To think amber bracelets are a load of shit?

[SalemSaberhagen]

DD is 11 months old and has 2 bottom teeth, and is currently cutting her top ones. She has been a bit grumpy about it, a few more wake ups at night but nothing too bad or unexpected whilst teething.

I'm sick of people telling me to get an amber bracelet and all will magically be better. Am I right in thinking they have no proven benefits? This is unsolicited advice by the way, I haven't asked for recommendations or complained about DDs teeth.

One person even told me to eschew the teething powder in favour of amber!

YANBU. I think they are awful. They look tacky, and why would anyone put a necklace/bracelet of tiny beads on a baby within biting distance?! The calming effect on the parents will in turn calm the baby. Its not rocket science.

KoreanLady Somebody told me to ditch the approved teething medicines for an amber bracelet.

Kiwis I'm not judging you. I think they are a waste of money, and an unnecessary safety risk and so will not be getting one for DD. I was debating their supposed 'merits' as people keep telling me to get one when I have no interest.

So perhaps you would like to 'pull your head in', instead.

They are great -they help you identify which parents you don't want to ask for advice if you are remotely scientific (or the ones you do, if you are a bit more herbally inclined).

Saying that, the teething powders are homeopathic so just as likely to help. I don't think you would be right to mock the parent in your last sentence.

I doubt that they actually work, but I do think the anklets look pretty, so might get one when the time comes

Balancing out the chance of them actually doing anything against the choking risk I come down heavily against them.

Rub some anbesol on, let them lick a frozen milk lolly, get them a teether to chew and give them a cuddle. That's my kind of teething medicine.

You are right there runner, I apologise for that. I think because they were in boots I assumed they were medical! To be fair, she's only had them a couple of times, and Calgel a few times too.

She is doing pretty well at the moment, although we still have A LOT more teeth to come!

Just to add that, apart from the mechanism of action being devoid of a scientific basis, in Ireland our Health Authority issued a very strong warning against them in view of the significant choking hazard they present.

Mind you, Diggum, one of our senior paediatric dentists today also said essentially that teething was in the mind of the parents.... (Not that I don't agree with the HSA on the Amber issue, but interesting given the topic)

Why would any parent put a choking hazard on their child then?

Salem Boots sell all sorts of homeopathic old shit, I wouldn't trust any product to be medical unless it actually says so

I am not a woo woo hippie at all thank you but a 40 year old mum of 3 who in no way needs to feel superior to anyone.

I've learnt that the best thing I can do is muddle trough and not judge. Other people's choices.

Oooh controversial vvviola!

I have a vivid memory of my then 4 month old's two days of torment immediately prior to the appearance of her first tooth that would make me argue against that theory strongly. Unless dentist meant "in the parents' minds" in the sense of "trauma seared into their brains for all time" !

But the OP isn't about the claims of those selling amber, it's about those suggesting trying it. There's a lot of anecdotal evidence that it's proven useful for a significant minority. I don't agree with companies making claims that sound scientific but aren't, but nor do I see the sense in getting annoyed at people suggesting something that they've found helpful themselves.

My friend's daughter bought one for her baby. Her baby has had awful teething trouble yet the daughter still insists it's working because she reasons that it would have been ten times worse without it..........I've not seen many babies suffer as much as little one did so I fail to see how it's had any impact at all...and how could you ever know?

Teething gel and calpol worked for mine.
I wouldn't have tried an amber bracelet ,or anything else of that ilk.

They are a load of shit, yes.

They are a lot of very, very old tree sap.

DS has an amber anklet and has been a very easy teether (he is now 33m and has all his teeth but only ever needed the occasional pack of granules. He usually just used to wake up with more teeth lol)

DD has an anklet and although she is still toothless I think the bottom two will appear any time.... she has been a nightmare and we are using loads of granules / bonjela / iced teething rings etc.

I think it's more about the child and how painful teething is for them as opposed to the amber necklaces or anklets.

Even IF the amber beads did release the succinic acid into the baby's blood stream (and that's a massive if) I don't understand why anyone would choose to give their infant unmeasured, continual dose of analgesic.

Totality neither of my girls needed any granules/medication at all to get them through teething and they didn't have amber necklaces/anklets. Maybe your little boy would have been exactly the same with or without the amber? You won't ever really know if it's made a difference.

People will believe anything. I have some magic beans that cure all ailments. Offers???

I remember asking another parent about these and being ridiculed when I queried the safety of letting a child chew on small beads.

Was I the only one who thought they were actually meant to teethe on the amber for some sort of relief??

Absolute waste of time and money IMO.

Chewing on them is the only way these could help but that would be daft

Anbesol, all the way!

Calpol or nurofen. Job done. I wouldn't wear an amber necklace if I had a toothache.