Teething

I’m a happy teether with my amber teething necklace!

When Trinity was teething for the 1st time so was I. My wicked wisdom teeth decided to rear their evil heads while my baby girls central incisor’s were poking through her bottom gums. She took it like a champ! Mom on the other hand curled up on the couch and thought she was going to DIE! I continuously chewed on Gummy Bears (which was a surprisingly effective method for dealing with the pain) until I could get into the oral surgeon to have my teeth removed.

Number 1 = Trinity; Number 5= Mommy (only worse! there should be a number 6 wisdom teeth you think you will die and at the worst point wish it were so!)

 

For me it was chewy Gummy Bears that were my saving grace but you can’t give a baby candy to ease the pain. There are a million options available but here is what I have found works (and what didn’t).

Teething Necklaces~

They make both baby and mommy ones. The amber is a great natural pain reliever for babies to wear when teething just don’t let them nap or sleep with them on. Ryder’s is a necklace from The Art of Cure but there are many vendors available. For moms they have tons of options also. Most mother teething jewelry is silicon or rubber but some are knit, wood or fabric. Chewbeads, Jellystone, and Uggla Land on etsy are some of my favorite brands.  I also adore Mommy Necklaces but as far as helping with teething my babies didn’t love them for that.

Chew Toys~

I have spent a fortune on toys that are supposed to help with teething but neither of my kids like to chew on them. I have friends that sware by Sophie the giraffe made by a French company most parents are aware of, I also tried Lela the deer from a German company neither of which interested my kiddos.

   

I thought maybe imitation food would work since Ryder loves to eat anything (including paper and cardboard!). I purchased jellystone’s candy bar teether and appetheethers broccoli teether. He doesn’t love either.

Next I tried a paci type teether. Ryder likes his Nuks so this went a little better but only when he is sleepy does he use it more than a minute. Here is the one I got him KidGear Teethifier:

Trinity loved her RaZbaby paci but Ryder wasn’t as big of a fan. I think the mouth shape is the difference between the 2 kids because Trin liked MAM pacifiers which are shaped more like the RaZbaby teether and Ryder likes Nuk brand pacifiers.

Last I thought maybe something with flavor would do the trick. I couldn’t find any pacifier or teething toys with flavor but I did find some that had a smell. I went with the Vulli Vanilla teether (from the makers of Sophie). They smell AMAZING but didn’t interest Ryder. 😦

Biscuits, Popsicles and Food Items~

I found a great idea for a popsicle teething treats on Momdot.com Ryder actually loves:) Here it is:

All you need is a silicon pan.  Any shape will probably do and I own a heart one. Here are some Silicone Pans On Amazon .

I added my squeezable pouches in (I layered two flavors here):

Put the pan into the freezer till they were solid ( this took a few hours, but will ultimately depend on how much food you layer) and then I popped them out. They come out super easy!

Now another way to do this would be to add little Popsicle stick handles in them or even use a thin apple slice (or carrot, celery, etc) as a handle so your child can pick it up without getting their fingers cold.

These frozen treats are a great alternative to grocery bought ice cream and you can control the fruit or vegis and it tastes just as good! And if you have a pantry full of left over baby food, it helps clear that up as well.

Another BRILLIANT idea I ran across was this form howdoesshe.com:

For your little ones, just take a wash cloth,

wet the center with a little water,

spread on a Tbls. of apple sauce,

roll it up,

then freeze it.

Babies love this b/c it’s sweet, chewy, and cold so it numbs their gums!

If you don’t have applesauce try these DIY Frozen Pacifiers for Teething Babies found on Diary of a Fit Mommy:

Teething biscuits also seem to help. Try this recipe from My So-Called (Mommy) Life:

1 c. infant rice cereal

1 c. wheat flour

1 mashed banana

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp cinnamon

4 tbsp water

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees; line a baking pan with parchment paper

 

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add in rice cereal, wheat flour, banana, coconut oil, cinnamon, and water

 

3. Stir until completely combined

 

4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is 1/2 an inch or so thick

 

 

5. Use a cookie cutter to cut into shapes

6. Place biscuits on a pan and bake for 15 minutes

 

7. Let it cool, eat and store in leftovers in a freezer bag.  They can also be frozen!

Or try this fool proof recipe from sometimescrafty.com:

Take a plain old slice of bread and turn it into the perfect teething biscuit!

This idea is nothing short of genius!

It’s perfect for small hands. It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s cheap. You many never buy a box of teething biscuits again! Check it out…

Start with a slice of your favorite Whole Grain Bread.
Skip the ones with seeds which may pose a choking hazard

Cut off the Crust

Store the crust in a ziplock bag.
It makes great breadcrumbs! Just save up all the crust and then run through the food processor.

Squish down the Bread.
You can use a roller, but I just press with my fingers

Take a small amount of Unsweetened Applesauce.
This is optional, I like to add a little flavor and the moisture helps make the bread “stick”

Smear the Applesauce.
Just a super thin layer

Sprinkle with Cinnamon

Roll as tight as your can, squishing as you go along to have the bread stick together.

Microwave for 60 seconds

60 Seconds should be all your need but if the bread still seems real soft, microwave for another 30 seconds.

Let it cool.
It may still be slightly soft, but as it cools it will harden nicely

Offer it to the unsuspecting baby.
He’ll think you slaved all day in the kitchen 😉

*My personal addition to this recipe is to add teething oil to the applesauce for extra rough days.

Tablets, Gels and Oils~

Baby Oragel didn’t work for Trinity and because of the bad rap it’s had in the media I never tried it with Ryder. The adult stuff didn’t help with my wisdom tooth pain either so I think this is a fail.

Humphrey’s worked AWSOME for Trinity but I couldn’t find them when Ryder needed them so I used Hyland’s teething tablets for him and they worked well.

Homemade teething oil has also become popular. I like to use 2 drops peppermint oil, 1 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil and 3-4 drops clove oil. You can purchase these oils through doTERRA, Essintial Oil Company  or another company you trust. Natural clove oil needs to be diluted and can be EXTREMLY dangerous if used at full potency! Just be aware that natural doesn’t always mean safe. Here are some other oils that provide benefits for the mouth and teeth.

Brushing~

Remember once baby starts popping teeth you need to start caring for them. I like Baby Orajel’s 1st toothbrush and paste. The brush is actually a finger cover with nubbies on the end that massage babies gums and help alleviate pain (it also works as a barrier when a teething tyrant try’s to bite you while brushing:) ) Babies should have a dental well check at 1 year where your dentist can recommend a toothbrush for your little one.

For more information on how babies teeth develop check out Tooth Nature. Here is an model of how babies teeth form in the skull. No wonder teething is so troublesome!