Those ridiculous amber necklaces...

[moxon]

...that all babies seem to be wearing these days. No, people, it does not help with teething pain/inflammation/positioning. It's just pieces of amber. You would need to heat it to extract the oil which you can use to make your baby smell like the inside of a potpourri bowl after using as a massage liquid base if you want, but it still won't do jack to give your baby a carefree pearly whites experience. I am getting so tired of everyone buying into this new-age old-age rubbish, and seeing otherwise perfectly reasonable parents stringing up their babies necks in gimicky stuff.

They are exactly that Koala :) however they do not break and shatter like some would iyswim... when I tried them, I was worried about that - but if you research them, they would only snap in the one place where the force was placed... I also never let dd nap / sleep at night in them just to extra safe.

Ah, thanks.

Doesn't sound like a hazard, then.

Just to add, my dd never chewed hers... Also I see many people leaving bibs etc on their kids when teething...isn't this equally (if not more) dangerous?

Yes Keepon but one daft doesn't make another daft ok!

Mummmabubbles- alternative things often appear to work in contexts like that because the conditions they work best for are time limited. And the point of desperation which drives you to try anything is often also the point when whatever it is is going to get better anyway.

Yadnbu they are nonsense. Calpol, teething gel and riding it out are clearly more effective

I use calpol too :) sorry what I meant hooby is they are more dangerous. Not equally. I don't think amber necklaces are really a choking hazard (but wouldn't risk it)

I would never let dd nap with a bib on, or sleep with one- I would never let her out my sight for long- especially with a bib. I think I use the bibs the same way I do the beads, with sensible care :)

I also use calpol And calpol gel too. I wouldn't stop giving medicine because she had her necklace on- for me it was more a little extra.

Is it just teething pain or any sort of pain?Why are we not all draping ourselves in amber when we have a headache instead of taking paracetamol?Can I use it instead of paracetamol/other drugs for pregnancy discomfort?I'm an ok seamstress,I could make myself amber necklace vests and dresses I think,I could make myself a whole bodysuit type outfit for labour!I'm off to write a proposal for dragon's den!

Apologies for being totally facetious.I totally understand desperation of teething time,and last labour I kept my tens machine on the entire time because I had it somewhere in my head that if it was that bad with it on I wasn't taking it off just in case it was doing something.The midwives thought this was hilarious and it was in effect probably my own amber necklace!

My baby wears one, but mainly because her name is Amber. :) It's ruddy cute n all.

Biff- good idea! I keep meaning to try one myself as I have had headaches this pregnancy...

Pod- they ruddy are!

OK, i do not get sophie the giraffe at all: whats the difference between it and any other teething item? It really does look like a dog toy...

Is there an evidence base? TFIC

I don't get it either, Didactylos.

Am convinced that parents just like it because it's French/retro/expensive. It's like a not-so-secret signal to other middle-class parents

I saw a Sophie the Giraffe in Three Men and a Baby. Tom Selleck buys it from a street vendor for the baby. [useless fact emoticon]

Oh right! so whats the cultural signifier if I save money and actually give the baby a dog toy?

I quite fancy doing that actually - you could market them as the cheap alternative to Sophie, and call them Austerity Bites....

My favourite thing about amber necklaces is that you 'recharge' them in moonlight. After all moonlight has magical properties, just think about what it does to werewolves

Never heard about the "recharge in moonlight" missed a trick there then

It seemed to work for us. All I know is one of my children got multiple ear/throat infections down to teething, and the other one didn't
I can't try to explain that probable coincidence and I'm not even going to try to

I have only seen them around ankles!

YANBU- teething gel and frozen whatever-non-poisonous-item-you-can-get-your-hands-on all the way! I'd be worried about them breaking whilst being chewed or baby getting caught on things. I also really hate people putting those big headbands on bald baby girls, but that's just me!

You have to recharge them in the moonlight!?

Is this while they're wrapped around the baby's ankle?

I only heard about 'recharging' in sunlight, never heard of the moonlight version!

I bought one for DS1 in desperation, completely useless, he had an awful time of it (Calpol/gel etc hardly helped, poor boy), still waiting his back molars at over 3yo.

I wear it as a bracelet these days, it's quite pretty and the magnetic closure is easy!

Might give it a go for DS2 if I get desperate enough, despite knowing how pointless they are I'll be hoping it's developed magical properties while sat in my jewellery box.