Surviving teething....

Urrggghhhh.... we seem to be embarking upon the joy that is teething with Emma.

Daniel was early with his teething, from about four months I think he had rosy red cheeks and was a bit subdued every now and then, with the first tooth appearing when he was just under seven months.

Emma hasn't yet had rosy cheeks but she is VERY dribbly, particularly so at the moment and is chomping down hard on anything she can get her hands on!

We were recently sent some teethers by Dr. Browns to try with Emma. Daniel never really bothered with teething if I'm honest. He had a set of plastic keys but he didn't really chomp on them. He preferred to suck on the tail of a toy monkey he had... and still does to this day.

I think by the time his teeth started popping through he found more comfort from cold food (celery and cucumber were good teething tools for him). He had developed enough dexterity by then to easily manage to get these foods to his gums. Other than a spate of grim nappies, red cheeks and increased (but not excessive) dribble Daniel hasn't, thankfully suffered too much with his teeth - in fact his first four molars appeared without me realising - I only noticed them when I was tickling him one day!

The giraffe shaped teether from Dr Browns is call a 'Ridgee' and is actually quite a hard plastic - the tan brown areas are a softer plastic. Emma wasn't very interested in this one initially, but in the past week or so she is really chewing away at this one, and the neck and 'handle' section are the perfect size for her hands to hold and manipulate.

The watermelon one is a 'coolee' and the red part is made from a much softer, bendier plastic. I love the design of this one as once it's done it's job as a teether it will make it's way to the play kitchen as play food! I wasn't sure how Emma would be able to handle this one, whether it would be too awkward a shape for her small hands, but she manages it really well, and this was her favourite of the two initially. She still enjoys chewing on this one too, but the giraffe one if definitely the fave at the moment.

The teethers in the Dr Browns range are all developed by a paediatric dentist and I think it's one of those things that, if your child is suffering with their teeth, it's really worth investing in. I think we are fortunate that Daniel hasn't really suffered too badly with his teeth... so far! Emma doesn't seem to be showing any signs of pain and discomfort other than the dribbling and chomping.

The watermelon coollee teether is really good as you can pop it in the fridge (or freezer if you need it to cool quicker) and it's designed to hold the cold so that it soothes gums. Emma wasn't too sure about it when I popped it in the fridge, but I am sure that once we enter the exciting phase of weaning and she gets used to hot and cold foods she will be more interested in this. I did give it to Daniel when the weather was hot over the past week and he held it against his neck... not sure how well it cooled him but it might have helped!

The Ridgee (giraffe shaped teether) has a textured surface which I think must help to ease Emma's gums... perhaps explaining why she prefers this one at the moment. The Ridgee is also safe for the freezer so can be cooled, but it doesn't hold the coldness for as long as the coolee.

The Coolle retails at £2.99 and the ridgee at £4 - well worth the investment, and worth getting a couple of them. I am going to look out for some of the other Dr Browns teethers to pop into the change bag - it's always useful to have something for small hands to play with when you're out and about and these have come in really handy... most recently whilst my parents, Daniel and I were enjoying a John Lewis coffee break.... poor Emma was given her Giraffe teether.... she would probably have preferred some of my shortbread!

Have you got any top teething tips?