Teething necklaces

[sunflower.mama]

Anyone have experience using an amber teething necklace with their baby?  Do they work?  Are they considered safe?  I have seen them on babies pictured here on MDC but never IRL and I am sure I'd get a lot of comments if I put one on my baby.

[jeslynn]

Subbing. I never used one with my son, and I'm thinking about it for the next kiddo.

[MamieCole]

Originally Posted by sunflower.mama 

Anyone have experience using an amber teething necklace with their baby?  Do they work?  Are they considered safe?  I have seen them on babies pictured here on MDC but never IRL and I am sure I'd get a lot of comments if I put one on my baby.

DS2 has one. We've used it from about the age of 5 months on. He just turned one and is just now getting teeth # 4 and 5. 

Do they work? That all depends on who you ask. Some people say they didn't notice a difference when their LO wore one. Some people swear by them. For us, I am in the camp that I *think* it works, but obviously have no proof. He tends to have more cranky days without it than with it. He also tends to sleep better on nights he is wearing it than on nights when I forget to put it back on after a bath. I would not go so far as to say it eliminates all teething pain. There have been a few times when he was obviously miserable from teething pain and I resorted to ibuprofen. I look at it as one tool in an arsenal against teething pain...along with teething tablets, teething toys, and occasional pain relievers. 

Are they considered safe? I think that also depends on who you talk to. It is beads on a string around the neck of a baby. Obviously you will need to pay attention that it isn't too tight, that it isn't too loose, that your baby isn't chewing on it, that it is in good working order. The recommendation is that they be taken off any time the babe is sleeping. Some people take them and wrap them around their LO's ankle for nap and nighttime sleep. Some just take them off completely. I leave DS2's on all the time, except during baths. I feel that as with most things, it is up to the user to make sure it is being used in a safe manner. We co-sleep, so I don't have to worry about it getting caught on a crib or the like while my babe is alone. He's never alone. 

As a side note, DS really loves his necklace. It is sort of his lovie in a way. He actually holds it between his fingers and fiddles with it as he is drifting off to sleep. When I have forgotten to put it on, he reaches for it, looks at me like "Um, Mom, where are my beads?" 

Personally, we've gotten a TON of comments on it. Some positive, some not. Relatives from Louisiana have commented on pictures of him on FB with things like "Cute pic. But why is HE wearing a necklace?" *Emphasis on "he" since of course boys aren't *supposed* to wear necklaces. 

Most people in person will say "Oh look at his beads. They are so beautiful. What are they?" Then I explain that it is amber and why it is used for pain relief. Most people are confused as to why it isn't long enough for him to chew on it if it is a "teething" necklace. Once I explain that part, people usually have a positive response. 

[Kuba'sMama]

I'd recommend you measure his neck first. :) I bought one online, thought was getting a good deal. It's too small! I have a large, chubby baby and I'm not sure if I got them from a wrong source (an amber jewelry outlet) or just that my baby is fat, lol.

Anyhow, I'd make sure to measure with that soft sewing tape to make sure you know what you're getting.

Since it doesn't fit my lo, I can't say if it works or not.

[Mom2M]

I got one for DD when she was 9 months old but have not noticed any difference. She has 8 teeth and I think 2 more working their way out.   I only take it off for baths but a couple times have forgotten to put it back on for a few hours.

Even though it doesn't seem to have an effect, I leave it on because it looks so cute and I keep hoping it will help her sleep, lol

[starling&diesel]

DD wears one all the time.  The first day that I put it on her was the first time she ever slept through the night!  I don't know if it works, or if it just makes me feel better for doing whatever I can to help with her teeth.  She's had cysts for several of her teeth, and I just wanted to make sure that I was trying EVERYTHING possible to ease her pain.  The one we have has a safety clasp, meaning that it would break very easily should it ever get caught.  She's worn it 24/7 for over a year.  I'll be getting one for our next child too!

