Amber Teething Necklace--Our Experience

Without a doubt, the thing I most often get asked about is Jaqs' teething necklace, so I've decided to share a little "review" with y'all today. I first found out about these things when doing research on how to ease teething pains when J was around 7-8 months old and cutting her first teeth. I was skeptical, but decided it wasn't going to hurt anything to try, and they're darn cute!

The theory behind them is that real, Baltic amber releases succinic acid which is supposed to provide a natural pain reliever and a natural anti-inflammatory effect which eases the pains of teething. They are to be worn around the clock to gain the best result.

Amber Heals Baltic Amber Baby Teething Necklace 

{{this is the exact necklace we have--fast and free shipping!}}

So, the real question, does it work?

I honestly feel like it has provided some relief to Jaqs while she's teething. We absolutely still have cranky days here and there associated with cutting teeth, but overall, I think she takes teething better when wearing this necklace. Her teething nights most definitely improved once we got this necklace on her! I mean, she cut all 4 of her molars without so much as a restless night, and that is nothing short of a miracle!

Does she wear it even while sleeping?

Yes. For the longest time we would wrap it around her ankle at night, but she continued to nap during the day with it around her neck. We finally decided she was fine to sleep in it at night as well, and she has been.

Does she chew on it?

No, these necklaces are not meant to be put in the mouth. They are to be worn short enough in length around the neck that the baby/toddler wearing it cannot place it in their mouth.

What if it breaks?

These necklaces are designed so that if it breaks, all the beads will not bounce off and fly all  over for your baby to choke on. There is a knot in between each bead so that if it does break, only that one bead will fall off.

Which color am I supposed to get?

In my research, I found that the lighter in color the amber is, the more effective it will be. The most important thing to remember is that it has to be real, Baltic amber in order to work. There are plenty of knock-offs on the market, but they would be virtually ineffective without the succinic acid provided by Baltic amber.

So there ya have it, the skinny (according to a non-expert) on the Baltic Amber teething necklace!  If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! *I was not paid or compensated in any way to write this post. All opinions are my own.*

teething must-haves

I mentioned in Jaqsy baby's 8 month post that she got her first 2 teeth, and I'm sure we'll have more on the way in no time. She did take the first go-round of teething pretty well, but I think there were definitely some things that made it easier for all of us. I feel like it's my mom-friend-duty to share them with those of you who might be coming up on the whole teething thing, too. Obviously we've only done this once, but here are a few things that worked for Jaqs!

• Aden & Anais Security Blankets: These have absolutely nothing to do with teething, but Jaqs just loves hers, and I think they give her a little comfort throughout the night.
• Bibs: There will likely be lots of drool to be soaked up, so be sure to get some with some absorbency!
• Little Fevers: (or baby Tylenol) We had one night that J was up on and off ALL night long. In our fog, we didn't even think about giving her some pain reliever, but she probably would have been able to rest had we thought of it sooner. We gave it to her the next 2 nights until the tooth broke through, and she slept fine. I know all moms may not be on board with this, but we were okay with giving it to her for a couple nights to help her rest.
• Summer Infant Finger Toothbrush: Once those toofies break through, they'll need to be brushed regularly, so I think it's a good idea to get baby used to it early on. Jaqs LOVES to have her teeth and gums brushed every night.
• Sophie the Giraffe and Teething Keys: Or whatever other teething toys your baby likes the best! These are J's favorites. Actually, she prefers my real keys over anything else...people always look at me with horror on their faces when we're in public ;) Whoops. #momoftheyear
• Hyland's Teething Tablets: To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I'm 100% sold on these yet, but we definitely did use them, and I'm sure we'll use them again. LOVE that their completely safe & natural! After seeing THIS about using Baby Orajel, I threw ours right in the trash. No thank you!
• Baby Wash Cloths: Another great thing for baby to gnaw on and even to clean baby's teeth with.

What are your tried and true remedies?

slipping away...

 TIME, that is.

What is it about becoming a parent that makes time move at lightening speed? I don't understand it, but it's continuing to fly by around here because my tiny 6 pound newborn that I just brought home last week officially has her first tooth coming in! WHAT?!

Yep, it's true.

Starting last Friday, Jaqs was unusually whiney, and I couldn't really figure out what it was she was wanting. I've been thinking teeth could be coming for awhile, so that was in the back of my mind. The whiney-ness and extra long naps continued through the weekend. Don't get me wrong, we could still squeeze some smiles and giggles out of her, but mostly there was a lot of this:

hehe...her 'mean' face is stinkin CUTE

Lo and behold, the tiny teether woke up with a sharp little tooth tip poking through on Monday morning!

Y'all. I cried. I know this is what happens, but I just want her to stay little. Is that too much to ask?! I'm going to miss her gummy smile, but she's going to be one precious snaggle-toothed angel too :) She's already trying to show her new tooth off....

 She's been all smiles now that it has cut through.

I don't have any experience to compare this to, but I think the pea has been a pretty easy teether for our first rodeo. She's been kind of restless at night, but we're hanging in there! Thankfully I read THIS before I gave Jaqs any Oragel, and we've been using Hyland's teething tablets here and there. I guess they're helping? I can't tell!

Do any of you seasoned mamas have any other secrets for us??

And while we're talking milestones, J tried some greek yogurt for the first time Monday as well! I mixed it with pumpkin to take away the sour cream taste, and she gobbled it right up. She's loving her new fall-ish breakfast ;)

happy eater!

It seems like I'm having a lot of these "Is she really mine?" and "I get to keep her?!" moments lately. I've thanked God for this blessing every single day since the day I found out I was pregnant, and I know I will continue to do so for the rest of my life. This love is so overwhelming and all-consuming. Every night I go to bed thinking I couldn't love her any more, and every morning I wake up doing just that.

It takes my breath away that my Heavenly Father feels that for me.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me Your love in a way that I never knew possible!