Amber anklet for teething?

[ThunderMum]

Anyone have any advice? Do these work?

I've looked after a fair few babies as a nanny and some just don't seem to suffer at all with teething. If you had a baby like that and used an amber necklace, you may well think that the amber necklace had made teething easier when actually it had had no effect at all.

Thanks @FaithInfinity, I’ll see if I can get my hands on some!

Teething powders work because they are sugar. Sugar is actually a pain killer in little babies!

I just always wonder how some people would feel if they went to the dentist with toothache and the dentist gave them an Amber anklet to wear and waved them off.

Please don't think you are an idiot. My 2nd child is 5 and a half months old and is cutting his 3rd tooth. He has really struggled with teething even after I have thrown bonjela, teething granules and calpol at him! When he started teething at 3 months, he was too little to grasp at teething rings. I was at my wits end. My other child never seemed that bothered when he was teething. I had heard good reviews about the teething anklets so in desperation I ordered one to see if it would ease the discomfort. Unfortunately it hasn't. I'm not stupid, I was desperate to help ease my screaming baby and gave it a shot. Hope your little one doesn't suffer too badly on their teething journey xx

Thanks for being nice @Fairfield81 and for sharing experience. That’s the sort of response I naively thought I’d get. Hope third tooth is being a bit kinder to your LO xx

OP, thanks for sharing the link. Do forgive me if I remain comfortable in the conclusion of my previous research

Also, apologies if it sounded like I was being condescending/just plain rude earlier - that was not my intention, I was genuinely wondering how a rational person would think that putting a random piece of jewellery around one part of the body could produce pain relief in another part... but as a previous poster said, that horrible combination of sleep deprivation, worry and feeling helpless to comfort your little one can affect anyone’s thought process!

I’m really amused to find someone offering homeopathy as an alternative for Amber!

Op, teething powders also fall into the category of woo shite. They’re nothing more than an expensive placebo placed in a bit of sugar. If you’re looking for evidence based help you’re barking up the wrong tree!

I’d like to echo pp by recommending paracetamol and teething rings

I wear Amber necklaces frequently. Unfortunately I don't find that they help against pain.

Teething powders work because they are sugar. Sugar is actually a pain killer in little babies!

As far as I am aware, sugar is NOT a pain killer in babies, but the sweet taste distracts them from their pain.

It really upsets me when people won't give Calpol or Nurofen to babies who are teething badly. Why not give a clinically proven, well-researched, safe and effective medicine to relieve the pain, instead of faffing about with other things?

Sorry- I should have said that sugar is effective in managing pain in young babies. A crucial difference, I agree.

Sugar isn't effective in managing pain in babies.

When I see babies with amber anklets and ask why, the parents say for teething.

When I googled why on earth it could make a difference, I wasn't greeted with some voodoo shit, many pages talked about a science behind it.

I'm sorry if PP thought I should completely dismiss this OR spend hours finding/reading/understanding academic papers on the matter when it was a whole lot easier just to pose the question here for people's experiences. And before anyone points out that I'd already spoken to parents IRL, of course the parents whose kids are wearing amber anklets are going to be advocates.

For anyone thinking I'm cruel for not giving LO calpol,... I didn't mention anything about anyone being in any pain.

If the amber anklets brigade are to be believed, then they are PREVENTATIVE.

Why would I not explore something that PREVENTS my LO being in pain? Why would I wait until he is in pain before I do something?

My daughter has worn an amber necklace from 4months old...it's amazing! She's now 2.5yrs (and still wears it) and we've had much reduced teething symptoms (I know this because she is my 4th child, I really wish I'd known about amber with my others). I'd defo recommend giving it a go, far better than reaching for medication straight away.

we've had much reduced teething symptoms (I know this because she is my 4th child

My first dc did everything different to my second dc, but I started doing things the same. Every person is different, anything that you thought the amber was doing was just coincidence

matchalatte it could just have been that your baby was one of those babies who sail through teething without any pain anyway, amber or no amber.

2 out of my 3 children had no teething issues and even the one that did was pretty much fine.

All treated the same (though the one that did seem to suffer more than the others was my first so perhaps I worried more).

No teething necklaces here.

Amber necklaces are a choking hazard. They’re not in the category of “there’s no scientific evidence but they won’t do any harm”. Your child could br seriously harmed by this pointless piece of snake oil.

I think that maybe it’s worth considering two things. 1) What are the mechanisms that would make an anklet have any impact on the pain caused by teeth pushing through the gums and 2) if it did why would you want to let an unknown quantity of an unknown chemical remain in your child’s body for an unknown time?

When 'researching' on the internet, try and use Google Scholar. Its a different search engine. Some of the papers on there are beyond my comprehension but usually the abstract and conclusion are enough.

Sorry OP, I wasn’t meaning to sound as though I was directly criticising you in my post. It was more of a general statement, and I don’t want to make you feel like you shouldn’t have asked the question.

On a forum like this, it can be difficult to convey “tone of voice”.

Hi Thundermom, my friend sent me this conversation thread because I was asking about amber necklaces/bracelets. I was asking because I had loads of parents swearing by it. I didn't know anything about the oil it produces, I just thought maybe it was a better teether. However I was concerned at the possible checking hazard.

You are not an idiot. I am greatful for you asking the question. Those that made you feel stupid are a*holes. We are all in this together and we should be supporting each other.

Other than the teething liquid and Calpol. The best thing I've found are gel teethers that go in the fridge. I hope this helps x

When the oil is absorbed, advocates say, it has an analgesic effect on swollen, sore gums.

If you want something that has an analgesic effect then why not use an actual analgesia like paracetamol and ibuprofen? If you think your child is in pain then use pain killers. They actually work.

For anyone thinking I'm cruel for not giving LO calpol,... I didn't mention anything about anyone being in any pain.

But you mentioned that the amber anklet has an analgesic effect, suggesting you want analgesia.