Teething is a painful and stressful process for baby and as a parent it is difficult to see your little one in pain. Thankfully there are a few ways you can help baby to get through the pain of cutting his or her first teeth.
For some children, it helps if you massaged her gums with your fingers, making them feel less itchy. For performing gum massage, there are special finger covers, which are studded thimbles made of silicone. They are also great for afterwards for the first stages of dental care.
In many cases, unsweetened chamomile or sage tea can sooth teething pains. You can either apply with a cotton swab on the painful area, or give the drink to your baby.
If your baby is cranky, you can try to calm it mixed with homoeopathic preparations which are often available in pharmacies.
Those who do not believe in homoeopathy, can instead try a local anaesthetic gel. It is massaged on the ridges before feeding, which relieves pain when sucking. With drugs, you should find out exactly what you are given baby as gels contain lots of sugar or even alcohol.
Some medical practitioners, midwives and parents swear by the effectiveness of amber necklaces to soothe teething. When worn against the skin amber has anti-inflammatory properties. There is no scientific evidence to support their use but many people have reported that they help so it is worth trying it out. However, you should make sure that the chain is not too long, otherwise your child can strangle themselves and it should always be removed for sleeping.
If all else fails, distraction can help. Try taking their mind off of their discomfort by playing with them, cuddling them or going for a walk. If you can trigger other thoughts it may help baby to forget the pain and discomfort in their jaws.
