Found a trick that's working wonders for my lil one's sore gums—freeze a damp washcloth and let them gnaw on it. Cheap, easy, and she seems way happier. Curious if anyone's got other tricks up their sleeve?
"freeze a damp washcloth and let them gnaw on it"
Yep, did this too—total lifesaver. My kiddo also loved chomping on chilled cucumber slices. Cheap snack for me, soothing for him, win-win. Just gotta watch out for cucumber slime trails everywhere... parenting's glamorous, huh?
Frozen washcloths and cucumber slices are definitely handy, but have you tried chilled carrot sticks? My youngest went through a phase where nothing else would do. They're firm enough to soothe sore gums without breaking apart easily, and bonus points for being less slimy than cucumbers (though still messy, because kids...). One thing I always wondered about though—do you guys worry about the sugars in fruits or veggies affecting their teeth at this stage? I know they're baby teeth and all, but cavities can still happen early. Curious how others handle balancing soothing snacks with oral health...
Chilled carrots worked okay for us, but honestly, I found celery sticks even better—less sugar and still firm enough to soothe gums. About the sugar thing, I get your concern, but I think as long as you're wiping their gums or brushing gently after snacks, it's probably fine. My older two never had issues with cavities from veggies or fruit...it was always the sneaky bedtime milk that caused trouble.
Frozen washcloths were a lifesaver here too, especially since my little guy seemed to prefer gnawing on random household items rather than actual teethers. Tried the carrot thing once, but he just ended up waving it around like a tiny orange sword and smacking the dog with it...so that was short-lived, lol.
One thing that surprisingly worked for us was freezing breastmilk or formula into little popsicles. I used those silicone molds meant for ice cubes—cheap and easy to clean. He loved them, and I felt better knowing exactly what he was chomping on. Plus, no worries about sugar or choking hazards. And yeah, totally agree about bedtime milk being sneaky trouble. My oldest had a cavity scare from that too, so now I'm paranoid and wiping gums religiously after every snack. Parenthood really turns you into a dental hygiene fanatic, doesn't it?
