Teething Tips.

I've had several people ask about Levi's new "bling" recently, so I thought I might as well write up a blog entry about it. And, then I figured, hey, while I'm at it, I'll do a whole post about teething! I am by no means an expert on the subject matter, but I've gone through this with two babies, so I've got a few tips to share. And, as parents, we can all use all the help with teething babies we can get, yes? I will preface my post with this little gem that I came across.... (Pretty accurate, in my opinion!)

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).


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!

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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!).

Baby Products.

Since I'm getting to the point in this pregnancy that I'm starting to sort Nate's baby things/buy new baby things, I got to thinking about my favorite (and least favorite!) products. This is a list (in no particular order) of my most essential products when Nathaniel was a baby.....we'll see soon enough if Baby #2 follows in his big brother's footsteps (er, crawls?)!

My Favorite Baby Products:

Nosefrida Snotsucker - This product is, hands down, my favorite baby item. It is used to, you guessed it, suck the snot out of a baby's nose! It's easy to use, and way more effective than those little blue bulb suctions that they pass out at the hospital (and those are way better than the store-bought ones!). The Nosefrida is a contraption that actually allows you physically to suck the snot from the baby's nose, meaning that you have lots more control over the suction. There is a filter (and lots of space) between your mouth and those boogers. I can't imagine that many babies really enjoy the snot-removal process, but this is about as painless as it gets. And, I credit this little contraption with teaching my son how to blow his nose himself. Really. I can't express enough how useful this product has been during the last 19 months--especially when Nate has gotten a cold.

Moby Wrap - I loved my Moby Wrap, and I can't wait to use it again! I ordered mine when Nate was probably about a month old, and we used it constantly until he was about 8 months old (he didn't outgrow it, but wanted to stretch out his legs more than the Moby allowed). It was a lifesaver when he wanted to be carried around all day, and I had housework to do. It was also handy for getting out of the house easily with a small baby (to take walks, carry him around the store, etc). If you don't know the benefits of baby-wearing to both parent and child, I can't encourage you enough to read this article! After we stopped using the Moby, I used the Ergo carrier. I liked the Ergo a lot, and I would absolutely recommend it for a larger baby--but nothing beats the Moby for infant carrying!

Lansinoh Lanolin Cream - I stocked up on every nursing "essential" that I could find before Nate was born because I really wasn't sure what to expect. What I found out was simple: the only nursing products I really needed were my breasts and a baby. And, to eliminate embarrassing wet spots while in public, nursing pads (Lansinoh was also my favorite brand of nursing pads because they were the only ones that didn't appear bulky under my clothes.). It was several months before I realized that lanolin cream was a real essential! When Nate started teething, he occasionally bit me when he was finished nursing. It was after the very first tooth popped through that those bites started to HURT. Lansinoh Lanolin Cream was the only product that could provide relief when I was bleeding from that razor-sharp little tooth and needed it to heal up before the next nursing session in only a few hours.

Hyland's Teething Tablets - These teething tablets are an absolute lifesaver for us! When Nate was teething, he was an absolute grump (for good reason!), which, in turn, made me a grump. I gave him Tylenol for the pain/swelling sometimes, but I was uncomfortable using it daily. The teething tablets, on the other hand, I was much more comfortable with because they are a natural, homeopathic remedy. And, truthfully, I think the teething tablets provided faster and longer-lasting relief. If you're interested, you can read my entry here about why I will not use Orajel (or any other product containing Benzocaine).

Snappi Diaper Fasteners - I wasn't sure about this product when I ordered it because I couldn't decide how it worked, but I figured it was worth a shot. I'd been cloth diapering (with prefolds) for a few months, and Nate was getting too wiggly for my old-school diaper pins. The snappi diaper fasteners were a lifesaver! They're easy (and quick!) to use, and eliminated any risk of pin pricks. It's been over a year of daily use, and our snappis are still holding up well. If you're planning to use prefold cloth diapers, Snappis are essential!

Sophie the Giraffe - I bought this toy with much hesitation because it's expensive, and I couldn't justify spending so much money on a simple rubber teething toy. (I only bought it because I had a gift card AND a coupon!) After seeing the way that Nate loved this toy, I would pay full price for another one in a heartbeat (for Baby #2, of course). It was his favorite teether for months, and I never worried about the safety of it. Sophie the Giraffe is made of natural rubber, and colored with food-grade paint. She is very lightweight, squeaks when squeezed, and appeals to babies visually. On top of all that, she is adorable!

