Helping baby cope while teething is a challenge for every parent. Should we reach for medication? Not so says the recent FDA warnings about benzocaine. In a society where people are medicated for everything, many parents are confused about what to do to make baby feel more comfortable without using medication.
Before treating your child, you should first determine if your baby IS teething. If you’re a first-time parent, you may not know that baby may be teething when they’re pulling at their ears, not sleeping well, drooling more than usual, you might see little white bumps under the gums, and putting things in their mouths more often.
Try one, or more, of these non-medical tips for helping baby cope while teething:
- Freeze washcloths – give baby a chilled washcloth to “chew on”.
- Teething rings or Sophie the Giraffe – let baby gnaw on these until they fall asleep.
- Amber Teething Necklaces – babies love to be cuddled, so when mamma is wearing these baby can chew and be snuggled.
- Frozen bananas and avocado, while messy, will provide baby with the relief that he needs. Be sure to only give baby solid food when they have 100% of your attention. Worried about the mess? Try putting small pieces into a food feeder.
- If you’re interested in a homeopathic remedy, the Hyland’s Teething Tablets are amazing.
How did you know that your little one was teething? What did you use for helping baby cope?
This is part of series of posts titled Motherhood Mondays where I’ll be sharing my parenting experiences, tips and advice. If there is a specific topic you would like to see in the coming weeks, please email me with Motherhood Mondays in the subject line.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Sophie the Giraffe was a GOD SEND. I also purchased something that looked like a pacifier but it was all bumpy and could be frozen- it was great! Hylands Teething Tablets were always the last resort, but I did have to use them occasionally.
Bunny is teething RIGHT NOW– and it is awful. Right now I put ice into a food feeder: she gnaws on that for a bit and feels better. . .for about 10 seconds. I’ve resisted medicating, but its very very hard!
We swore by the Amber necklace and the Hyland’s tablets! We also used cold veggies or fruit stuck in the freezer to numb on when things got really bad. Also frozen smoothies or homemade veggie pops were and still are a big hit! ps: Nursing also helps as Breastmilk has a natural rememdy to numb the gums 🙂
My girls wear their Baltic Amber teething necklaces 24 hours a day. We toted Sophie around for quite a while, too 🙂
I love Hyland’s Teething Tabs, Clove Oil, and our Baltic Amber Teething Necklace. A has three teeth coming in right now and she is particularly fond of her Zo-Li teether. I am excited for this stage to be over already 😉
I have been out of the teething scene for a while now, but if we were I would be using the Amber Teething Necklaces! I will be sharing this with my mommy friends, thanks for the information.
I can’t wait until my baby starts teething..not! lol but I have read on what to do and that you for your tips as well. I got him a sophie the giraffe and i will try some of the things you suggest that i hadn’t heard before like the frozen bananas 🙂
My son is getting his 2 year molars, and he has been MISERABLE!!! He’s hardly eaten in days, and he’s been soooo grumpy.
We gave my daughter the Lifefactory teething rings and they were a godsend!
I am a mom of 4 and my last one is proving to be the hardest in all areas… Teething has been challenging. We are dealing with it now but no teeth yet. We use teething tablets by hylands as well as their natural teething gel. I am going to be trying the other things you mentioned. I had been considering an amber teething necklace for some time. I will be trying those. Great post!
Great post! My youngest is teething right now and it is a nightmare, I wish I could do more for him. We use Hylands Teething tablets and I too have a Sophie the Giraffe!