[somegirl99]

Subscribing, I've been considering whether to get one or not.

[P.J.]

DS has worn one since he was 3 months. He's 5 months now and has his first tooth, which was hell coming in. We had to give him Tylenol for a couple days there it was so bad. So I really can't say if the necklace works, but it would appear not. Maybe it would've been even worse without it...??? Honestly, I got it because I think they're cute, and if it helps with his teething pain then I see that as a bonus.

We are in Germany and here more babies wear them than in the States I think. In fact at many kids stores and health food stores they have them (often near the register as an impulse item, lol). I've had to explain it to a few people, but I see them on lots of babies and toddlers so it's not all that unusual here. I think the whole amber teething necklace tradition comes from Europe so I guess that's why more people wear them here.

As for safety, the one I got has each bead individually knotted -most have this feature and it means if it breaks you won't have loads of tiny beads around. But the best safety feature of ours is a magnetic closure. They even tested how much pressure is needed to open it and determined a 6+ month baby could pull that with its head if need be, so I feel it's safe. Plus, it's easy to put on and take off. I take it off at night, even though we cosleep. Now that I think about it, for his next tooth I think I may leave it on at night, as that's when a lot of pain happens. The magnetic closure makes it much safer, and I would recommend getting one with that feature.

In case any of you are in Europe, here's the one we have: http://aber-natuerlich.de/bernsteinkette-baby-kinder-p-119.html?osCsid=eaefeb8cc649140257c42ae75e7f5f86

[Ninetales]

Elsa's had one since just after her first tooth came in, at about four months.  She had a hard time of it with that first one, and I got her necklace right away.  Her next one came in without me noticing, and the next four came in pairs and she had like one crabby day before they came through.  The latest one came in again without me noticing anything off.  So I think it's worked for her.  She's worn it pretty much constantly since we got it, except for baths.  I used to take it off for bed, but now I leave it on since we sleep together.

Ours is individually knotted and has a breakaway clasp.  I know it works since she's pulled it off twice, and all that happens is that if she pulls hard, it unclasps, and I just put it back on.  I swear by ours.  We get some comments, but always positive.  Usually it's "Oh, what a cute necklace!" or "Oh, you have some bling!"  Sometimes I explain what it's for, and funny enough, my mother-in-law is very into telling people about it.

[Aliy]

i'm thinking about getting one with the next baby.... but not 100 % sure about them either

[thefreckledmama]

I've had one for each of my two younger children, and recommend them to everyone.  With my now toddler, I noticed a difference right away.  With the baby, I didn't see as obvious a difference until he'd been wearing it for a while, and then I took it off, and it was left off for a few days.  He was SO cranky, and I couldn't understand why.  Within about 12 hours of putting it back on, he was back to his happy, easygoing little self.  

I personally leave it on all the time, except during baths.  They say that soaps and such can wash away the oils that give the pain relief, so we avoid them.  Besides that, they wear them all the time-sleep, playtime, etc.  My son has tried to put it into his mouth a few times, and I just remove it, and tuck it back under his shirt...which it needs to be anyway.  It can't work if it doesn't contact their skin.

Like everything else, you just need to be a vigilant parent.  Yes, it has small bead, and yes, it could potentially cause a choking hazard.  The kind I get have the beads individually strung, so even if it were to break, at the most, only 1 or 2 beads would be loose-and I honestly think the beads on the baby's particular necklace are small enough that even if he swallowed one, it wouldn't choke him.  

I have bought mine from www.momsmilkboutique.com, and they seem to have the best prices I have found, and free shipping.  I figure for less than $20, even if they work a little it's worth it, and they're cute too!

[P.J.]

Just wanted to update:

I've been leaving DS's necklace on 24/7 lately as he's teething, and I noticed two days ago that his second tooth had come in...without any drama! The first one (when he was wearing the necklace only during the day) had a few rough nights, but the second one we didn't even notice til it'd broken through. So, maybe, just maybe, the amber helped!!!