Most Overrated Products:

Boppy Pillow - I know that this pillow gets a whole lot of hype for being the most essential baby product, but I never really got much use out of ours. I honestly thought that it was more comfortable to rest Nate on a regular throw pillow when I was nursing/rocking him; the Boppy was just too big and bulky for me.
I will admit that I used the Boppy behind/around Nate when he was learning to sit up fairly often. But, again, as soon as he got some control of his core muscles (when he stopped falling sideways), I just used a regular throw pillow behind him (for falling backwards). Sitting him "in" the Boppy was convenient at first, but as soon as he got more confident in his sitting abilities, he starting wiggling around so that he was out of the Boppy. And, as soon as he'd wiggled out of the Boppy, it was simply a pillow surrounding the hard floor where he would fall back and hit his head. A regular pillow behind him didn't move, and he rarely hit his head that way.

Swaddle Blankets - I received several of these special swaddling blankets (in several different brands) before Nate was born. To me, they looked a bit complicated to use, but I washed them all because I "knew" they were essential. When he was born, I think I used one of them one single time. It was easier for me to simply swaddle him in a regular blanket, especially during the winter months when I wanted to use a fuzzy, warm blanket, rather than the thin cotton swaddlers. I think that the swaddle blankets are good for confining babies who fight their way out of a swaddle, but we never had that problem.

What baby products do you love? What "essential" product did you never use? I'd love to hear your opinions on these (or any other popular) baby products!
All of the above opinions are my own personal opinions/experiences. I was not compensated to write about any of these products.

Ergo Sport Carrier.

As you probably remember, both Nathaniel and I have been long-time fans of the Moby wrap. But, while he still fits within the weight range, a bigger Nate has recently not been happy to be wrapped because it is so confining. And, though it was fine for autumn and early spring walks, I'm pretty sure that the Moby will be way too hot to wear during the summer. We've been walking with the stroller, but I do prefer to baby-wear--especially when I'm the only one walking with Nate and the dog.
So, after some research, I decided to get an Ergo sport carrier. The Ergo is supposed to be one of the most comfortable carriers on the market for both the wearer and the baby. One of the other reasons that the Ergo attracted me was its versatility; it can be worn on the front, back, or hip. Since we've had our Ergo (only Saturday), I've really enjoyed using it! It is more comfortable than the Moby now that Nathaniel is bigger, as it distibutes his weight more evenly. And, I don't think that we will be nearly as hot. He seems happy in it, which is important to me, as I wasn't sure how he would react to facing me in the front-carry. I haven't quite mastered getting him onto my back alone yet, but we'll keep practicing (as long as Eric will spot us!).

Another reason that the Ergo is "better" is because of its ergonomic design. See how his little tush is totally resting in the carrier? That means that his weight is evenly distributed like he's sitting, rather than being concentrated on his crotch (many carriers "hang" babies by their crotch area). Obviously, an even weight distribution is better for his hips and spine--and I'm sure that it's more comfortable too!

Benzocaine.

I've never been a big advocate for Orajel numbing products. Yes, I know that their products are supposed to work well to reduce a teething baby's pain. But, just how effective is that pink gel? How dangerous? The FDA has recently released a safety alert for Benzocaine (the main ingrediant in Orajel), recommending that it not be used on children under the age of 2 years because of a severe and potentially fatal side effect called methemogloinemia (a condition in which the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced). This scares me! Orajel has been the most common teething product used by parents for years and years--and its main ingrediant is potentially fatal?! Granted, it is supposed to only be dangerous when administered in large doses or for longer than recommended periods. But, when a baby is in pain for days on end, when does a parent stop giving him relief?
Before Nathaniel was born, I worked at the daycare, where we were not legally allowed to administer any medication (including Orajel) to the children. Very often, we had babies who were painfully teething, and I can't tell you how many times, we had parents ask us to use Orajel, or even parents who popped in on their lunch breaks to rub some on their little one's sore gums. And, after seeing this happen many times, I can tell you that it might provide a numbing relief for a little while...but not for long! Maybe 15 minutes?
When I had my baby, I received a packet of Orajel from a friend; I didn't think much of it, I just tucked it away for later. And, when my little man started drooling everywhere, gumming anything he could get his hands on, and waking up crying, I pulling out the Orajel. I used it on him once. And, he SCREAMED even louder! My first thought was that he just didn't like the numbing feeling, but the more I thought about it, the more I wondered. The next day, I popped open one of the Orajel applicators and tried it on myself. The stuff BURNS! And, yes, my mouth did go numb shortly thereafter, but, oh, it burned first! And, while I give that I'm an adult and much bigger than a baby, I think that the numbing only lasted maybe 6 or 7 minutes. In my opinion, the intense burning pain would not make up for a few minutes of numbed relief. I've never used Orajel on my boy again; he's much happier gnawing on a cool washcloth anyway!

