TEETHERS

Just when I was settling down with mommyhood and about to take a deep breathe that I am going to get some relief at 6 months, teething appeared. The gums started to harden and itch. Everything and anything went into the mouth. It hurt to see him chewing on his little fingers endlessly for some relief but in vain. Soon Restlessness and irritability set in. Mouthing things had started at 5 months but its severity kept on increasing to pitying levels.

I tried to soothe his gums by giving massage with my fingers. I offered him biscuits, a tight banana, a tight ripe piece of papaya, peeled carrots, cucumbers etc. I also tried a cold spoon under supervision. All of that worked for sometime but none of it adequately soothed his gums.

My heart would wrench at the little one’s pain and my helplessness brought tears to my eyes.

Then my search for appropriate teethers began.

1) First he started with mouthing in all the rattles he had at hand. Out of all the rattles he had, the star shaped rattles were easier to mouth and the stalk was even more convenient for him to grab and maintain the hold for long.

2) After a few days as the grasp improved he could hold the more defined star rattle and gnawed on it with all his might.

But I knew these were not the best things to teeth on, as they are mere plastics; unhealthy to mouth on. Still I would ritually sterilise them everyday until I could give him something better but effective to teeth on.



3) From a local shop I bought a set of teethers that contained a pair of keys, a pair of dotted bottle openers, and pair of small dumbbells; all for Rs 60/- they are made of soft food grade plastic. But there was no bpa free tag on it. I sterilised them and offered him. The pair of keys were never ever mouthed.

4) Water or gel based teethers (Rs 99/-) are too soft. Even after refrigerating they are not so useful. They also have the risk of tearing. No bpa free tag.

5) The pair of bottle openers worked a little because of the dots only when the dumbbells were lost somewhere.

6) The fisher price corn teether (rs 299/-) has a yellow coloured soft and textured teething surface i.e. the corn which is covered with a green coloured velvet crinkling piece of cloth. This caters to dual interests of the baby. A ridged holder for proper grasp makes it a win-win teether but not the best yet.

7) Fruit nibbler (rs 200 to 400) has multiple holes on the wide nipple shaped fruit holder. Fruits like grapes and oranges can be stuffed in it but remember to wash and peel off the skin of the grapes and oranges. Even ripe papaya can be given through this. This is very helpful and soothing for the baby but messy. Baby can’t be left unattended. Time to time the rind has to be removed from the nipple and new piece of fruit has to be inserted. It has a cover to cap it on. And a ridged holder for the baby to grasp on.

8) Only the dumbbells were utilised out of the three pairs. But being so small, they would fall off from his grip very often and I would run to sterilise it again. But they adequately soothed his urge to chew upto some extent.

9) Finally I got the right teether. This mee mee silicone teether (rs 199/-) which had the bpa free tag too. A textured ring to hold and the c shaped teething surface has adequately raised dots required to soothe the baby’s gums. This one is working the best for my baby.

If you have got a better teether for your baby or if you ever find any worthy piece of teether for your baby , please share with me why you and your baby chose it?

Lets make it easier and less confusing for new moms.
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