Teething Tea

 

I have a teething baby. Need I say more?

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My lifesaver during teething is my amber teething necklace. It is incredible! I also love Hyland’s Teething Tablets and have used them with all of my 4 children. Sometimes though I need a little extra help for my little one as he cuts 4 molars and 2 eye teeth at the same time. It’s tough!

We don’t use conventional pain relievers. We haven’t used Tylenol or Motrin for about 8 years now. We don’t miss them!!! I’ve learned to use herbs and homeopathy to naturally relieve pain. I am not okay with giving medication to children unnecessarily. Acetaminophen is toxic to the liver even in small doses and ibuprofen is toxic to the kidneys and to the stomach.  These are drugs and should be treated as such. I’ve learned to use herbs and homeopathy in place of those drugs for the health of my family.

Teething tea is a wonderful blend of soothing, calming herbs that help relive the pain and discomfort of teething. It also helps the other symptoms that sometimes go along with teething like fever and runny nose. It’s great for the immune system to help ward off any colds or other viruses that might want to attack when baby’s defenses are down.

The herbs I chose for the teething tea have a long proven history of being used for these sorts of things. They are a common blend of anti-inflammatory, analgesic herbs. Taste is key because you don’t want to give something that is gross when your baby is already uncomfortable. Teething tea is so pleasant that I drink it!

Chamomile is so gentle and lovely that even Peter Rabbit and his siblings were given a spoonful before bed. It’s calming and helps the child rest. It is an incredible would healer and helps heal the mouth as the teeth are pushing through. It’s soothing to the stomach and can even help fight against colds.

Lavender is beautiful and brings this tea to life with its bright purple hue. It helps with the feverishness and headaches that can sometimes accompany teething. It also encourages sleep and relaxation, relieves anxiety and reduces pain.

Catnip has the opposite effect on humans as it does on cats. Don’t worry! It’s very calming and beneficial for pain relief and allowing the child to sleep peacefully. It’s also a wonderful herb for fever support.

Skullcap like catnip is great for calming, restful sleep. It’s very relaxing and relieves the stress cutting teeth brings.

Oatstraw is very nourishing and contains many vitamins and minerals like calcium and magnesium, vitamin A and B-complex vitamins. It strengthens the nervous system and relieves has anti-spasmodic properties.
Rose Hips are a lovely addition to this tea because they provide much needed vitamin C which is great for the immune system and for those new teeth coming in. So many times a cold will accompany teething and rose hips can help prevent that.

Red Clover is another highly nutritive herbs that nourishes the body and provides much needed support. It contains isoflavones which are linked to bone health.

Cloves are naturally analgesic and are such a wonderful part of this tea. They provide a pleasantly different taste from other herbal teas. Cloves have been used for gum pain for centuries and for their antibacterial properties. They are also anti-inflammatory and full of vitamins and minerals including vitamin K.

To make this wonderfully nourishing, soothing teething tea: mix 1/2 ounce of each herb and place into a jar for storage. Don’t forget to label your jar! When you want to make the tea, add 1-2 teaspoons of dry herb mix per 1 cup of water. Let steep for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours or overnight for a more potent infusion. Give warm or chilled. Can be frozen into ice cubes or on a clean cloth for further teething relief.

If you don’t have all of the herbs on-hand and need something ASAP, it’s okay to leave some of the herbs out. Use what you have while you build your herbal medicine chest.

Two great places to buy herbs can be found here and here.
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What are your favorite methods for teething relief?

I hope your little one gets some relief soon!

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Disclaimer: I am an herbalist, not a doctor. Nothing in the post is to be construed as medical advice nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, or heal any disease. Please inform yourself on the proper usage of herbs. I am not responsible for user error.  Please use common sense.
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