After realizing that Orajel (a "baby-friendly" product from a decades old company) was definately not for us, I started looking things up online about it. And, I found out that I'm absolutely not the first mother to toss the stuff out! Apparently, there is a long-standing risk of giving a baby too much of a Benzocaine product, numbing the entire mouth and throat, and causing the baby to suffocate. WHAT?! This stuff is being sold for babies in every store around!!! I found tons of research and recommendations that Orajel (and other Benzocaine products) not be given to babies.
At one point, I mentioned all of this to my mother, who immediately told me why she had never used Orajel on any of her babies. Once upon a time (long before I was born), my mom was riding in the back of a car with her little niece (who was teething). My aunt (Mom's sister/baby's mother) asked my mom to apply a little Orajel to her daughter's gums. As my mom squeezed a drop out of the tube, the car hit a bump, causing her to get a dab on the front of her sweater. Thinking nothing of it, she applied the Orajel to the baby's gums, and they continued on their merry way. By the end of the day, the spot on her sweater where the Orajel had landed had eaten a hole through the fabric. True story. Is that the sort of product that babies need in their mouths? I think not... And, apparently, the FDA finally agrees!
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm250264.htm

*I do think that it is worth noting that Orajel now offeres a "natural" (Benzocaine-free) product for teething pain relief that uses clove oil as the numbing agent. Worth a try? Perhaps...?

Snappis!

I'm not usually one to rant about a product on my blog, but these things are way too amazing to not mention! Like, if I was cool enough to endorse a product, this would be it! Let me introduce to you....SNAPPIS!

As you probably know {if you read regularly}, we use cloth diapers on Nathaniel. I chose cloth because:
1) disposable diapers have weird chemicals in them, and I don't want them on Nate's bottom all the time {we do use disposables when we're out for long periods};
2) cloth diapers are "green" {and we try to be "green-ish" around here};
3) over time, cloth diapers are cheaper;
4) cloth diapers hold more {we have NEVER had a poop-plosion in a cloth diaper};
5) cloth diapers are way cute; disposables are not.
Notice that none of my reasons mention pins. This is where Snappis come into play...these strange little contraptions are used to hold cloth diapers on babies. They are super easy to use, and {so far} work wonderfully! Best of all, no more diaper pins! When we started using cloth diapers, I bought diaper pins because that's what my mom used (yeah, 20+ years ago). I know that there are cloth diapers with velcro (eliminating the need for pins), but the prefolds are more economical {cheaper!} and withstand washing better. The pins worked, and I never gave them much thought. But, if you've ever tried to cloth-diaper a 6-month-old, you know that wielding sharp objects around those pudgy, 45 mph legs is not easy! Nate has been scratched more than once, and I've poked my own fingers many times. {Those suckers hurt!}

I came across Snappis products online a few months ago, but they looked weird and hard to use, so I clicked past them. After a recent diaper pin jab, I hopped back on the internet and hunted them down. I read several reviews, and decided to give them a try. The package arrived in my mailbox yesterday afternoon, and Nate has been wearing a Snappi ever since!

These things are fabulous! Not only are we avoiding the danger of a sharp pin, but the Snappis are way easier/faster to use! Any product that makes a diaper change faster is cool, right? So, although my Snappi experiences have been brief thus far, I'm eagerly anticipating lots more Snappi time in this household!

*5 stars for Snappis!*