Teething 101

Ahh teeth. No fun for the baby, no fun for the parents. Like all baby things, there are a million and one products that claim to fix everything. And, like most parents, we tried them all.

Teethers fall into basically three categories: cooling, chewy, or nubbly. Or some combination of all three.

Here's what we thought: (clockwise from the bottom left)

• Hand (from the drug store)
• Pros: cooling and nubbly which Oliver seemed to like
• Cons: The fingers were too close together to just get one in his mouth

• Razbaby RaZ-berry Teether
• Pros: cute and pacifier like. I could clip it to him using the pacifier clip and it didn't fall all over the place.
• Cons: He kept thinking he was supposed to suck on it and was confused by the texture. He got the hang of it eventually but more as a novelty than a soothing device.

• Ring Teether (from Whole Foods)
• Pros: Classic cooling beads. Easy to hold on to.
• Cons: The beads are huge and don't really "fit" in baby's mouth. 

• Mam Cooler Teether
• Pros: Long fingers you could put in the fridge or freezer to cool. Easy to grasp handle
• Cons: Doesn't stay cold long, but the fingers have texture that is nice

• Sophie the Giraffe
• Pros: Cute, natural rubber, easy to chew on
• Cons: horrible squeaking noise and expensive

• Silicone Ring (Life Factory from Whole Foods)
• Pros: Easy to grip, no plastic, four different textures to chew on
• Cons: not cooling

• Silicone Chew beads (from Mama and Little)
• Pros: Baby can wear them, you can wear them. Super easy for little hands to grab and manipulate. 
• Cons: Once Oliver learned he could pull the clasp apart he is constantly tearing them off his neck

Conclusion? I would find one that cools, and one that is chewy. Oliver loves the chew beads and Life Factory ring as a general fun thing to put in his mouth. When the teeth are really bothering him he prefers the Mam finger teether or the classic ring teether (he sort of sucks on it). 

Though really he loves to chew on everything. 

Cheers!