Teething: The 7 Must Haves by oykristen
The 7 Teething Products You Must Have for your Baby!
We have been in teething land up in here. For those of you who aren't familiar with teething, it's pretty much when your child turns into the hulk. They scream. They cry. They don't sleep. They're inconsolable. And they gnaw, chew and drool on everything in sight. It's fun times people. Fun times. Everett sprouted his two lower teeth with a day of each other, so he was in significant discomfort in the days and weeks leading up to that epic milestone. He's currently working on breaking his top teeth in, and we are once again, in the throws of hulk-land. Poor baby. Poor me. Seriously... poor me.
A few products that have helped us ride out the storm:
1. Hylands Teething Tablets.
When he's teething, I make sure to give these Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets to him as recommended on the bottle. Especially at night! I want him to have all the possible resources to sleep well, and these tend to knock him out. They're all-natural, and I did a bit of research on the ingredients, so I don't feel weird about giving them to him.
2. Hylands Teething Gel.
Along with the teething tablets, I rub this Hyland's Teething Gel on his gums when he's really in pain. I find this product a little bit more challenging to use, because it's hard to actually get the gel onto his gums (and he immediately licks it off, which... is that good??) but I try nonetheless because it seems to help him calm down. After the wiggling, squealing, and licking off of the gel.
3. Amber Teething Necklace.
Yes, my baby son wears a necklace. This Amber Crown Teething Necklace to be exact. And he looks spectacular in it. He might get mistaken for being a girl from time to time, but it doesn't matter to me because that just means he's cute. No seriously, this necklace has been a lifesaver. When he's really in pain, he acts out by being fussy and wriggly and uncontrollable. Within twenty minutes of wearing this necklace, he's back to his happy self, laughing and interacting and playing. Apparently, the stone amber has anti-inflammatory properties which, when worn against the skin, helps to soothe the pain of teething. Yes, sounds hippie-dippy, I know. But sometimes that crazy hippie stuff works!
4. Honest Company Baby Teether.
This Honest Baby Teether is a great chew toy for your little rascal, since it's made of non-toxic silicone and has "handles" made by the shape of the butterfly wings. It's easy for the baby to hold and gnaw on, and I personally like that I can link his little pacifier clip around it and clip it to his clothes. That way we aren't constantly bending over to pick up his teether (which he inevitably drops like 50 times in a 20-minute gnaw session).
5. Munchkin Feeder.
Another great option for the miserable baby is this Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder. It's great because you can put a frozen piece of fruit or even ice into the mesh, click it in the feeder, and the baby can safely gum on it until is dissolves. My only qualm with this is that, depending on what you put in it, things can get messy like, lightning fast. But if you don't mind a sticky (though happy!) baby, then go for it.
6. Chew Toys.
Sophie the Giraffe is obviously the famous little French teething toy that practically every mom-to-be receives at a baby shower. We were no exception, and this has been a great teether for Everett to chew chew chew on. However, I recently found this this similar toy at Target, and it's been the biggest hit! I think because it's got some good ears to chew on.
7. Baby Tylenol.
Okay, I loathe the idea of giving my child drugs. I really really really try to avoid it at all cost. But we had one day where my sweet boy was just out of control by the pain of his teeth-to-be, and I exhausted all the above options. I also did my best to distract him by feeding, playing, rocking, reading, going for a walk outside... nothing worked! I finally gave in and gave him a bit of Infant Tylenol and within about 15 minutes, he had definitely calmed down. And within about 30 minutes he finally fell asleep. He had just cried himself silly and I think this calmed him down enough to where he could finally rest. Like I said, I don't love resorting to drugs, but this is the reason why we have them. I certainly don't want him to be in pain!
Other items I haven't tried (but I've heard good things about!):
Teething Necklace for Mom.
A friend of mine told me her son loved gnawing on this Silicone Teething Necklace. I've also heard good things about this one. It's a cute item that you can wear to match your outfit, but is safe for your child to have in his mouth. I'll admit, there are many times where I will let Everett chew on my chunky statement necklaces because they are relief for him, and when we're in public places (like church!) that activity keeps him contented and quiet. I do sort of get nervous about something breaking off in his mouth though, so this would probably be a good purchase for me to make!
Sterling Silver Teether.
It sounds fancy, because it is. We don't have one of these, but I've heard the silver feels really good on a baby's gums, because of, ya know, IT'S SILVER. Cold metal and whatnot. Some kids are really living, you know what I mean?
Mamas, any other items that have you helped your little one survive the awfulness of teething? Do share!
