Teething is a 4 letter word

Teething has been quite an experience. We have tried various products to help ease Mia's discomfort and get as much sleep as possible. I thought I would share some of the products we have used. Keep in mind that every baby is different and what works for Mia may or may not work for another baby. Either way there might be some options here you may not have heard of that you could give a shot.

Teethers:
Mia started showing signs of teething (drooling, gnawing, fussy) when she was 9 weeks old. She was so tiny and the Sophie the giraffe teethers really came in handy. I've talked about these teethers before, so I'll just say that Mia loves them and they work really well.

Banana toothbrush- So I bought this teether about a month ago and Mia loves this thing more than she loves Sophie. It is a silicone, banana shaped toothbrush. She can really scratch her gums just right with it and she just goes to town on this banana. It's smaller than Sophie, easier to travel with, and way cheaper! 

Pic: Amazon

                     
Frozen breast milk- I have taken some frozen breast milk and placed it in her teething feeder. She preferred gnawing on the actual teething feeder than the breast milk.

Frozen washcloth- This works for a little bit, but then she gets frustrated with it quickly. Also I have read to be careful with frozen teething aids because they may cause frostbite.  

Teething necklace
I had high expectations for Mia's amber teething necklace, but it did not do anything for her. We went with this teething necklace. It had the safety components I was looking for in a teething necklace, such as safety knots between each bead and a screw-on clasp. This article is a good reference to make sure the teething necklace is authentic amber. 

Homeopathic remedies*
I avoid giving Mia Tylenol and Motrin for teething pain, since it is going to be pretty consistent pain (20 teeth to be exact). My other beef with Tylenol and Motrin is the possible side effects to her stomach, liver and kidneys. 

So I was feeling pretty frustrated at this point on finding something that would work for her at night when she is no longer interested in chewing on something to relieve her gums. So I turned to homeopathic remedies.  

Chamomilla (Hyland's teething tabs/Orajel naturals teething tabs)
Chamomilla is the main ingredient in the hyland's/orajel teething tabs. We tried this brand and the orajel brand of teething tablets. They did nothing for Mia. 

I came across this article that explained that some babies just do not respond to the chamomilla in the popular teething tablets. Some babies are chamomilla babies and some are pulsatilla babies. Mia is a pulsatilla baby all the way! 

According to the article, chamomilla babies cry angrily and are not consoled easily. On the other hand, pulsatilla babies are sweet, clingy, attention seeking, and easily comforted when held. I thought this was an interesting comparison and gave pulsatilla a shot.  

Here is a good chart comparing the two:

image: http://www.nourishingherbalist.com/homeopathy-for-children-comparing-pulsatilla-and-chamomilla/

Pulsatilla has helped Mia be less fussy and clingy while teething. She will actually let me put her down. We buy our pulsatilla from Sprouts, but it is also available on Amazon. Pulsatilla comes in different concentrations, the 30c is recommended for children.

This article and this article talk about how to administer the pulsatilla to your child. At first, we would crush the pellet, dilute it in water, and give it to Mia in a syringe. Now we just give her the pellet whole and she sucks/chews on it. 

Clove oil*
So you have probably heard by now that the FDA has issued a warning against benzocaine in teething gels, if not, you can read about it here. So I turned to a more natural "numbing" gel.  
                        
We use the babyganics teething gel pods and they have been a god sent for Mia! They have 3 ingredients: coconut oil, clove oil, and stevia...that's it! They come in individual "pods" that you use a Q-tip to apply to your baby's gums. 

The clove oil smells like Christmas, I love it! Mia does not appreciate the taste, but it provides almost instant relief. If she is fighting her sleep and is fussy (from teething pain), we will rub some of this on her gums and she falls asleep shortly after. 

This stuff is amazing, we love it! The only catch is that it's hard to find. They are sold at Babies R Us ($5.99) and Buy Buy Baby ($6.99). They are also frequently sold out and are twice as expensive on Amazon ($13.99). 

It would be cheaper to make my own with a bottle of clove bud oil and coconut oil, but you have to be careful with clove oil and I am scared to make my own and use too much clove oil.  There are some articles out there that say to avoid clove oil in teething babies, so use with caution and your own discretion. 

Other essential oils*
I have also read that lavender and roman chamomile oil diluted in a carrier oil and rubbed on the jaw line can help ease teething discomfort, but I have not tried this yet.  

She loves this banana! I use a secure a toy to make sure she doesn't toss it on the ground.

Do you know of any other teething remedies that I have not mentioned that I can try? Please let me know if you have any tried and true methods!   

*Please do your own research and decide if these homeopathic remedies are right for you and your family. I am in no way providing medical advice. These suggestions have also not been approved by the FDA.