5 Ideas to Help Soothe Teething Babies

By Jenn Sanders.

Photo courtesy of Photopin.

Taking care of teething babies and toddlers can be a big enough challenge for a mom or dad, but when you’re the nanny it can sometimes feel downright impossible. It doesn’t matter if the baby is with you eight hours a day, every weekday, because sometimes (such as when he or she is in pain), a baby just wants his mom or dad.

That truth aside, whether the baby can have his mom or dad isn’t really up to the baby (or to you). As the nanny, part of your job means helping the children in your care through the phase of life that they’re currently in. If right now that phase is teething, I’ve got some tips and tricks for you. Every remedy for teething babies that’s listed below is totally safe; obviously you don’t want to do something that could hurt the little one you’re watching. It goes without saying to always have parents’ permission before trying anything on your own.

1. Rub Those Gums

Rubbing gums is awesome for teething pain, and it’s super easy! All you need is a clean finger and patience. Apply gentle but consistent counter pressure to the sore gums and watch as the magic happens.

2. Cold Washcloths and Spoons

When gums are sore from teething, something really cold can be amazing. Toss a damp washcloth into the freezer or put a spoon in the fridge. Apply either one to the gums, being extra careful to only use the rounded part of the spoon.

3. Amber Teething Necklaces

You’ve probably seen the telltale string of amber beads around another baby’s neck that can only represent one thing: it’s teething time. It turns out that amber is highly effective against teething pain and discomfort. When it comes to using an amber necklace for baby, it can be hard to know which ones are legit. My personal favorite is the Baltic Wonder necklace.. Only Baltic Wonder teething necklaces have the highest concentrations of pure succinic acid, which is the key to resolving teething aches and sore gums. The necklaces are really cool, and completely natural. The baby’s body heat warms the beads, which releases the succinic acid through the baby’s skin. It’s absorbed into the bloodstream, and poof: you get a happy baby back!

4. Teething Toys

Teething toys are great for little ones to gum on (especially if they don’t actually have teeth yet, so they can’t rip the soft fabric). There are so many adorable options out there; it makes it easy to swing by a Target or a drugstore and grab one (or three).

5. Wooden Teethers

It sounds funny, but wood is actually kind of amazing for teethers! A lot of teething babies respond really well to the texture and feel of wood on their gums. Literally anything wooden can work, as long as it’s smooth and free of potential splinters. There are a lot of great wooden teething products out there from companies like HABA, and on Etsy.

Those are some of my favorite teething remedies for nannies! It can be a challenge to help soothe an upset baby or toddler when he or she is in teething pain and mom or dad isn’t around, but it’s also your job to make sure you can do it. Hopefully a few of these ideas will help!