutathione in the body. Glutathione removes toxins from the body, and therefore, a shortage can make illnesses last longer (not good for anyone, particularly a grumpy teething baby who is putting all sort of germy things in his mouth to chew!).
Calcium
Since calcium is essential for growing teeth, it is recommended that teething babies' calcium intake is high. A calcium supplement works, but we have found that simply boosting calcium intake is effective as well. Obviously, dairy products are good sources of calcium, and so are almond milk, fortified cereal, and molasses. If you're nursing, increasing your own calcium intake will increase your baby's.
Another teething remedy that I've heard works is diluted lavender oil rubbed along the jawline on the outside of the cheek. You can dilute it in coconut oil or olive oil, and rub on every 15 minutes until the pain subsides. I have not used this method, but have heard that it is very effective. If you've tried it, let me know how it worked!
......................................................................................................................................
One teething remedy that I do NOT use is Orajel or any other gel that contains benzocaine. I wrote a blog about the risks of benzocaine here. There are some teething gels on the market that do not use benzocaine (Orajel Naturals uses clove oil, and Hyland's also carries a gel product), and I have used them occasionally. In my experience, the gels are effective, but not for very long--and most babies aren't fond of the numbing effect (but, nor are they fond of the discomfort of teething!).
No comments:
Post a Comment