A friend has given me an amber necklace for our baby. No, not as a fashion item but because he has shown signs of teething. HUH? Yup ... that's whay I though but apparently amber necklaces are used by midwives and naturepaths in Europe to alleviate the pain. So I'm thinking ... probably better than a kick in the teeth ... but how can this possibly work?
The amber used for teetching necklaces is made from tree sap as opposed to fossil resin amber which is used for jewellery. The essential idea behind the amber necklace is that the baby's body heat released etheric oils contained in the little amber beads. These oils are supposed to alleviate the teething pain.
Does it work - well we've put it on our baby during the day (never at night) and to be fair it's hard to tell whether there has been any change. Maybe it works maybe not - we honestly don't know. The important thing is making sure that the baby is safe though. If you would like to try for yourself, amber necklaces are widely available on the web. It's important though to make sure that the beads are individually tied (in case the necklace breaks) and that the necklace is not too tight. No matter how effective it is I don't think it's safe to leave the necklace on over night so I'd always take it off and only put it on during the day.
-Stef
Technorati Tags: 
DIYFather.com is a registered Trademark, ©2008 -- user protected contents, all rights reserved.
Some companies have promoted
Some companies have promoted their product by stating that “amber teething necklaces are a traditional baby teething remedy. A natural analgesic, Baltic amber has been used for centuries in Europe. Wearing amber close to the skin will help calm a baby without resorting to drugs. Natural anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties of baltic amber are perfect to soothe teething babies.”
The carer needs to be aware of the risks and make an informed choice about whether to use a necklace.
There is a danger of the necklace getting caught and posing a strangulation hazard or a choking risk if the necklace breaks. The infant should not be left unattended for any time when wearing the necklace and the necklace must be removed before the infant is placed to sleep. Safety information should accompany the necklace when it is purchased and this should include information that the necklace is not for chewing on.
Post new comment
The following related articles may be of interest to you: