Baby Love Part 3: Natural Teething Remedies

​Lots of tears, red cheeks, drool galore, fever, and anything/everything going into your baby’s mouth – sounds like teething. While you can’t speed up the process of teething, you can definitely make it more bearable for your baby (and for you!) Here are some natural remedies that you can try:

Ice Cubes: Sucking on an ice cube is a really easy way to cool the area, helping to numb it. You can also brew chamomile tea and freeze cubes of that if you like! When letting your little one suck on these, wrap it in a cloth or towel as the ice can damage the gums if it’s in direct contact with them. I’ve also read that putting a metal spoon in the fridge and letting them chew on it helps; it doesn’t need to be wrapped as it’s not frozen.
Bananas: Cutting a banana in half and freezing it will not only be soothing to the gums when they chew on it, but it’s also a sweet  treat!
Teething Pops: I read a few different posts from moms who puree fruits and vegetables and make healthy popsicles. I thought this was a really great idea that kind of relates to the frozen bananas – cooling, delicious, nutritious relief. Depending what your child likes, you can pretty much tailor it to their preferences and get creative! One mom mentioned sweet potato and carrot, another mentioned pear and avocado. This recipe sounded pretty delicious, check it out!
Baltic Amber Necklaces: I’ve read mixed reviews about these necklaces. I’m sure you’ve seen them, little amber beads that many toddlers wear. The premise is that Baltic Amber has a natural painkiller in it called succinic acid which is released when the beads warm up from our body heat. I can’t vouch for their effectiveness as I don’t have kids of my own, however I know many people who swear by them. It’s worth a shot, however be sure that you are getting quality Baltic amber – cheap replicas will not have the same effect!
Essential Oils: Lavender and Chamomile oils at a 0.5% dilution can help to ease the pain of teething. Mix one drop into 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of coconut oil or another vegetable oil and rub it on your baby’s cheeks/jaw line. To see other uses of these oils for your baby, click here and here. As an aside, many people come to me asking about all-natural teething gels that have Clove essential oil in them. Companies advertise the use of clove for teething because it has a numbing effect on the gums, helping to ease the pain. As clove essential oil is not safe for children under 2 years old (it is far too strong), I would not recommend its use.
Facial Massage: Gently rubbing the cheek/jaw area of your baby’s face, along with their little earlobes, can help to take away some of the pressure. I found myself doing this a lot to my jaw/ears when I had my wisdom teeth out and again when I had my tonsils removed – it really did help a lot!
Maybe you have some other natural remedies that have helped your baby through teething that I didn’t mention – feel free to comment below! What works for one doesn’t always work for another so new suggestions are always welcome.
Have a great week!
Love, Ash XO