I'm not sure if I can feel a tooth or not, but my 5 month-old, Kyle, is
otherwise showing all the typical signs of teething: excessive drooling,
irritability, putting anything in his mouth to chew on, massaging his own gums
with his fingers, etc.  Any suggestions for teething remedies?  I already have
the standard cooling teether and soft yet firm chewables (i.e. pretzels and
bear rings).  Other than those what other products seemed to work well?  I
don't really want to have to use things like orajel or anbesol much and would
prefer something more natural.  Any and all suggestions would be helpful.

11 responses total.

Frozen bagels are wonderful for teething pains.  Settled both of mine down.

Timothy tended to be just sore around the gums, no fever or rash, so we'd use
a bit of clove oil, just a dab and mostly rubbed off before applying; he'
d make a horrible face at first, then relax all over when he discoverred it
didn't hurt any more.  Gareth was more systemically uncomfortable, so I used
homeopathic chamomile, which would help him relax all over.
I really hated orajel--didn't seem to work much on the gums but did on my
finger..., and tasted nasty.
You have to watch them, but a very ripe banana frozen is a good teething food.
someone mentioned frozen carrot sticks?
Best of luck.

Clove oil worked for mine, too.

Cool.

(The doctors never told my parents when I started teething and being the first
child, they were inexperinced and didn't realize it until they started seeing
bite marks on the side of the crib... amazing what kids figure out for
themselves to relieve the pain)

This response has been erased.

No, it's not the doctors' job to "notice that a baby is teething", but it
*would* be helpful if they were to tell parents; "if you notice the baby
chewing and drooling more than usual, getting a rash or fever you can't
otherwise explain, getting crabby, etc. it *might* be teeth".

Telling new parents that would especially have been helpful.

With my sister, the doctors told us everything.  I learned quite a bit from
all those monthly visits to the pediatrician.

My son's pediatrician was into non-pharmacy type treatments
whenever feasible and for teething pain she had me use a 
mixture of equal parts whiskey and honey.  This was rubbed
onto his gums and seemed to make him more comfortable within
seconds.

I don't think this would be recommended now though because
honey has been put on the "not for infants" list.

As opposed to the ever-popular whiskey.  "Now, cherry flavored children's
whiskey." ;)

Of couse Whiskey made him happier. ;)

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