Surviving Teething can be very STRESSFUL…

You never want to see your baby in pain. So I’ve created a little survival kit that seems to work for me. Remember every baby is different, but this kit has a few options that should solve the problem.

1. Teething Tablets was one of the first things I tried using when “KickBack” was only a few months old. It’s an all natural tablet that dissolves in the mouth. I like this product because it is inexpensive, he could take as many as needed, and he was able to sleep because he wasn’t in pain. These tablets can be found on the medicine aisle or the baby section in Walmart or Target.  I personally wanted to stay away from orajel when he was an infant.  It just seemed a bit much for a new baby. My suggestion is to only use the teething tablets for 0-9 month babies. As he started to approach a year old, we had to upgrade to something a little more effective.
2. Sophie the Giraffe Teether. At first I couldn’t believe my mom had paid $25 dollars (I think) for the tall one and about $15 for the small. I was thinking this thing should work a miracle. I must say at first it didn’t. “KickBack” could of cared less about this thing. But as months went on, I had to revisit some gadgets to see if they would help. (So don’t give up on certain items just yet) He started to really enjoy Miss Sophie and still uses her at 15 months. Plus I figured, if he could chew on the bottom of his shoe (which was made of rubber that wasn’t all natural); then, he for sure could chew on Sophie.  The cool thing about this is it has different textures all over the giraffe to help soothe your baby’s gums and it’s made with all natural rubber and food paint. The more expensive one makes a sound when squeezed and helps your baby understand the link between cause and effect. Note to self, you may have to help your baby get the hang of how to use this at first. Sophie has many functions that the baby will want to enjoy.

3.   Munchkin Mesh Fresh Feeder. Again this is one that I didn’t like initially but grew to like. I started off by putting bananas and strawberries and other yummy fruits in the feeder. Later around 10 or 11 months, I started putting ice cubes to help soothe his sore gums. He still uses this from time to time. Ideally, this is used to keep your baby from choking while allowing them to still feed themselves in the early stages of eating.

4.  Teething Ring. You can serve these cold, frozen, or room temp. Unfortunately “KickBack” didn’t like these. Maybe it was too cold for him to touch and room temperature didn’t seem to work. However, our dog Eva loved them 🙂

5. Cold Wet Cloth and/or Baby’s First Teething Toothbrush. Theses two are mostly used by default. If I’m giving him a bath and I brush his teeth and gums with a rag, he ends up just keeping the rag in his mouth to chew on it. (So I’m assuming that feels good) Sometimes I will take my finger to massage his gums with the rag. But be careful! You may get bit. Same thing with the teething toothbrush, at first I would use it to brush his teeth and I started noticing that he really got some relief from using it. Once we graduated to a ” big boy” toothbrush, I would still give him this from time to time just to let him chew on it while he laid in bed. I hear it’s a good way to wean babies from pacifiers, too.

6. Orajel. Currently my FAVORITE! Orajel. Honestly, if and when I have a second child, I’m probably just going to go against all my natural rules and give the infant orajel just because I noticed my baby being so relieved after using this. “KickBack” will walk over to his diaper bag, pull out his emergency kit, and bring it to me when his gums are hurting. It’s sad he knows where I keep it. Usually, I have to worry about him biting me; if I stick my finger in his mouth. Oh no hunny not with this! He will stand there with his mouth wide open for that orajel lol 🙂 I love it!

7. Tylenol and/or Motrin. Unfortunately, with teething comes fevers, upset stomach (from putting everything in their mouth) and diarrhea. Always consult with your doctor if the fever will not break, last longer than 24 hours, and any other alarming signs. Tylenol and Motrin are also my favorites because, along with orajel, they help the baby to relax and get a good night’s rest.

8.  Pedialyte. It’s very good to have this in your cabinet because you never know when your baby will have diarrhea or a fever.  You DON’T want to be out in the middle of the night trying to get this. Because all of us mommies know, they usually get a fever in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. I prefer to serve this chilled. I may even put some ice cubes in the bottle or sippy cup. Pedialyte is used to replace fluids and minerals that are lost due to diarrhea and vomiting. It also helps to prevent dehydration. For some reason, I still give it to “KickBack” even if he only has a fever.

9. Red Wine. Oh RED WINE♥ Once you have this teething thing down to the T or you find what works for your baby for that month (because trust me it will change), sit down and have a glass (or bottle) of wine! You deserve it. It’s hard hearing a crying baby (nonstop) and you don’t know exactly how to fix it. So once baby is sound asleep: first….pump!; second, sip your wine; and third GO TO SLEEP! You never know what tomorrow will bring 🙂

‘Survival Teething Kit”

 If you have any questions and/or comments, or simply want advice, please leave a comment or email me.