thewriteduffy - babiesforbeginners.com

Teething pain can turn even a unicorn baby into a monster. Watching that sweet little one go through so much discomfort and pain can be a terrifying experience for a new parent. But while all babies must go through it, you can ease your baby's pain with some tried and true items. We've put together this list of home remedies that will help alleviate some of the discomfort for your baby and make it easier for everyone. You'll notice two key themes: pressure and cold. In addition to the items on this list, anything you can find at home that's safe to put in your baby's mouth as well as the freezer, like a spoon or pacifier, may be worth a try. 1. A Teething Toy Teething toys are a great way to help soothe your baby's pain. They can be used as an alternative to or in addition to other items, such as cold washcloths and teething cookies (more on these below). The key is finding the perfect toy for your child - one that they will enjoy chewing while also soothing their sore, swollen gums. For a full list of our favorite teething toys, chosen by real moms and compared by features, click here. If you don't want to jump to that article, our all-around favorite is Sophie the Giraffe. Sophie is not only the most adorable and recognizable teething toy out there, it's made of 100% natural rubber from the Hevea tree. This unique and safe rubber has a nice and soft texture that babies can't seem to get enough of. In addition to the texture, it also has numerous chewable parts (ears, horns, legs, which keep her interesting. 2. A Cool Washcloth Cold cloths are a great way to relieve some of the pain and swelling in your baby's gums. Simply wet one with cold water, wring out any excess liquid so it doesn't drip everywhere (we don’t want you getting soaked!), then gently rub their sore spots for relief! A cloth with some texture works best, so use those rough, bigger wash clothes instead of the small, cheap baby washcloths. 3. An Ice Cube Ice cubes are a great way to help soothe the pain of teething. For safety, I recommend putting it in a mesh feeder like the Munchkin feeders, which I used for many years (yes, they can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher or by hand). 4. Frozen Fruit or Vegetables Frozen fruit and vegetables are a great way to satisfy your baby's need for something cold, with the added benefit of a good snack. If the fruit is big enough to not pose a choking hazard, like a banana or very large strawberry, you can go ahead and give it to them as is, as long as you're there to supervise. Alternately, that mesh feeder I mentioned earlier can again come in handy: Just chop up some fruit pieces, pop them in and hand it over. 5. Freezer-Friendly Teething Rings Teething rings are a great way to soothe your baby's sore gums because many of them are made to go into the freezer and stay cold for some time. The cold from a frozen ring will help numb their gums and provide a little distraction from the pain. If you're looking for an idea of what to get, my personal favorite teethers for the freezer are the Not-Too-Cold-to-Hold BPA-Free Silicone Teether for Babies by Frida Baby. As the ultra-long name suggests, these teethers have a lot of the kinks worked out. First of all, it comes with two teething parts, so you can have one in the freezer at all times. The other part of it is a safe-to-chew silicone handle, which stays at room temp so your baby's hands don't get chilly. It has lots of sides with different shapes and textures to keep your baby interested. Perhaps even more importantly, it’s made of BPA-free + nontoxic silicone so it’s safe, as you’d expect from a well-established brand like Frida Baby 6. Clean, Cold Fingers I know, this one sounds odd here, but I wanted to include the fact that if you're in a pinch, a clean finger, freshly washed in cold water to give you cold hands can be used as a teething aid too. Massaging your baby's gums, applying very slight pressure, with a cool finger will feel good and provide some relief, both because of the sensation and their closeness to you. 7. Teething Cookies Ginger snaps, Mum Mums or other baby teething cookies are another option and are perfect to keep in your diaper bag for when you're out with your baby and don't have a frozen item nearby. What About the Other Symptoms of Teething? Aside from sore gums, teething can cause a runny nose, fever, and even diarrhea. I'll be covering these in another post! Join us over on Facebook so that you can see when we post, and so you can chat with our community of new parents, many of whom are dealing with teething as well.