Best Natural Remedies for a Teething Baby

Is your baby struggling with teething pain and you want some natural remedies to help soothe them to sleep and reduce their fussiness?

Teething is a tricky time for both mum and baby, as often you feel like you are helpless as you watch your baby suffering. 

Some babies suffer very minimal symptoms when teething, while others really struggle. Sometimes you notice a tooth has popped through with no warning at all!

I remember both of my girls being completely different when it came to teething symptoms. My first daughter popped teeth without a care in the world while my second struggled for days with teething pain.

It really depends on the child.

There are lots of things you can try to help your baby when they are teething. It’s often just a case of trying a few different things and seeing which one works best. 

For me, the gels and teething granules didn’t really help as I found they only soothed my baby for a few minutes at most. 

The best remedies are ones your baby can gnaw away at, because it’s pressure on the gums that can really relieve the pain. 

Before I share some brilliant natural remedies, here are a few facts about teething. 

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When do babies start teething?

Some babies are actually born with teeth, although it is pretty rare. 

In general the order you can expect your baby’s teeth to come in goes as follows, but remember this is only a rough guide: 

• Five to seven months – bottom incisors 
• Six to eight months – top incisors 
• Nine to 11 months – Top lateral incisors 
• 10 to 12 months – bottom lateral incisors 
• 12 to 16 months – back teeth (molars)
• 16 to 20 months – canines
• 20 to 30 months – second molars 

Most children will have all of their milk teeth by the time they are two years and six months old. 

Signs of teething

The early stages of teething can be tricky to spot. Generally your baby will be a bit grizzly with teething, although sometimes they show no signs of pain at all!

The key signs for teething are: 

• Sore and red gums where tooth is coming through. When you rub your finger over it you can feel the tooth pushing upwards. 
• Flushed cheek close to where the tooth is coming through. 
• Rubbing their ear. 
• Excessive dribbling, which can in turn cause their face to become sore as the dribble irritates their skin. You can apply vaseline to act as a barrier to help with this. 
• Gnawing and chewing on things more than usual. 
• Being fussier than usual. 
• Feeding less. 

Problems with teething

The main issue you will probably face with a teething baby is the pain, which makes them very fussy and stops them from sleeping well. 

It can bring on an exhausting sleep regression which can take its toll on you and your baby. 

If you are having sleepless nights because of teething it can be very frustrating, especially as the days are filled with more tears due to the pain and fatigue too!

If your baby is teething and refusing to sleep, try to rearrange your schedule for the week so that you don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be out of the house every single day. 

Teething symptoms generally don’t last more than a fortnight or so. Some teeth will cut through with more symptoms than others. 

To help you cope with teething, and to get a better night’s sleep, here are some lovely natural remedies to offer your baby and ease the suffering of teething symptoms.

Easy teething remedies

Teething ring

There are lots of different teething rings on the market. Some you can pop in the fridge to cool them down, which is really great for soothing teething pain. 

Teething rings are great as they are easy for tiny hands to grip and keep hold of. They are also easy to slip into your changing bag and take with you wherever you go. 

Sophie la Giraffe

One of the all-time best-sellers when it comes to baby products! The Sophie La Giraffe teething toy is fantastic!

The giraffe is perfect for gnawing on. The legs and top of the head of Sophie are great for getting right to the back of the mouth for chewing to ease the pain of molars coming through. 

Teething mitten

A mitten is even less likely to be dropped as you pop it on your baby’s hand and they can chomp on it as and when they want to. This makes it perfect for very small babies. 

Your finger

Yep, this is the cheapest one on the list. Keep your hands clean by washing them with soap regularly and let your baby chew on your knuckles.

Be warned that they can bite down quite hard at times!

Cold wash cloth

One of the cheapest options for you to try! Get a flannel or wash cloth and dampen it under the tap. Wring it out then pop it on a clean shelf in the fridge. 

Leave it there for around an hour and then give it to your baby. 

The cold sensation is brilliant for numbing teething pain. 

Chamomile 

Chamomile is a fantastic natural teething remedy. You can try to administer it in several different ways as well.

You can make some chamomile tea, cool it down and pop it into popsicle moulds in the freezer, then give these to your baby. The chamomile is a natural painkiller and the cold will help to numb sore gums.

You could also soak a cloth in the tea and pop it in the fridge, then give that to your baby.

You can also try Camilia which comes in plastic droplet packs for easy administering to your baby.

Cold fruit

Chilled pieces of soft fruit such as mango can provide fast relief to teething pain. For younger babies you could try cold apple sauce, as the consistency will be very easy for them to swallow after they have swilled it around their mouth a bit. 

Mesh feeder

Mesh feeders are perfect for babies who have just started weaning. You could put frozen fruit or breastmilk inside.

Your baby simply chews away and the food is released as it melts.

Amber necklace

Many people swear by amber necklaces. The theory is that Baltic Amber contains chemicals that are absorbed through the skin.

The key ingredient is succinic acid, which is said to be anti-inflammatory, immune boosting, antioxidant rich and calming.

The necklaces are not supposed to be chewed on, which is what I initially assumed! They are supposed to be worn around the baby’s neck, which is where my concern with them lies.

If you want to try it out, go for it, but make sure you always supervise your baby and never put them down for a nap while wearing them.

Teething necklace

You can make a fashion statement and help your baby with a teething necklace! I admit, strictly speaking these aren’t a natural remedy as they are made of silicone, however if you do want to relieve your baby’s pain without administering pain killers then this is a good option for them to chew on.

There are so many designs out there, you can find a colour and type of beads to suit your own tastes.

You can also get teething bracelets too. The point of these is you wear them as fashion jewellery, but you can offer them to your baby to chew, so you always have them close at hand.

I hope you find something here that helps you! Don’t forget that if your baby’s teething pain is really bad, ibuprofen can knock it on the head fast and give your baby a peaceful night’s sleep.