Besides orajel, what are some teething remedies for my nine month old who's pretty uncomfortable right now? I've had to give him tylenol consistently to help him but I'd rather not medicate TOO much. Thanks!
What I used to do was wet baby washcloths, fold into quarters and pop them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. My son loved to gnaw on those!
Didn't read all of the answers, but in addition to the Hyland's tablets (and don't buy other brands; they don't dissolve as fast), I've heard that vanilla extract and clove oil also work. They both have alcohol in them and vanilla and clove are natural analgesics and have calming scents.
Make sure that the Hylands dissolve under the tongue; they'll work faster that way.
I agree with others who have said Hylands Teething Tablets...they're pretty amazing at easing the tension without medication. They sell them at babies r us and pharmacies. Good luck!
When my first baby started teething, my mom showed me what she used to do for us. She took a washcloth and put one ice cube inside it. Then, she took a rubberband and rubberbanded the washcloth right under the ice cube really tight. Then, she wet the washcloth with a little water to get it moist. Sure enough, both my kids would go to town knawing on that cold ice cube through the washcloth until it was gone! The cold would numb their little gums and the pressure of them chewing on the hard ice felt good to them. Also, for both of my kids teething I always used infant Motrin (especially at night time when teething pain was at its worst). Tylenol just never worked for us. Good luck with your little one! I hope you can bring him some relief! =0)
I just bought Hyland's Teething tablets...I think they are pretty 'natural' if that makes sense in a tablet form?!
Wet wash cloths either right from the faucet or a few minutes after taking out of the freezer.
Mesh bags (Target/Wal-Mart sells them) that you can put frozen fruits/ice in.
I have heard that Motrin is better for teething than Tylenol.
Teething Rings.
Your finger/knuckles (this is my son's favorite!!)
I've read that analgesics (Tylonal, Ibuprophin, etc...) don't actually work for kids under 5 or 6-years old. They work as fever reducers, but not pain killers.
I stick with Hylands or other homeopathic teething tablets and gels. Humphrey's is sold at Walgreens and they have strips like a Listerine breatch strip. My son loves those!
Arnica tablets (check somewhere like Whole Foods) are also anti-inflamatories and help reduce swelling.
Teething pellets are awesome! You can get them in the baby isle at Target-just disolve them in water and give with a syringe or spoon, worked great for us.
We used an Orris root for the baby to chew on. They are common in Germany but not sure where to find them here. Do you have any German friends who could send you one, or who have relatives living in Germany? That is how I got ours. You may also be able to order online, but would probably need to translate sites in order to find one.
Eating frozen peas and banana chunks (small so as not to choke) can help, and the Baby Safe (net) feeder that someone mentioned is good too. A wet and frozen washcloth is good, and of course nursing is a natural soother too. If the baby bites, pull him in close to make him unlatch and then say firmly to not bite. They learn very quickly.
Amanda
I would try a Health Food store to see if they have anything for teething. I know my daughter is going through the same as you. She uses' the orajel and gives my grandaughter biscuits that help to harden the gumbs'. There are as well teething rings that can be frozen but alot of babies don't like the cold. I know for adults we can use whole cloves etc. so a Healthfood Store may have something a little more natural. From experience everyone uses' the Orajel it seems to be the best on the market. Good Luck!
I ended up taking my granddaughter to the ER because she was acting odd and not sleeping and other stuff. She had been teething and we used 1/2 doses of the homeopathic "Teething Tablets" for her from WalGreens and the ER Doc said if we didn't stop using them he was going to call child welfare, we were drugging her with all kinds of drugs. As soon as we went back to Orajel, Tylenol, and Motrin we had no more issues. Tylenol is for fevers, and pain like headaches. Motrin is for inflamation like swelling gums. It actually works better for this type issue, those gums are inflammed and very sore.
Target sells these mesh bags attached to a plastic handle for babies. I used them and would put frozen carrots in it or whatever you prefer. It helped my kids tremendously w/o having to medicate at all.
Good luck!
