Guide to Safe and Natural Teething Remedies for Baby

There are few things as distressing as watching your baby begin the teething process. It can be a painful affair, and your poor little one has no idea what is going on. Their little gums are painful, cheeks may be red and inflamed, and they may be drooling more than normal. To parents trying to raise their baby as naturally as possible, the idea of using medicines or topical lotions with harsh chemicals just isn’t right. And it leaves you wondering just what you can do to provide some relief for your baby naturally. Fortunately, there are several natural teething remedies for baby. Some involve chewing, but if your baby has very sore gums they may simply want something cool to suck on. Try a few different ideas until you find something that suits you and your baby.

Fabric Chew Toys 

Teething babies love to chew on things, and there are some great fabric toys that are specifically designed for young babies to chew. Always choose organic, so that you know the fabric is safe for them. Try Apple Park and Maud n Lil. These are designed for babies to chew. Whichever brand you choose, I highly recommend buying two of the same toy. That way you can have one on the go and one in the wash.

Water filled teethers

There are plenty of water filled cooling teethers available. These go into the fridge, not the freezer, so they're not too cold for baby to grasp. Make sure that you buy a brand that is BPA free.

Cold fruit or vegetables

My children didn't start teething until they were on solids, so it made it very easy for us to introduce cold fruits and vegetable for them to gnaw on. Cucumber was a favourite, cut up into sticks and kept in the fridge until needed. Cucumber is soothing and calming, so it's understandable that it feels good on sore gums. My eldest son loved to chew on lemon slices. I thought this was very strange, until years later a naturopath told me that lemon is a natural painkiller.

Whichever fruit or vegetable you choose, ensure that it's appropriate for baby's age. You may need to partly cook harder vegetables, so that there is no choking risk. You could also try b.box silicone fresh food feeder or Haakaa fresh food teething feeder. The are unique and cute and they work wonders with babies. Just pop the cold fruit inside, and voila! A feeding teether.

Amber necklaces

Baltic amber jewellery is another traditional remedy. I have to admit that they didn’t seem to make any difference to my children, but I know so many parents who swear by them. Be sensible about how and when you use them (i.e. don’t ever leave them on while baby is unattended). Amber Love necklaces and bracelets/anklets look lovely, so they’re worth a try!

Wooden teething toys and rings 

There are beautiful wooden teethers available, such as those from Hess Spielzeug or Haba, which are coloured with solvent free, water based paints. Babies and toddlers can happily gnaw away on these and give those new teeth a workout. Whichever wooden teether you choose, make sure it's made from sustainable wood, and that the finishes are non toxic.

Chamomile Tea

Homeopathic remedies

If you are a believer in homeopathy, why not try a remedy such as the Weleda Baby Teething Powder, or the traditional homeopathic teething remedies like chamomilla. Depending on the symptoms, you may want to visit a homeopath and get a personalized remedy. You could also try a natural teething gel, like the one from Jack 'N Jill Kids. You just rub this across baby's gums.

Frozen Face Washer

Natural Rubber Teethers 

There are natural rubber teethers available from Hevea, like the Kawan teeether or the Panda Teether. You could also try a natural rubber dummy, like the ones from Natural Rubber Soothers (who also have a natural rubber teether in their range). Even if your baby doesn’t use a dummy, the rubber is great for chewing. It’s natural latex, and free of nitrosamines, so they’re safe for baby.

Silicone Teething Jewellery