Prepare Yourself for...Teething!

Yes! Teething! This may be one of your first awful experiences dealing with a child that has a difficult time with pain. My son, I have noticed, is SUPER sensitive to almost everything!
Examples:

Light - I did not know this until someone told me that people with blue eyes are more sensitive to light than people with darker color eyes, then a friend of mine confirmed it, makes total sense thought!)

Sounds - Very Light Sleeper(and yes, I have tried vacuuming, being loud during nap times at newborn stage, and many more!) it does not work. Some kids are just like that, and that's OK.

Milk - Not intolerant though, just sensitive

UV Rays - fair skin = loading up the sunscreen!

OK, you get the point, my kid is a little physically sensitive. Which will eventually change(hopefully) when he gets a little older and more independent. He's 1 now, so that'll change soon.

Anyway, his mouth pain is really what gets to him, and ME! Gah! I hate seeing this kid in pain. I know that all children act differently and this may not be the case with your little ones. But Josiah? My goodness this kid is dramatic!

How do I know he's teething?
Well, first of all he's extra fussy and I can't do anything to make him happy. Most you know how happy of a baby he is. He starts to chew on everything, including me! I have a few bite marks on my knee and hand to proof it. This is the weirdest one, but he digs his head into blankets/pillows screams and tries to literally eat it. See, I told you my kid is dramatic. While trying not to laugh at it I'm in the middle of getting my favorite remedies together.

What do I do?
First, check to see if the tooth has broke through the gum yet. That way you know just how long you will be dealing with this for. If it hasn't broken through but your baby seems to be in pain? Give them something to chew on! Work that tooth out! Sooner is better than later, seriously! If it has broken through, it won't take as long for the pain to subside itself.
Now I'm all about going natural with this so I'll tell you what I do before I go to more medical measures.

What I try first?
See this little mesh bag thingy here? >>>>
Now I don't remember the name of it but you
can get it at Walmart for cheap.
Plus you can wash it and use it over and over again

You can put just about anything in it,
I put cold apples, bananas, mango, pineapple
anything I could find that was cold and healthy to eat.


 Next...teething biscuits, but not just any kind.

These I have found to be THE best! I always try to go for organic snacks for my son, if you look closely at some of the ingredients on other non-organic brands they ADD sugar. :/                                                         I didn't start Josiah on these until he was eating more table foods with his hands which was around 9 months I think. You can get them at Walmart, Safeway, Fred Meyer, just about any grocery store.

They come wrapped in a 2-pack, I usually go through 1 a day, it's a great snack for on the go but it does get messy. So be prepared, and bring lots of things to wipe your LO down when he/she is finished.
This is one out of the package >>>>
Easy to hold, and yes, they do taste good.

I test all food before it goes to my son, is that weird? ;)



Another natural way to help soothe that sore gum...
celery! This only really works if they are working in their first 2 bottom teeth. I don't remember who told me this but it does work! (Thank you to whoever suggested this, props to you!)
Give your babe a stick of nice, freshly washed COLD celery. The reason I say this for only the first teeth is because after my son got his topsy's in he was able to break it with those chompers and start eating it.(choking hazard? I think so) That's when I switched to the food holder mesh bag, then after that to the biscuit. I alternate between the two now.
Also, beef jerky! But not the soft stuff, I'm talking the stuff that takes you an hour to chew just to get it down your throat. I'm not patient enough for that but Josiah LOVES it! It's probably his favorite thing out of all these. Please, please please be sure to give them the jerky that is tough, otherwise it will be a choking hazard.

There are probably more great remedies out there, like crushed ice and such, but this is just what works for us and our family.

Baby Oragel and Baby Tylenol is our last resort, and we only turn to these when he has turned everything else down, or before bedtime if I think he is really going to have a rough time that night. So I hope that maybe these have helped you all. Maybe you guys can throw out your own ways of helping your LO to overcome the awful teething experience.