Teething tips . . .
It’s been no secret that things have been tough around our place–teething is the absolute pits. Thankfully, the Instagram community, friends and fellow mamas came to my rescue. Here are a few teething tips that have worked wonders for us and a lot of things I’ve learned from ALL of you.
Don’t Be Afraid of Medicine
When Mary Jane’s first tooth started coming in, I was hesitant to give her medicine. I’m not sure why I felt this way, but I now realize that if your baby is unhappy and in pain, a little bit of medicine goes a very long way. On days that she is particularly fussy, we alternate baby Tylenol and Infant Motrin (per Dr.’s orders). It doesn’t completely solve the fussiness issue, but it certainly helps to take the edge off.
Freeze Pacifiers
I gushed about these pacifiers in my baby must-haves roundup, and they’re still coming in clutch. We always keep a few stashed in the freezer for instant teething relief. The cool temperature combats swelling and eases the throbbing pain. By far, this is the easiest fix because there’s no prep required. It literally takes seconds to walk to the refrigerator. #momlifewin
Distraction is Key
More often than not, the crying stops when we get out of the house. I try to take Mary Jane for a walk around the neighborhood every morning, and we spend most afternoons at a museum, strolling around the mall or running errands. This does two things–it breaks up the day (making time pass faster), and it distracts Mary Jane from the teething pain she’s feeling. Plus, our outings also allow for social interaction even if it’s just small talk with our local grocer.
Chewing on Celery
Mary Jane likes to eat whenever we are eating. Unfortunately, grownup dinner time doesn’t always coincide with baby meal schedules. To keep her occupied and feeling like she’s participating, we’ve been giving her a piece of cold celery to gnaw on. It’s also been a BIG lifesaver in terms of teething. The little ridges on the celery stalk massage her gums and act as the perfect baby chew toy.
Natural Remedies
When the fussiness from teething was more than I could take, I turned to alternative medicine and natural solutions. Multiple people recommended trying this amber teething necklace. I ordered one via Amazon, and Mary Jane has worn it ever since. Whether or not the necklace actually works, I’d say it’s money well spent because I have piece of mind that I’m really doing everything I can.
Teething Tips via FBT Instagram Followers
@jetsetter116: I let my son chew on a half frozen waffle and that seemed to help a little. Other than that, Tylenol and ibuprofen were our best friends ? hang in there!
@oakandoats: All my friends used those amber necklaces – they may help!
@abitomberlin: I used those teething tablets – the ones that got recalled – with my oldest son and they worked wonders…… ibuprofen, frozen veggies or frozen dollops of yogurt – basically anything frozen, and my dad swears by rubbing the gums to help with the pain/pressure – but both my boys would bite me when I did that. =)
@torriemeidell: My daughter wasn’t *too* bad while teething, but Tylenol was a life-saver for the few times when she was so fussy from it! I also had a lot of friends swear by those teething things that you can freeze with bits of fruit or whatever in them. I always just froze a wet washcloth!
@alyssamari3_: Alternating Tylenol and Motrin has helped us! Also put frozen fruits in those mesh feeder things so she can safely gnaw on it. Basically anything cold is good!
@christygweber: Poor thing and poor you! Teething is no fun for anyone! I always put those teething rings filled with water in the freezer or I freeze the hard center core of a pineapple and let my kids chew on that. I would also buy the big carrots, peel the skin off and let my kids chew on it. Tylenol and Motrin also helped.
@annettedawn: Try the banana teething toy from Amazon (looks like a toothbrush) and teething biscuit/wafer things she can eat. Emily loves them!
@staronmywrist: Infant motrin is our JAM. My little guy also gets super clingy when the teeth are popping through, so babywearing saves us a thousand times over. (AND you get bonus snuggles!)
@jennypennyaho: I just ordered an amber necklace and punkin butt oil in preparation. Heard both work great!
Again, thank you so much for sharing teething tips + tricks. This really is no fun, and I feel lucky to have a great community to get help from. You guys are THE best.
photos by Gentri Lee
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