Natural Teething Remedies

As you try, for the 100th time today, to attempt to make yourself something to eat, your baby shrieks the moment you put her down. She’s gnawing at everything in sight, her chin is red from the constant drool, and you’re exhausted from getting no sleep last night. When it comes to teething remedies, you’re desperately in need of some simple but effective solutions that actually work! These natural teething remedies are tried and tested and you’re guaranteed to find something here that will help soothe your little one’s gums (and let you get in that bite to eat and hopefully a nap, too!)

It can be tricky to find what works best when it comes to teething, especially as every child is different. Some babies and toddlers get in teeth with barely a hint of discomfort, while others have a really tough time and need some teething remedies.

Our two little ones fall into the second category. We pretty much tried every natural teething remedy known to moms and dads, and eventually figured out what worked the best. The daytime pain is generally easier to manage, luckily. Oh, those sleepless nights and initial feelings of helplessness…it can be such a trying time for everyone. If your little one has as difficult a time as my two did/do, this is a reminder for the mamas and papas: this too shall pass. In the meantime, try these natural teething remedies. They really work!

Photo credit: hartphotography

Natural Teething Remedies

Frozen Washcloths Soaked in Water or Chamomile – You can either just soak a washcloth in water and stick it in the freezer, or you can up the pain relief by making a pot of pure chamomile tea, soaking a washcloth in it and then freezing the cloth. Not only will your teething babe get instant relief from the cold frozen cloth, the chamomile will also help ease the pain.
Wooden Teethers – There are some awesome wooden teethers out there. We are big fans of Ringley, a great Canadian company that makes natural teething toys from solid un-treated wood and organic cotton terry cloth, so you can feel safe watching your little one gnaw away on it. This beautiful teether by Haba is also a popular choice that little ones love to gnaw on.

Natural Rubber Teethers – There are some wonderful companies out there making awesome natural rubber teethers. Two of my favourites are Hevea and CaaOcho Baby.
Sophie the Giraffe – Once you have a baby, you’ll notice how common this natural rubber teething toy is. Sophie originated in France back in the early 1960’s. For some reason, babies LOVE Sophie, and the fact she is made from 100% natural rubber is awesome.

Amber Necklace – These necklaces work like magic! When K first starting experiencing symptoms of teething, we purchased one at a local baby store and were shocked at how well it worked, especially for his drooling. It turned it off like a faucet, it was nuts! I found he still experienced pain especially at night (we took it off for sleeping) but during the day, the amber necklace helped him out big time. How do they work? Amber is a natural pain reliever that has been used for centuries. It’s a natural anti-inflammatory so when it warms up against the skin, it releases these healing properties. It’s also been said that amber can help the immune system fight off other infections. These baby necklaces are safe because each bead on it has a knot before and after so if it breaks, only one bead will fall off. They come in a variety of sizes as well.
Boiron Camilia – This homeopathic remedy works well for daytime pain and I love how safe and natural it is. Its main ingredient is chamomile and it’s easy to administer. However, I find it’s not enough for the severe nighttime pain.

Dr. Hyland’s Teething Tablets – These homeopathic teething tablets work wonders for us. They dissolve under the tongue or can be dissolved in a tiny bit of water. They’re safe and natural and so many parents swear by them.
Teething Feeder – Baby K just loves chewing away on this mesh feeder. If your little one has started solids, you can put some frozen fruit or veggies in it for flavour. Even better: frozen breastmilk cubes!
Chewbeads – This is a newer, but amazing, concept. You can purchase necklaces like this one and bracelets that the caregiver wears and the baby can safely chew on, or you can also purchase teethers. The beads are made out of safe, food-grade silicone and give some great relief to little mouths.

What did you find helped your little one get through the throes of teething?