5 Ways to Soothe A Teething Baby
There is nothing worse than seeing your child in pain as a parent! And unfortunately, a lot of pain is inevitable - queue the first heartbreak. Good thing your baby is years away from that! All jokes aside, one of the first times your little one may experience genuine, painful discomfort is while teething, and although you can’t stop this process, you can make it a little less unpleasant with these hacks.
1. Give your baby frozen teething feeders
For this hack, all you need is a silicone feeder and a filling of your choice. Fill the feeder with frozen fruit, puree, ice, breast milk, yoghurt, or anything else you think your baby would enjoy. Then give it to them to gnaw.
Make sure to fill the feeder with pre-frozen materials, as the holes in the feeder do not allow you to freeze liquid directly in it. Small ice trays are great for pre-freezing and make it easy to fill the feeder later on. If any mess is made in the process, you can easily tackle it with our Sticky Stopper.
We love this hack because not only does it keep your baby busy, but soothes their pain with the cold, while giving them a snack. Plus the chewing motion also helps ease discomfort and gives them something to occupy their hands and mouths.
2. Try teething toys and accessories
While teething, your little one may be trying to chew on anything and everything. Luckily, there are a bunch of toys designed for teething on the market, saving their regular toys (and your fingers) from being munched on!
Teething items are designed for being put in babies’ mouths, making them a safer choice than just using what you have lying around the house. When looking for teething toys, look for ones made from silicone, cotton, natural wood or natural rubber. Avoid products made from plastic or vinyl, painted on, or pre-filled with liquid.
Not all teething products are made specifically to entertain children; some serve practical purposes. Try a teething bib, which has a silicone part on the end of the fabric. We love the Neckerchews by Cheeky Chompers, as they were made in the UK (and on Dragons’ Den just like us!) The design allows the cloth to absorb any dribbling spit while the teether is in use (or just hanging downwards like a usual bib). Plus, it’s way harder for a baby to drop a bib than a toy!
3. Reduce inflammation
One of the reasons teething is such an uncomfortable process is because the gums are swollen and stretching as the teeth try to break through. You can reduce inflammation by manually massaging the baby’s gums with a clean finger. Applying gentle pressure to the area helps numb the pain by stimulating the gums. Naturally, the gums are under stress as the teeth push upwards; reducing inflammation can also reduce the pain.
It’s no secret that vegetables do many good things for our bodies, but did you know they can help your teething baby? Green onion and ginger are two natural ingredients that can reduce inflammation. Green onions have analgesic - or pain-relieving - properties.
Cutting up green onion gives your baby something to chew on that directly reduces inflammation, and you can even chill it to make it feel extra good on their gums! Ginger has similar properties, but rather than giving it to them to chew, rub some peeled ginger root directly onto their gums for a few minutes, which can relieve swelling and irritation.
4. Try teething snacks
This one is meant for little ones who have already been introduced to solid foods. Teething biscuits are unlike regular ones, as they are designed to stimulate and soothe the gums while the teeth cut through.
We love Bickiepegs, another UK brand that specializes in children’s oral health needs. Many brands sell teething biscuits, but you can certainly bake these yourself at home. Make sure your child is safe to eat these biscuits, and like any other feeding, supervise at all times.
5. Distraction!
Unfortunately, sometimes we can’t take every ounce of the pain away from our kids, even with all of the tips and tricks under the sun. In times like these, crank up the playtime and cuddles. Giving your little one that little bit of extra attention, energy, and love may get their mind off the pain for a bit.
If nothing seems to do the trick, or your baby is exhibiting strange symptoms, contact your GP to discuss medicinal solutions. Best of luck!