After having 5 babies, I can say with confidence that teething is for the birds.
If I could skip the whole teething process, I would. Not just for my sake, but mostly for my baby’s sake. Because bless their hearts, teething can be downright cruel!
Teething is uncomfortable for most babies (I can confirm – it has been for all 5 of mine), so knowing a few tricks and remedies up your sleeve can be a lifesaver for both of you!
Why natural teething remedies?
I can only speak for myself when I say this: I would rather seek out natural teething remedies before medicines for the sake of side effects.
Do the side effects of pain meds for a baby offset the discomfort they are feeling? Do you feel comfortable giving your baby a medicine that could cause harm to their growing body?
This is a personal preference, but I would rather exhaust all natural remedies before giving my baby motrin or tylenol (which come with their fair share of potential side effects).
OTC meds aren’t your only options and these natural teething remedies have worked well for me and my 5 babies over the past 14 years.
DISCLAIMER: Anything mentioned in this article should not be taken as not medical advice. These natural teething remedies are what I have personally used for my babies and presenting as viable options for teething discomfort.
Frozen fruit in a silicone feeder
When your baby is old enough to have solids, frozen food in a silicone feeder is such a simple way to ease teething pain.
The frozen fruit not only tastes delicious, it also helps reduce the inflammation in baby’s gums.
Mesh feeders work too, but just be careful when they get teeth – babies can actually gnaw through the mesh and it becomes a choking hazard. They are also a bit tougher to clean, so the silicone feeders are usually what I recommend for teething AND feeding.
Frozen washcloth
If your baby isn’t quite old enough for frozen fruit, try a frozen washcloth instead.
Any washcloth will do, but I find that the baby washcloths are a bit easier for babies to grab and put in their mouth.
Wet the washcloth, lightly ring it out, and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This will freeze the water and make the washcloth crunchy and cool to chew on.
Just make sure that you stick a few more in the freezer so you can swap them out once they thaw – if your babies are like mine, they won’t be happy once that cloth is no longer frozen and cold.
Amber teething necklace
Many Moms that I know swear by Baltic amber teething necklaces.
When worn against the skin, amber beads are said to warm up and then release a substance called succinic acid, which is then supposed to leach into the bloodstream and act as a natural pain reliever.
While this cannot be proven by clinical studies, many Moms I know keep these on their babies 24/7 during times of teething for a reason. And if there’s one thing that I am a little bit preachy about it’s this: to listen to your Momma gut. You know your baby best and if something is working or not. Moms deserve more credit than what they are usually given.
If you’re going to try one, just make sure that it’s authenticated Baltic amber like this one.
Organic Teething Oil
This food-safe formula soothes irritated gums naturally and immediately with botanical ingredients like spearmint & blue chamomile oil.
One thing to be careful about with herbs is that it’s easy to give too much (especially when it comes to essential oils), so purchasing an oil blend like this is much safer. This formula has been diluted at an optimal level for babies. So even if your baby were to drink the entire bottle, it’s diluted so much that it will not cause any harm to them.
That’s one thing that I love about herbal baby blends and homeopathic remedies. It’s really hard to overdose that cause any sort of negative side effect. Can you say the same thing about OTC medicine like children’s motrin?
Camilia homeopathic water doses
Speaking of homeopathic remedies, this remedy takes the cake in my book.
I discovered these individual water doses when my 2nd baby was in teething misery at 4 months old. Nothing was working. I tried every homeoptahic remedy that I knew of for irritability and teething and nothing was touching the surface.
I just happened to stumble across this remedy on a whim and took the chance and ordered them. And I am glad that I did! After 1 dose, my cranky baby was happy and relieved. Since then, I have these fully stocked in my medicine cabinet when there’s a teething baby in the house.
Lots and Lots of cuddles and distractions
When all else fails, or if you don’t have anything on hand to give your teething baby relief, distractions help too.
Getting baby outside, on walks, car rides, even a bath can help take their mind off the discomfort. At least long enough until you can get your hands on some other natural teething remedies.
Whenever I have a miserable baby and the other things aren’t helping, I usually get them in the bath. If they can sit up unassisted – even better! Babies love to splash water around and the sensory play is an added bonus to the teething relief.
Most of all, try to be patient with your baby during this time.
I know from experience that it can be unnerving, overwhelming, and downright exhausting. But, you are are your baby’s safe haven and they NEED you during this time.
Extra cuddles, back rubs, and babywearing can help tremendously.
Just remember: this is a season. Soon enough your baby won’t be teething any longer and it will be water under the bridge. Try not to get too discouraged and ask for help if you need it.
Take care of yourself too.
Taking care of a teething baby is far from easy, so it’s important for your sake to ask for help. Ask your spouse or partner for help so that you can take a walk by yourself or a relaxing bath.
If you have friends and family nearby, see if they can come relieve you for a bit.
If you don’t have a support system, then create one! Start a Mom group/meetup in your area to meet other Moms going through the same milestones you are. The change of scenery might be all that both you AND your baby need to distract yourselves from the woes of teething.