Teething can be a trying time for both mama and baby.  Mikki got her first 4 front teeth all at once, which was a blessing and a curse at the same time!  She was really uncomfortable, and as a feisty baby, she was not afraid to show it.  As a new mum a lot of what to do was trial and error for me, so I wanted to share with you the top things that really helped us both along the way.  I hope they help you too!

  1. Frozen washcloths – these were such a lifesaver for us.  Especially if Mikki woke up from a nap or sleeping at night in pain.  She could gum the washcloth and it would mold to the inside of her mouth more easily than a frozen teether would.  You could either freeze a washcloth soaked in water, or in breastmilk, depending on what you’d rather they had.
  1. Teethers – but here’s the key – find one they like!  Mikki found Sophie the Giraffe really frustrating for some reason at first, she would actually become angry at it after she chewed on it for a bit.  However, she really liked wooden teethers.  I used to get them from one of my favourite Etsy shops, Loved by Teething .
  1. Mesh Food Feeders with frozen fruit/avocado – as Mikki got a bit older (around 5-6 months), and we started to introduce foods rather than just breastmilk, we used these mesh holders when she was in pain from her teeth and they were amazing.  If I didn’t want her having a bunch of sugar (eg. Before bed or if she had woken up in the middle of the night) I would put frozen avocado pieces or frozen breastmilk/icecubes inside.  Otherwise I would use fruit.  She loved it and I could tell that it really helped soothe her gums and ease the pain.  
  1. Amber Necklace – I would keep this on Mikki anytime she wasn’t down for a nap or sleep.  If she was wearing a sleeper with feet attached, and it was time for bed, I would wrap it loosely around her ankle so that she still had it on, but it wasn’t a risk for her to sleep with. It’s hard to know exactly how much they help, but I did find that if she didn’t’ have it on for a while then she was more cranky/uneasy than when she did.  Just be sure to get one that uses genuine amber, as it’s supposed to be those properties that ease the pain for your little one.  The key is to use one that had Baltic amber, as this contains the anti-inflammatory succinic acid, that helps to relieve your little one’s teething pain. 
  1. Sleep + Cuddles – sleep was one of the #1 things that made a difference when Mikki was teething. We made sure that she stayed in a routine as much as we could during that time, so that she would get the most sleep possible, given the circumstances.  Of course, when she couldn’t sleep, comfort through cuddles with mama and dada were a close second too.
  1. Distraction – one of the most underrated ways of helping with teething pain was to distract.  It takes some extra effort on the parents’ part, but even a quick distraction can sometimes change the course of a pain-filled day or a baby that feels miserable.
  1. Pain Meds – I’m as natural as they come, but when all else failed, or if I knew Mikki’s teeth were going to keep her from sleeping all night, I would use pain medication to help ease things for her or to reduce inflammation. One night, when Mikki was crying in her crib I went to get her and there were spots of blood on her sheets.  Her teeth were cutting so badly that she was bleeding from it.  These poor babies can’t communicate how they feel and can’t adequately express what they’re feeling, so the best we can do is give them the things we know will help, at the times when we know they need it.

I hope this list helps you as much as it helped me and Mikki!  If you have any other favourites for relieving teething pain let me know in the comments below! 🙂