Nothing is worse than a teething baby! It is heartbreaking to see your little one in pain. Although teething doesn’t last forever, I swear it sometimes feel like it does; especially when they are getting their teeth in one after another. Here are 7 tips and tricks for teething to save your sanity and soothe your little’s sore gums!
Frozen Wash Cloth- Take a cheese cloth (if you want to go organic) or just a plain old wash cloth and get it wet. Ring it out and place it in your freezer. After 30-45 minutes, the cloth will be frozen. Hand it to that baby and let them go to town! They will love it.
Teething Toys- They make teething rings that you can freeze if you like, or check out some of the plush teething toys they make now as well. Try out a few different styles of toys to see what your kiddo prefers.
Frozen Banana- Freeze and whole banana and then give it to your child for a sweet treat that will soothe those gums. You can give it to them plain, or you can also put it into a food feeder like this one. This is my favorite teething trick. Not only does it help keep baby happy, but it’s nutritious as well.
Carrots- Another nutritious option is to let your kid chomp on a carrot. DON’T use a baby carrot. We don’t want any choking incidents. Instead, get a large carrot that your child won’t be able to break off or bite off. Peel it, wash it and let them have it. This is another one that is good to put in a food feeder just in case!
Teething Biscuits or Bagels- Try making a homemade teething biscuit like this one to let your baby munch on. Again, it will give them a nutritious snack but it will also help those chomps that are coming in. If you don’t feel like whipping up a batch of biscuits, a refrigerated bagel will work just as well! Plus, your child will love you. Because, let’s be honest… who doesn’t love bread?
Frozen Bottle- Another great frozen option is using your baby’s bottle. Freeze milk, juice or water in the bottle upside down. That way, the liquid is frozen in the nipple of the bottle. When it is frozen, your child will be able to chew on it and allow it to soothe their gums.
Acetaminophen- Tried and true. When all else fails, talk to your pediatrician about using acetaminophen to help your child be more comfortable. Dosing amounts have recently changed, so please speak with your doctor before administering any medicine.
If at all possible, avoid mouth and gum numbing gels. While they may provide temporary relief, it also increases choking hazards because of the decreased gag reflex it induces.
There are a bunch of different ways to help your baby through the pain of teething. Try a few different ones to see which your child prefers.
What are some of your teething tricks?
**Stephanie writes for RADmomCOOLkid. Check out more of her posts here.