Care for your Teething Baby

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Teething is a difficult time for both you and your baby. In fact in a study shows that health professionals in Victoria, Australia believed that parents experience as much distress as the infants themselves during teething.

General Care

  • Teething is a vata experience, both because of the pain involved and because it is a transition. Take care of your baby's vata with daily oil massage and avoiding cold droughts.

  • Teething is a natural process. But because it disturbs vata--and hence the other doshas--your baby may suffer from various disorders like fever, headache, thirst, vertigo, pinkeye, vomiting, respiratory troubles, diarrhea and rashes. For the most part, these manifestations will subside naturally with home remedies. But of course, more important conditions requiring medical attention could come on co-incidentally with teething.

  • Teething is a vata time for you as well. Give yourself a daily oil massage too!

Specific Remedies

  • Massage your baby's gums with pippali ghee. This will not only ease the pain, it will also support healthy teething.

  • Dilute one drop of clove oil in 1-2 tablespoons of coconut or sunflower oil, dip your clean forefinger in this mix and gently massage the affected area to relieve sore gums

  • Rub vanilla extract on your baby's gums to soothe inflammation. (Buy alcohol free vanilla extract).

  • Rub diluted almond extract over baby's gums to soothe pain and inflammation

  • Teething Necklace: Traditionally, the root of vitex negundo or chaste tree was used as an anti-inflammatory teething amulet (necklace). Nowadays amber teething necklaces are used for similar effect.

If there are dental concerns beyond normal teething, pippali and amlaki may be mixed in ghee and given both on the gums and internally. (The traditional remedy calls for honey, now not used for babies because of botulism concerns).

References

  1. Wake M, Hesketh K. Teething symptoms: cross sectional survey of five groups of child health professionals. BMJ 2002; 325:814.

  2. Teething from the Ayurvedic point of view BMJ 2002;325:814

  3. http://ayurveda.iloveindia.com

  4. http://www.ayurveddoctor.com

  5. Kumara Tantram of Ravana remedies 106, 107

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!