Parent Extremis

Links are, in my opinions the BEST baby item out there. Of course everyone has a favorite item but I found these to be endlessly useful for a long period of time. They are a safe toy, a simple toy, with many uses.

You can link a few of these together and they are perfect little textured-multi-colored easy-to-hold “toys” perfect for newborns, babies and toddlers.  I love these multi-purpose, all-age toys.

They are made from molded plastic which is not known to have lead, a common concern these days. You can clean them with a disinfectant-wipe or just toss them in the dishwasher or a pot of boiling water for a few minutes.

I keep a few links hooked together in the car as a toy while we drive. I also keep a few in the diaper bag, a great distraction when we’re in line at the grocery and the baby just needs a distraction NOW! And they also are excellent when you are in the teething stage because the plastic is easy for little hands to hold onto and “chew”.

Links are also good for LINKING other toys to an object for entertainment purposes. You can use a few links to hold a stuffed animal toy to the edge of a stroller. And since you can “link” them toys won’t drop on the floor.

There are a bunch of different brands that make a variation of the link: Fisher Price, Kids II, and Sassy’s links are BPA-free.

They retail for between $3.99 and $5.99 a package.

Teething is a bit of a mystery for us first time parents. I have been convinced that Noah was teething since he was about a week and a half old so clearly, my observations are not to be trusted. Fast forward to NOW, Noah is seven months (32 weeks) and I suspect a tooth is just about on the horizon.

Teething is a bit of a gray area at this time because I can’t tell which tooth might be coming in first. Most babies get the two bottom teeth first, although I have known plenty of babies who get five teeth on top and then no others for months on end.

Teething can begin as early as three months or as late as a year. The averages are around … seven months.

Some common symptoms of teething are:
* biting hands or anything that comes near their mouths
* crying out in yelps of pain
* drooling
* runny nose or congestion from drooling
* “smokers’ cough” from the drool going down the back of the throat
* spitting or throwing up from drool going into the stomach
* “drool stool,” which is shards of drool in the poop (I know, and it’s truly stunning when you see it)Moxie says it’s true!)
* rash around the mouth
* rash around the anus
* acidic poop (sometimes you can even smell the difference) and a burned monkey-butt look after pooping
* tugging or pulling at the ears
* not wanting to nurse
* biting while nursing
* flash fevers (fevers that come out of nowhere, don’t last, and are gone in 30 minutes to an hour)

Teething remedies will be discussed in a later post …

I just got an email from another blogger who has a baby the same age as Noah and after reading one of my postings about finally getting the baby to sleep for a nice long period of time, things are about to hit the fan because it is just about TEETHING time. Can I get a collective sigh of URGH.

I think the baby is starting the whole dreaded teething phase. He drools like a fountain and gnaws excessively on his hand, my hand, my shoulder, the dirty washcloth in the bathtub, you get the idea. His top row of gums have puffed up in the shape of little baby teeth. The bottom hasn’t shown too much action so far.

Babies can start teething as early as three months and some don’t show any signs of teeth appearing at their one year birthday but for most babies, the little nubs start cutting through that soft gum tissue somewhere around seven months of age, just for an average.

Sometimes breastfed babies will start to bite when they are teething. They are not doing it to hurt you, but rather because their gums are sore and biting down feels good but rest assured you can teach them not to bite. Moxie has written a good piece about breastfed biters.

The teething ring pictured at the top of this article is made out of all natural maple wood. It is made in the United States and is free of chemicals, most importantly, lead but also there is no potentially toxic gel inside. It is sold on Amazon.

When your baby starts teething and you want to offer some organic means of gum soothing, consider offering them a washcloth damp with cool water at room temperature or one that has been refrigerated for awhile. The cool sensation will gently and naturally numb their gums. Some babies will take to chewing on a pacifier. Even if the baby hasn’t liked a paci in the past, consider showing them they they can chew on it now. Sippie cup spouts are just about the right size to be chewed on. Overall, just choose something safe and large (READ: NON-CHOKE-ABLE) that your baby likes to chew on. Anything that takes the edge off of their discomfort is a good option.

There are also a hot of over-the-counter medicines including Tylenol and Orajel, a benzocaine-product. It is recommended that you speak with your pediatrician before offering any of these products.