The teething phase isn’t fun for anyone involved. Your baby is in constant pain, and their consequent crying means that no one is getting any sleep. Although you patience is running thin, know that things will improve when that tooth makes an appearance. The best you can do is soothe your teething baby in the meantime.
Here are 7 natural teething remedies to soothe your teething baby:
- Breast Milk Ice Cream
This recipe can help soothe babies’ sore gums: One cup of breast milk, four cups of ice, a dash of salt and two containers are all you need. Put the breast milk into the smaller container, seal tightly. Place it into the larger container and fill that with ice. Use the salt to sprinkle on top of the ice to lower the melting point. Shake the container and freeze to set.
- Frozen “Mummy Cubes”
For babies between 4 and 6 months old, pour some breast milk into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, offer your baby the ice cubes in a teething mesh or baby feeder. For babies older than 6 months, you can also blend in some fruit or vegetables for additional nutrition and flavour.
- Homemade Teething Biscuits
Follow this recipe: 56g coconut flour, 86g spelt flour (or all purpose gluten-free flour if gluten intolerant), 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp molasses, 2 tbsp coconut oil or grass-fed butter and 1 beaten egg yolk (or a chia/flax egg substitute – made from 1 tbsp ground chia or flax seeds mixed with 3 tbsp water).
Mix wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine. Add water or coconut milk if the dough seems too thick. Roll dough to about 6mm thick. Cut into squares or rectangular bars. Bake at 175 ËšC for 15 minutes. Place in freezer bag and use as needed, frozen or not. Don’t give teething biscuits to babies younger than 9 months, and be sure to keep a close eye on your baby when they have a teething biscuit.
- Frozen Carrots or Apple
Remove peels and seeds, place chunks in a teething mesh, and give to your teething baby to gnaw on — while you supervise, of course!
- Gripe Water
Gripe water is one of the teething remedies that have been used for decades, and is also often used to treat a baby’s upset stomach and colic. Look for alcohol-free and sucrose-free varieties that have fennel oil, ginger, chamomile and dill for soothing homeopathic benefits.
- Chamomile Roll-Ups
Chamomile roll-ups encompass the soothing and anti-inflammatory action of the chamomile flower, along with the circulatory action of hydrotherapy. Firstly, brew a cup of chamomile tea. Next, dip in a flannel and wring out some of the tea, leaving it saturated but not dripping. Then, roll up the flannel and place it in the freezer. When your baby is showing signs of teething, feel free to offer the cold chamomile flannel to chew on.
- Counter Pressure
If your baby seems to being chewing on everything in sight, try offering a silicone teething ring. Most babies enjoy chewing on a harder teething ring for soothing counter pressure.
Always check with your child’s paediatrician to ensure that the teething remedies are indeed safe and effective. Some babies dance through the teething phase with grace, while others find teething to be the biggest struggle in their young lives. I suppose the best news is that it is normal and time-limited.