Seeing your baby’s first tooth begin to sprout is a momentous occasion, but teething can be terribly uncomfortable for an infant. Luckily, there are many safe and natural remedies to help with teething.
Easing this discomfort may seem like a daunting task, especially when your teething baby becomes cranky as a result of this pain. You might notice your baby begins to drool more and begin sucking and chewing on hard objects, which can raise a number of concerns among parents universally.
There are many teething tips you can use to help ease your baby through this transition, all of which are both cost-effective and safe:
Cool baby's gums
Keeping your baby’s gums cool is a great way to ease pain associated with teething. Like any other injury, where a physician might suggest that you keep the area on ice, baby’s gums are no different. Try giving your baby a cool, wet washcloth to chew or suck on. This is better than a hard object, as incessant gnawing on something solid can irritate or even rip the gums as the teeth are growing in. Do not give your baby ice cubes, as ice cubes are hard and slippery and can quite easily slide down the baby’s throat, resulting in choking.
Dry the drool
One of the major discomforts experienced during the teething period is chapped skin due to excess drool. Make sure to keep your baby’s chin and lips dry by dabbing away drool using a soft, dry washcloth. Further to this, should your baby develop any chapped or dry skin around the mouth, use an all-natural, non-abrasive, non-scented ointment to keep the area moist. Dry skin can become itchy, red and sore.
Soothe baby's gums with your finger
Sometimes the best remedy for sore gums is just a mother’s or father’s touch. Applying light pressure with a clean, gauze-wrapped index finger can help to soothe irritation along the gum line where the teeth will be growing in. It is extremely important that your finger is wrapped, and that the gauze is not re-used more than one time, as babies can be very susceptible to germs. Soft gauze can be purchased at any drug store at a very low cost.
Although teething is natural, it can be difficult to witness your baby experience the discomfort associated with first-tooth growth. Using these simple, safe and natural remedies and tactics, teething can be a more pleasant experience for both baby and family.
