When I was pregnant I saw a few babies in blogland wearing necklaces, I read a little bit about them and decided I would have Adalyn wear one when her teeth starting coming in.
The necklaces are made with Baltic Amber, they come in a variety of shades of yellow- real dark to real light.
Baltic Amber has been known to be a natural healing remedy- helping with pain, inflammation, comfort, relaxation etc.
These necklaces are not meant to be chewed on.
Sometimes when I tell people it's a teething necklace they think it's for her to suck on- it's not.
The length of the necklace is not supposed to be able to even reach the child's mouth.
When Adalyn first wore her necklace it was hard for me to tell if it was too tight. You could hardly even see it with all her "necks" or lack thereof!
It's been funny to see the it "grow" as she's thinned out- it really looks like it's doubled in size!
The beads are all individually knotted so if she or another child was to pull it, only one bead would fall off and the rest would stay in tack.
Reducing the risk of multiple beads being swallowed!
The beads are small enough that if one did happen to be swallowed it would not be a choking hazard.
The necklace is also made with a screw type clasp that would come undone with enough pressure.
My Aunt actually bought one for her for my baby shower, she bought it from Inspired by Finn and I picked out the Raw Amber Light Mixture {except at the time I feel like it had another name?}. Adalyn started getting her bottom teeth when she was a little over 4 months.
All of a sudden I could see them at her gumline and within a few days they had popped through.
It happened so fast!
They never seemed to bother her so I was in no rush for her to wear the necklace.
I was told it was better to start wearing it now before any "symptoms" occurred so it gets into her system.
So I decided to give it a try.
There's really nothing to lose.
If it works great,
if it doesn't bummer and it's on to tylenol and bibs.
So she wore it.
And teethed fine.
We took it off at night before her tubby and put it back on in the mornings.
I read that some people put it around their kids ankles at night so we started doing that too.
I wasn't sure if it was working, I didn't really know how Adalyn was as a teether, but she continued to get teeth with no problem so she kept on wearing it.
We had no bad diapers.
Maybe one bad night and I don't even remember if she was wearing it or not.
No crankiness.
Nothing out of the norm for our sweet girl.
{See how much bigger it looks when her neck sprouted??}
One night I misplaced the necklace and she didn't wear it for a couple days and that's when I became a true believer.
Niagra Falls moved into Adalyn's mouth.
I could not believe the amount of drool that would constantly pour out.
This did not happen when she wore the necklace.
I was amazed.
I'm still amazed.
I don't completely understand it, but it was night and day difference for her so I don't really care how it works!
It works!
After seeing the difference it made, I now make sure she wears it as often as she can.
One thing I don't like about it is all the comments I get when we are out and about.
Before I had her I know I would have been judging in my head if I saw a baby wearing a necklace.
The comments I get are not usually negative, they're more friendly comments with hopes that I can explain to them why my baby is wearing a small necklace with beads around her neck.
"She's so cute. Ooo she's even wearing a necklace"
"Look at her in her little necklace"
"So fancy in her necklace"
"What a little fashionista"
Typically I explain {and sound like a complete loony} because I want people to know I'm not some vain teen {not really, but look like one} mom who is playing dress up with her baby.
I mean don't get me wrong, I totally love to play dress up with my baby,
but having her wear a little beaded necklace to go with her outfits everyday would be crossing the line.
So I give my mini speech that it's for teething and the warmth of her body allow the healing oils from the amber to go into her body. That it really helps her with her drooling, etc, etc.
"Oook lady" is typically the face I receive.
And this is also when I am usually glad the necklace works, but secretly wish that it didn't.
I especially don't like it when I have her in a yellow outfit because then it really looks it's for style!
{Unfortunately it doesn't help with new trick of teeth grinding!}
A few weeks ago I accidentally put the necklace in the wash.
It was in my pocket and I forgot to take it out.
{So bummed!!}
The beads are very delicate-you're not really supposed to clean them with anything.
I think a really soft cloth and a little water if needed.
So going through the wash, in my jeans and with detergent was not exactly ideal.
So she went without it for a few days and I was reminded of how awesome the necklace really is!
I let it dry and had her wear it for a couple days and unfortunately she continued to drool like crazy.
It didn't seem to be working anymore.
Wah.
I read some tips online that said to let it dry, recharge it in the sun and put some olive oil on it.
I crossed my fingers and tried that and it didn't seem to help.
When she was wearing it she was still drooling so badly that I would either have to change outfits or dry her shirt while she napped.
It was getting ridiculous.
{Couldn't she just wear a bib?
Well yeah, but back to the whole fashionista/baby dress up thing...it just doesn't fly.
She can totally pull off a bib
they just aren't my favorite.}.
So I bit the bullet and bought a new necklace at a local natural store down the road.
Literally within hours her drool was so much better.
And of course again, I was amazed.
It really does work.
Does she still drool with the necklace on?
Yes.
But clearly, it does not even compare to when she's not wearing it.
And I've recently learned, with her being sick, that it doesn't help much when her nose is stuffy.
But of course if she can only breathe out of her mouth- that's expected.
I drool a lot when my nose is stuffy too.
Now she wears it most days and sleeps with it on most nights.
I usually take it off when we go to church {I don't want anything to happen to it while Adalyn is in the nursery} and when she has doctor appointments.
And also for most special pictures or photo shoots.
And if I'm not in the mood to explain or justify, I sometimes take it off before going out to a store.
Apparently it doesn't work on all babies {I have a friend whose daughter still drools a lot with it}, but for most babies I know they do.
I'm a big fan
and I say give it a try if your baby is teething and/or really drooly!
