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Natural Teething Remedies for Babies

Natural teething remedies can be a great solution to alleviate pain and discomfort your baby may experience as teeth begin to come in.

Is Your Baby is Teething?

Has your baby been extremely fussy lately?

Is he or she drooling constantly?

Does he or she seem be gnawing on everything in sight?

It could be that your baby is teething. Each child will act slightly differently when teething. Some children may drool a lot while others may get symptoms that seem like they have a cold.

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Common Signs of Teething

Observe your baby and look for the following:

Red, swollen gums
Excessive drooling
Chewing/Gnawing on fingers or toys
Stuffed nose
Behavioral changes: Increase in fussiness, need for comfort, crying, sleep patterns

If you think that your child is teething, there are natural remedies (i.e. natural teething rings) available that you might want to consider trying before you run to the nearest pharmacy for baby Tylenol or teething gel.

Not all children are in pain when teething, some children may begin to act differently more so because they don't understand what is happening to their bodies. It can be a strange sensation to have a tooth growing in, and they may act differently due to fear rather than pain.

Natural Remedies

When trying to sooth a teething infant, the first thing to try is distraction. Play with your infant by engaging your child in an activity that he/she enjoys. If their distress level seems to be alleviated it may be that your child is more frightened by this process than in pain.

If there is no change in your baby's distress level than it might be time for some natural teething remedies. When trying new remedies, don't rush through them. Give your infant time to let you know whether the remedy is providing them with some relief:

Make a natural teething ring by wetting the tip of a washcloth with water and freeze it. Once frozen, give the washcloth to your infant. Your infant will like the tactile sensation of holding the cloth and enjoy the relief of the cool cloth against the gums.
Let your baby gnaw on a large piece of frozen fruit. Make sure that the fruit cannot be fully placed into your child's mouth to avoid a potential choking hazard. Your child will love the sweet taste of the fruit and the cool sensation in his or her mouth.
Give your baby a natural teething cookie.
Massage your baby's gum with your finger. The contact will provide comfort to the gums and the massage will be relaxing. To increase the soothing benefits, try placing a small drop of natural vanilla on your finger. Your infant will enjoy the sweet taste and soothing scent.

Homeopathic Teething Remedies

If these options don't seem to alleviate the pain, visit your local health food store for natural homeopathic teething remedies before reverting to pharmaceuticals.

Clove oil is fairly potent oil that has been shown to relieve pain in teething infants. When you use this product, dilute it with vegetable oil: approximately 4 drops to 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once diluted, test the teething solution on your gums before using it on your infant.

Another natural remedy is natural teething tablets by companies such as Hylands. These tablets typically have chamomilla in them which ease irritability and bella donna to relieve swelling.

If, after trying the techniques above, your baby is still displaying pain or distress, it may be time for a visit to the doctor. Signs of illness can be masked by teething, and your baby's doctor can check to see if there are any other health issues that may be causing your baby's discomfort.

Remember that teething is a natural process: patience, love and support will go a long way toward making this potentially stressful time a bit easier.

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