As babies grow, they reach new milestones, like their first crawl, their first step, and the first solid food they eat. These milestones are generally ones your baby is achieving happily, but the first tooth… now that comes with an unfortunate price! Teething. Teething is tough for babies… It’s uncomfortable, painful and can leave your poor baby with sore gums. As well as drooling, irritability and crying due to the consistent pain. As parents, all you want is for your baby to stop being in pain, but what can you do? Well, maybe try using an amber teething bracelet or an amber teething necklace!
How do amber teething bracelets work?
Teething bracelets work as a pain reliever for your baby, as they’re for the baby to suck on, either from their wrist or your wrist. But it’s generally said that the parent should wear them as it’s better with adult supervision!
Most of the time, people put teething jewellery in the fridge, so it’s cooler and soothes the baby’s gums. It is heavily advised not to put them in the freezer, as it could damage the gums and in the worst possible cases cause frostbite. So, the fridge is perfectly fine!
They come in many different forms and colours, like orange, brown and yellow. Whether you use Baltic amber beads, Baltic amber teething necklaces or raw beads. It’s said that the amber releases succinic acid which acts as a natural pain reliever, especially if it’s genuine amber.
What are amber teething bracelets?
Amber is a natural substance formed from fossilised tree resin and they’re named depending on what region they’re found in. With the Baltic being the most common.
As mentioned above, the belief is that they contain a concentration of succinic acid, which is believed to harbour anti-inflammatory effects. And is also said to be good to keep close to the body, to release these properties as a pain-relieving substance. However, there is no scientific research to prove this, so it’s best to read up on it.
However, if your baby is suffering from consistent pain due to teething, then it’s best to always keep a teething bracelet, no matter what kind, in the fridge. So it can be used whenever necessary. Since the cool sensation will help with teething.
Safety issues with amber teething bracelets
Even though some parents like using amber bracelets, they do post some safety risks:
- Potential strangulation risks if using an amber teething necklace.
- Choking hazard if a bead breaks or comes off the bracelet.
This is why some choose to go with jewellery that has additional safety measures like a pop clasp. So, it can easily untie. Others just use amber teething bracelets or necklaces as jewellery for adults, instead of on their babies. And keep a watchful eye with adult supervision.
Alternatives to amber teething
Some alternatives to using amber teething can be natural items such as a frozen banana or a chilled washcloth. Both will be cool enough to soothe the aching gums and won’t pose any safety risk to the baby. Or maybe try some teething gels like Bonjela or Calpol Calgel.
So, if you’re looking for ways to curb your baby’s pain, this may help, as well as buying normal teething bracelets. Despite the benefits of amber teething bracelets, there are also concerns about them, so do what you’re comfortable with and what’s best for your baby. Most importantly, do your research, so you’re fully aware of what’s right to use.
Looking for more parenting tips or have you started breastfeeding? Breastfeeding necklaces may help keep your fidgeting baby from pulling your hair! Or maybe you’re running out of ideas on what to cook for your toddlers? Well, we’ve got your back, check out our food & eating page for all food-related blogs for your kids!