Teething – Tools of the Trade
Teething Must-Haves
It appears that Teething-gate has begun. My four month old daughter Neve appears to be showing signs of teething already – a LOT earlier than my eldest who didn’t get her first tooth till around 10 months. Over the last few weeks, Neve has become a bit of a dribbly, bubbly mouthed mess – and her hands are always in her mouth, chewing and biting down hard with a slightly furrowed brow. Thankfully it doesn’t appear to be causing her too much difficulty… yet.. but I know that time is likely to come.
Teething can be really hard on little ones, and ultimately not much fun for anyone in the household if they get really upset. Having been through Teething-gate once before, here are my MUST have teething items to help get you and your little one through the experience!
Sophie is every teething babies best friend – and I don’t know many babies who have got through those infant months without one. This loveable Giraffe is soft and chewy and can be bitten and squeaked for hours upon end. We got so obsessed with Sophie that we also had Fan Fan the Fawn – Sophie’s loveable cousin, and the Sophie Teething Ring which is nice and easy for little hands to hold :). Fun Fact – Did you know that each Sophie Giraffe is finished by hand and therefore no two Sophies are exactly the same?
Whilst handheld teethers are great, I got pretty bored of the amount of time I spent picking them up off the floor, and inevitably having to them run to the nearest sink to rinse them before giving back to Erin. I discovered the Neckerchew when Erin was about 7 months old, before they appeared on Dragons Den, and absolutely loved them! These super-absorbent neckerchief style dribble bibs have an attached rubber teether. I have a few from when Erin was small that still fit her now (they have two press studs to create different sizes) and have treated Neve to a few of the new designs when I was at the Baby Show in May. Prices start at £11.99. You can read our full review here.
This was quite simply, our ultimate MUST HAVE teething aid. These little sachets of herbal powder are magic in a packet! When your child shows signs of discomfort, you simply pour the contents of this little bag onto their tongue, and with Erin, the crying stopped almost immediately! They aren’t cheap at around £5.50 for a packet of 20 sachets, however if you are going somewhere where a crying baby would be a nightmare, I would always recommend having a sachet or two in your changing bag! In my experience, the powders worked particularly well at night time, and I would often give Erin a sachet just before bed. As she grew older, she would actually ask for one herself!
When teething, Erin was often completely off her food, and I spent many an evening stressing about the fact that she simply wouldn’t eat a single morsel of her tea. I was advised by a health visitor to try popping a little bit of anbesol teething liquid (not the gel) on to her gums about ten minutes before she ate. It worked! The anbesol works by numbing the area slightly, and was obviously enough of a relief for Erin to then make her more willing to have food touching her sensitive gums. Retails at around £5.99 for a small bottle but you only need a small amount each time.
Gumigem sell a variety of fashion friendly ‘wearable’ teethers – from bangles and bracelets to necklaces. These teethers are a great comforter and are perfect for baby wearing as they can be chewing away whilst being carried. Erin also used to gently play with the necklace before she went to sleep. They are made from non toxic plastic and are dishwasher safe. They also include a breakaway clasp so you don’t hurt yourself if baby pulls a little too hard!
Cuddles
Finally, teething babies LOVE cuddles, and sometimes….. sometimes, you have to just accept the fact they are going to be a bit fed up, and help them through it as best you can. Cuddles, cosy days on the sofa, and letting them know that your close by is often a huge help!
What are your teething must haves?
We’re currently deep into teething hell (thankfully we’re nearing the end though!). Anbesol is a life saver this time around, but my eldest loved Sophie. Love the look of those Cheeky Chomper bibs – wish I had one when mine were smaller xx
That bib looks absolutely ingenious! I wish these had been around when my babies were babies! x
My son was terrible with his teething and wouldn’t accept anything to chew on at all, apart from his own hands! The teething powders worked an absolute treat for me though, always had a few in my handbag! I always loved Sophie, she was one of the first baby things I bought, and the cheeky chomper bibs look great!
Gosh your little one is sweet and that neckerchew is genius. Mich x
Both mine have got all their teeth really early – just before Christmas Gabe got 8 new teeth in six weeks! The only thing that works for us is Anbesol and Calpol/ Ibuprofen. I’m so glad we’ve only got four more teeth to go!