Natural Ways to Ease Teething Pain
No doubt about it, your baby's teething stage is a trying time for you and your little one.
When you consider the many growing pains your child must endure through the different stages of his/her life, waiting for those teeth to break through the skin may seem the most frustrating of all the firsts.
Your child will cry and gnash his/her gums, and you'll cry as well trying to figure out how to relieve your child's soreness.
Of course, there are many products available used to numb a child's gum area and hopefully lessen the pain, but if you're the type of parent interested in natural methods of child care there are methods you can adopt.
So let's say you are not interested in over-the-counter applications that are not natural, and your local holistic health shop has nothing available.
Now what? It's time to use your wits and what you have on hand to help your baby.
Here are a few suggestions that may alleviate the teething pain.
1) Ice.
Ice may be used gently to soothe the teething ache.
You can freeze filtered water in a BPA-free tray and use the cubes when needed.
Be sure to have a good grip on the ice and hold your baby upright, and use a bib to catch the melt off.
2) Breastfeeding.
This is the most natural way to feed your baby, but did you know it's also a good way to help your child through this process? The contact you enjoy with your baby as you nurse calms your child and the pressure of his/her gums on your skin can help relieve the pain.
3) Clove oil.
Your grandmother may have used this as a teething remedy - clove oil is all-natural and known to help with tooth pain.
However, it should be used sparingly and not directly on your child's mouth.
Dilute a small amount of clove oil with another edible oil that won't harm your baby (olive oil or almond oil may work) before applying to gums.
4) Cool washcloth.
A natural fiber cloth, dampened and frozen or simply soaked in cold water, is a good alternative to the ice treatment if you worry about accidentally dropping the ice.
The good thing about applying pressure to the gums with a washcloth is that you can adjust how cold to make the cloth so your baby is comfortable.
When you find the method that works best for you, apply it when necessary.
Teething is part of the growing process, and while it can be a frustrating time, you definitely don't want to miss that first tooth.
When you consider the many growing pains your child must endure through the different stages of his/her life, waiting for those teeth to break through the skin may seem the most frustrating of all the firsts.
Your child will cry and gnash his/her gums, and you'll cry as well trying to figure out how to relieve your child's soreness.
Of course, there are many products available used to numb a child's gum area and hopefully lessen the pain, but if you're the type of parent interested in natural methods of child care there are methods you can adopt.
So let's say you are not interested in over-the-counter applications that are not natural, and your local holistic health shop has nothing available.
Now what? It's time to use your wits and what you have on hand to help your baby.
Here are a few suggestions that may alleviate the teething pain.
1) Ice.
Ice may be used gently to soothe the teething ache.
You can freeze filtered water in a BPA-free tray and use the cubes when needed.
Be sure to have a good grip on the ice and hold your baby upright, and use a bib to catch the melt off.
2) Breastfeeding.
This is the most natural way to feed your baby, but did you know it's also a good way to help your child through this process? The contact you enjoy with your baby as you nurse calms your child and the pressure of his/her gums on your skin can help relieve the pain.
3) Clove oil.
Your grandmother may have used this as a teething remedy - clove oil is all-natural and known to help with tooth pain.
However, it should be used sparingly and not directly on your child's mouth.
Dilute a small amount of clove oil with another edible oil that won't harm your baby (olive oil or almond oil may work) before applying to gums.
4) Cool washcloth.
A natural fiber cloth, dampened and frozen or simply soaked in cold water, is a good alternative to the ice treatment if you worry about accidentally dropping the ice.
The good thing about applying pressure to the gums with a washcloth is that you can adjust how cold to make the cloth so your baby is comfortable.
When you find the method that works best for you, apply it when necessary.
Teething is part of the growing process, and while it can be a frustrating time, you definitely don't want to miss that first tooth.
