I’m tired.
I've not slept for longer than a 40 minute stretch for 4 days.
I’m still breastfeeding our 15month old so I don’t even have the luxury of a caffeine hit to get me through the day (his boundless energy means my child does not need a sniff of caffeine in his system!)
Teething.
My least favourite time of mumming. It usually hits just when you think you’ve sorted everything else out – sleeping, eating, even nap times are going smoothly….then BOOM.
The nappies are usually my first clue that something is amiss, then the flushed cheeks, the drool, the high temperature, the sleepless nights, the no eating. The fear is real. The dreaded mum guilt appears - that even though I’m doing my best to soothe his little gums, it’s still sore.
I've bought it all. The gels, the powders, the teethers, the calpol (sweet sweet calpol!) but there's a limit to how many times you can dose your baby in a day. So what's next?
I’m not sure why but teething in the summer seems easier – everything seems easier though in the summer I guess! Aside from specific teethers, (we’ve got some beauties in the store) I thought I would quickly share my top two teething tips. I tried to think of catchy names, but the tiredness has overwhelmed by brain so I'm just going to get to the point!
First up – soaked facecloths kept in tupperware in the fridge. Hear me out! The facecloth is soft for little gums, yet with a bit of texture to have a good chew on. The water cools them quickly, and keeping a few in the fridge means they are always on hand during the day when they are needed. Give it a quick wring out and you are good to go. In the warmer days, they are cooling too which is just an added bonus. This is one of my faves. I've heard of folk freezing them but I always go a bit scared of freezer burn on little gums and I found the fridge was more than cold enough.
Next, are ice lollies. I bought little lolly moulds for this and both boys love them even though Otis has a fully fledged set of gnashers. You can get super creative with flavours if your baby is a bit older but if you have a little one who is teething before 6 months and you happen to be breastfeeding then breastmilk icepops were my absolute go-to with Otis. I wasn’t particularly great at pumping but I made a concerted effort for these beauties!
As for the fruit options here are a few quick recipes that are tasty and packed full of goodness:
Creamy and Delicious Avocado Lollies
One avocado stoned and peeled, 250g of natural yoghurt, juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and depending on age of your baby a drizzle of honey.
Blitz in a blender until smooth, dish out into your moulds and freeze!
Stripey fruit and veg lollies
One banana, handful of spinach, 3 strawberries, 4 tablespoons of yoghurt, tsp of vanilla extract.
Blitz the banana, yoghurt and vanilla until smooth. Use about one third to divide between your lolly moulds. Take half of the remaining mixture out and pop into a bowl. Add the spinach to the blender and blitz until smooth. Add this on top of the banana mix in the moulds. Finally, add the remaining mix and strawberries into the blender and blitz again. Top off the moulds with your strawberry flavours and freeze. Gorgeous stripey lollies!
I mentioned above about teethers. I've found the soft silicone teethers to work best for my boys. They are soft for little gums and can be easily kept clean, plus they come in such a fun range of styles too. There will be some new styles hitting the store in the coming weeks but here are a few cute options that we have at the minute!
Konges Sløjd Teething Soother - Peacock
These teethers are 100% natural rubber, BPA and phtahalate free. They are handpainted with food grade paint and are great for chewing on a distracting from sore gums.
Mushie Flower Teething Bracelet - 3 Pack - Rose/Blush/Shifting Sand
These come in a range of colours and have the added bonus that since you'll be wearing them, you'll never be without them! Always to hand!
Mushie Ball Teether in Woodchuck
Designed to be easily held by little hands, these teething balls are a great addition. Plus I find this style easy to attach to the pram so if it's dropped it won't hit the floor.
I'd love to hear any other teething tips you've found to work with your little ones. I'm hoping we've reached the end of this bout of teething - 4 molars in 2 weeks is enough for anyone's sanity!
Love
Jude x
