Baltic amber : the natural cure for a teething baby

When I first heard about the baltic amber teething necklaces, I was at a La Leche League meeting. At first I thought it was an old wives tale and there was no way this necklace made of these Baltic amber beads was suppose to be the cure for a teething baby. Then one night my Lovebug was screaming , running a high temperature and wouldn't settle down no matter how hard I tried to soothe him. So off to the ER we went, I figure he must be deathly sick. We get there and come to find out my Lovebug was teething. After two days of fussiness , crankiness , fevers, and nonstop crying; I figured hey why not try the Baltic Amber Necklace, since giving infant Tylenol ,infant ibuprofen , teething tablets and baby orajel around the clock wasn't working. I promise you the moment I put the necklace on him, in about an hour I saw the biggest change in his personality. My Lovebug was no longer cranky, or fussy and most importantly the nonstop crying was gone and so was the fever. And I must add that the drooling stop as well. We have cut several teeth since then. I never know that he has cut a new one unless I feel it while nursing or when I am brushing his teeth. I love how these beads actually work.

Some important things to know about Baltic Amber:
Wearing amber on the skin for healing has been a common practice in Europe for hundreds of years! This is not some new age, modern idea! The jewelry is HAND MADE, and you know what that means? Not every piece will look like each other or like the picture on the model! The key element to the medicinal properties of amber is the succinic acid! Baltic Amber necklaces are commonly called "teething necklaces. Each bead is knotted on the string individually, which will keep your baby safe, as well as look pretty! Also, each strand is ended with a screw clasp cleverly disguised as to not mar the look of the necklace when the clasp swings around to the front! Baltic Amber is a live resin with analgesic properties that are activated when warmed by your baby’s skin. These analgesic oils contain succinic acid, an anti-inflammatory that helps with your little one’s pain relief and teething symptoms, like drooling, restlessness and the general fussiness that comes along with those new chompers. These necklaces are NOT meant for your baby to chew on; rather they are to wear tucked into their shirt and worn against the skin. I think my Lovebug might have chewed on his for the first couple of days, but after that he seemed to have forgotten about the necklace and never minded wearing it after that. From our own personal experience, Lovebug cut two of his molars without me even knowing it, all while he was wearing his necklace. His other teeth came in as a non-event as well. He also did not drool excessively like most teething babies do. In fact, He hardly drooled at all, and wasn’t nearly as fussy about his teeth after we put the necklace on him. And we mamas know the difference between a cry of pain, and a cry just for the heck of it. ;)

There are a few guidelines to follow , when thinking of having your baby wear an amber teething necklace:
It is very important to look for true Baltic amber when purchasing a teething necklace for your little one. There are lots of “pretty” amber necklaces out there, but look for a quality, well-made necklace from true Baltic amber, as these contain the highest amounts of the anti-inflammatory property. Look for necklaces that are knotted between every single bead of amber, so that in case the necklace should break, your beads won’t fall off the string and scatter everywhere, becoming a choking hazard.The necklaces are meant to break when pulled on hard enough, rather than choke your baby. (Although, fortunately, we’ve never been able to test that theory!)Check the size of your necklace to make sure it’s NOT quite long enough for your baby to chew on it, but that it’s long enough to be worn comfortably. Measure your baby’s neck and determine the proper size. When wearing, tuck the necklace under your baby’s shirt so that it’s not a temptation for him or her to bite the beads, and also so that their skin can warm up the amber. Shape can be a major consideration when thinking of comfort while wearing. These beads come in all shapes and sizes, my Lovebug's necklace is made of smooth chips. It’s your preference on the shape and size! Amber necklaces also come in beautiful colors, from a light lemon-yellow to a deep brown cognac, and beautiful warm tones in between. My Lovebug's necklace is a mix of light and dark beads. Yes, amber necklaces can be quite controversial, as most natural remedies can be. Do they work? Are they just hype? Well, you’ll have to be the judge of that – they obviously worked for us! But with a little research, and if used properly, these necklaces might be a blessing for your baby and yourself as well.

To Have And To Hold

I cringed every time someone tells me or I over hear a person saying: "hey stop holding that baby all time , you are going to spoil them and no one will ever keep that child for you. " Excuse me? Babies are meant to be held and love. And the infant stage pass by so quickly that you better hold them because before you know it, they will soon be toddlers, then preschoolers, then elementary age and then in a blink they will be graduating high school and off to college. oh I get tears just thinking about it. I had one lady tell me, at church that my son who was 14 months at the time is old enough to sit in the pew by himself and not on my lap. My response was very typical for me and outspoken , hence the name of the blog. LOL I simply replied that I will continue to hold my son on my lap cause one day he is going to be too big to sit on my lap so I am enjoying every minute of it now. I tell almost every new mom I meet to hold their baby, cause babies do not stay babies for long. One of my beliefs is that holding / cuddling with your little one is just another form of bonding. And besides babies enjoy being held as much as we enjoy holding them. While we are holding them they feeling warm safe and secure in our arms and so loved. Have you ever notice the extreme joy , happiness , calmness , and all is right with the world feeling you get when holding a baby ? Don't believe me or haven't really given it much thought? Then the next time you are having a bad day , hold a baby, preferably one You know, don't want you getting slapped by an angry mother; and watch how fast your mood changes when holding that precious little one.