"Teething necklaces are kind of like a smart phone, you have no idea how much you need one, until you have one!"
Do I really need a teething necklace? This was the very question that went through my mind the first time I saw them hanging there in the baby store. I thought a $40 necklace of rubbery balls was insanity - just another passing, overpriced fad... or so I thought.
I couldn't have been more wrong. In this post, I share with you why.
Teething necklaces, as they are most commonly known, are also called 'nursing beads'. They are usually wooden or food-grade silicone beads of different shapes, sizes, colors and quality that are secured on a strong cord and worn around Mom's neck, much like a normal set of beads. There are also baltic amber teething necklaces designed to be worn by baby, unfortunately I do not consider these a safe solution and will not cover them here.
Below are the primary benefits, from both personal experience & the collective feedback of others:
- Nursing Benefits - when nursing baby, it is sometimes a challenge to get baby to focus, they can be restless and fidgety. This can result in poor/incomplete latching, painful nips (in both senses of the word!) and the infamous and horribly uncomfortable twiddling. The beads provide a focus for baby: to hold on, to touch, feel, explore, and to twiddle with making the latch much more instinctive, faster and the feeding session smoother and easier for both baby and Mom.
- Skin to Skin - both during nursing and other valuable skin-to-skin time, the beads allow baby a natural point of focus to calm their restlessness allowing both of you to soak up those precious bonding moments minus the discomfort & anxiety.
- Carrying Baby & Focus Control - whether in a carrier or in your arms, as baby grows and becomes more curious, wearing teething beads provides a nearby object of interest, baby contently & intensely focuses on the beads; touching, feeling, exploring with little eyes, fingers and mouth.
- Sensory Stimulation - as baby explores their new world their vision and motor skills advance through several stages. The teething beads encourage visual focus and allow the distinction between near/far & dark/light to develop rapidly. Baby is curious and even within a month will start reaching out to touch and explore, albeit rather uncontrolled at this stage! The beads encourage development of both the larger and the finer motor skills. From straightforward grabs to using their cute little fingers to thoroughly explore each bead - the shape, the size and the texture.
- Teething - before baby has even starting the teething process these so-called teething beads have already proven themselves an indispensable item for a new mom, on par with the pacifier in my personal experience. Once the teething process begins, all of the benefits above are now doubled, as well as now providing baby with a safe and effective outlet to relieve their need to chew and to ease away their discomfort. These beads are soft and smooth, and offer the perfect amount of elastic resistance for baby to get a satisfying bite without posing any risk of damage to delicate gums or teeth.
- Point of Focus and Anxiety reduction - there is a reason that strings of beads exist as important objects of meditation and prayer all over the world in different cultures and traditions. They provide a natural point of focus and calmness. As baby grows the use and purpose of these beads grows alongside.
With all of that covered, let's also cover what makes them an absolute must have for Mom/Caregiver.
- They're gorgeous! Yesterdays leggings and T'shirt become a catwalk worthy ensemble the moment these beads are put on!
- On a more serious note though, most jewelry unfortunately poses a hazard to baby. Us ladies do enjoy our accessories, and looking as nice as possible given our own expectations & time constraints. So being able to pair a safe, reliable and beautiful piece of jewelry that doubles as your baby's best friend is seriously a no brainer.
- They are easy to clean & sterilize,
- They're an instantly accessible focus for baby when in the carrier and you're on the go.
- They're going to save you the nips and tugs during feeding times.
- They help baby settle into a feed much more quickly.
Baby Beautiful offers top of the line, USA hand assembled and safety tested, teething necklaces in both classic & original designs. Always safe, always reliable, always beautiful - Baby's Beautiful.
Small products. Big Impact.
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