New Teething Tricks and Tips for Parents with Teething Toddlers

Online, August 27, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Teething can be a trying time for parents, caregivers and baby. All of a sudden parents that had a relaxed and predictable baby, find themselves coping with one that is fretful, no longer sleeps through the night and is irritable and is perhaps even inconsolable. Since a baby cannot easily tell mom or dad what the problem is, parents are often worried their baby is sick. Once their doctor resolves that concern, they are left to cope with the "teething stage." There is no one hard and fast rule for getting through teething with your toddler, but there are new and innovative products to help!

If you suspect new teeth are the problem, you can rub your fingers over your baby's gums and feel for bumps. Those bumps are probably teeth, which are about to erupt. Most babies get their front teeth first, but you should feel for larger and more difficult teeth to emerge in the back which are slower to emerge, larger and often more painful for baby. This at least provides you with some evidence that emerging teeth are the problem.

Teething gel is a must have for parents with teething toddlers. It works but only provides short-term relief. Also, your baby won't like the way it tastes so applying it correctly takes some practice. We just resolved ourselves to the fact that the baby would cry loudly during the application but following that, we'd all get several hours of relief. Stock up on those teething rings you can put in your refrigerator which your baby will love to suck and chew. Playtex makes a teething ring that works great. Humphrey's make a wonderful homeopathic teething strip, which works like a charm. Put the small strip on your finger and it dissolves when it comes in contact with your baby's saliva and works almost instantaneously. Hyland's teething tablets will help as well. Over the counter products like baby Advil or baby Tylenol are especially helpful at night when you need long term relief. One mom recommended using a little EVOO infused with cloves, which she reports works as a fantastic alternative to Oragel - soothing and softening the gums instead of tightening them up! Freeze nipples to bottles upside down in an ice cube tray with water in them for baby to suck, as another tool in your baby teething toolbox. Yes, some water drips out during the freezing process, but not much. Another homeopathic remedy is pickled ginger, which one mom reported, worked better than Orajel wiht the effects lasting longer. She also recommended an Amber teething necklace, which is made with Baltic Amber pieces which release pain relieving chemicals when heated by baby's skin. This might sound like a crock of baloney but she wouldn't trade hers for the world! She put it under her son's shirt so he would forget it was there. She recommends the Amber necklace from Time Designs at etsy.com. A good rule of thumb when researching products for your baby or making a selection among brands is to ask your pharmacist, since they stay up to date on the best and newest products on the market today.

Hopefully these teething parenting tips will help you through the teething stage of your baby's life and make life a little more pleasant for you and your baby.