Although teething is a very normal and natural part of a baby's development, that doesn't mean that it feels normal and natural to the baby going through it. Some babies experience no teething symptoms at all. Those babies and their parents are blessed — good for them. But what if you happen to be the parent of a baby who is experiencing discomfort during the teething process? Are there ways that you can soothe your baby without medicine? Absolutely!
As adults, when we have any dental-related pain, we might instinctively reach for the acetaminophen or ibuprofen stored in our medicine cabinets like it's no big deal. Some of us have even been taught by our dentists to stagger both medications for the most effective pain relief. But giving pain medication to an infant is really not something to be taken lightly. You should never give babies younger than 3 months acetaminophen without consulting your doctor first, and babies younger than 6 months shouldn't take ibuprofen unless a doctor advises it. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises parents to use medicine-free alternatives for treating teething pain. Keep reading for tips on how to soothe a teething baby without medicine.
Use your finger, but make sure it's clean.
Make sure your hands are clean for this method. Once you've washed your hands thoroughly, all you have to do is use one finger to gently massage your baby's gums. Use slow circular motions. This is great when you are at home, but for cleanliness reasons, it's probably not something you can do if you are out and about.
Use a small metal spoon as a teething tool.
If getting your fingers drooled on isn't really your thing, put a small metal spoon into the fridge for a few minutes. Then you can use the cold back of the spoon to gently rub your baby's gums like you would with your finger. Don't leave babies unattended with the spoon as they could hurt themselves.
Put a wet washcloth in the refrigerator.
Take a clean washcloth and get it wet, wring out the excess water, and put it in the fridge for a few minutes. Once it's nice and cold, you can fold it to make it smaller and let your baby chew on it. The cold might help soothe the baby's gums and the chewing will help the teeth break through. Please make sure that you do not leave your baby unattended while chewing on the washcloth because it could be a choking hazard.
Consider giving your baby a firm rubber teething ring to chew on.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises that if you are going to use a teething ring, it should be made of firm rubber. You also want to make sure that if you chill the teething ring that it is not frozen when you give it to your baby because if it's too hard it can actually hurt your baby's gums instead of soothing them.
Last, but most certainly not least, give your baby lots of love and snuggles.
Sometimes the most soothing thing you can do for a teething baby is to hold the little one close and provide extra love and attention. Sit with them, rock them, sing to them, just be with them. There's a reason moms kiss away boo-boos all the time. Love has magical healing powers. We can't prove it, but we all know it.
