FluffyRumps - Review & Giveaway

A few months ago my daughter was having a horrible time teething. Way worse than her brother or sister who had gone down this road before her! So what did I do? I sent out an S.O.S. to all of you! Rhonda from FluffyRumps responded - and quickly! She sells genuine Baltic amber teething jewelry (along with some other fluffy goodness that we'll save for another day!). Are you wondering what "Baltic amber teething jewelry" is, or what it does? Rhonda has a great definition on her Facebook page:

"Natural Baltic amber is a completely non-invasive remedy for side effects associated with teething. It helps with lack of appetite, redness in the cheeks, swollen gums, diaper rashes (and as cd'ing mamas - we ALL want to avoid that!), upset tummies, earaches, fevers, and colds. Baltic amber is also a natural analgesic that will calm your child. Think of it as a natural infant Tylenol."

A little more research found that when Baltic amber is worn on the skin, the warmth of your skin resleases a tiny amount of the healing oils from the amber. Then these oils are absorbed by your skin and sent into your bloodstream.

Ella and I received a multi-colored necklace to review.

I LOVE the way the colors look with her red hair! =)

At first (in just looking at a few pictures online), I was really confused about how these went on. I didn't know if they were made of a stretchy material or what...I couldn't see a clasp. Once I had the necklace in hand, it's pretty easy to see how it goes on:

There is some controversy about when babies should wear these. Some moms swear by them 24/7 and leave them on their children that long. Others (like my pediatrician), are a little more leary of allowing the babies to have them on during unsupervised times (like naps and bedtime). Some worry about the necklaces being a choking hazard, others say the worst that can happen is they bite off a little piece (they are all individually knotted on, so if you lose one bead the whole necklace doesn't fall apart) and then you just find it in their diaper. Just watch what your kiddos do and act accordingly. Once Ella found the necklace, I wasn't comfortable letting her sleep in it. That's just me. You may decide something entirely different. =)

(How the necklace should look in length.)

I can honestly say that I did notice a difference in her disposition after wearing the necklace for a couple of days! I stopped using it once her teeth popped through, and I'm just now noticing the red cheeks and runny nose starting...time to put that necklace on full time again!

Rhonda is a WEALTH of knowledge and has been INCREDIBLE to work with! She's VERY quick to respond via email. She has graciously provided a Baltic amber teething necklace for one lucky reader to win! Fill out the form below for your chance! And if you don't win? Totally worth it to buy your baby's teething necklace from FluffyRumps!

This giveaway will close on November 15th, 2011 at 8 pm EST. At that time, a winner will be chosen via random.org and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Have fun!!!

Disclaimer: I received a Baltic amber teething necklace for review. All opinions are truthful and my own. You may have a different experience. FluffyRumps is sponsoring the giveaway of one Baltic amber teething necklace.

Ringley Teething Toy Review

For Christmas, we bought our youngest son probably one of the best toys in the world. Or at least, that is what he leads me to believe whenever he is playing with it!

We purchased a Ringley teething toy, specifically the Ringley Straight. It's simple: an unfinished, maple wood ring with 100% organic cotton terrycloth attached.

image from ringley.ca

They have a handful of styles to choose from including a heart, a ball, a sun, a knotted one and a more open style. I chose the Straight for the variety of textures - the straight ends, the knot, and of course the wooden ring.

We all know that babies have a need to chew, especially when those teeth are trying to make an appearance, and Ringley offers babies that opportunity with safe, chemical and dye free toys.

All Ringley's are handmade in Canada and have the softest feel to them - they scream NATURAL. What I loved learning about the Ringley is that untreated maple wood is naturally anti-bacterial!

When my little guy is working out his teething frustration on his Ringley, I can rest at ease knowing that his little body is safe with this natural teething toy!

You can find more info on Ringley teething rings by visiting their website and checking them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Have you tried Ringley Teething Toys?

Disclaimer: I purchased a Ringley teething toy for our son. I was not compensated in any way for this review. All opinions are my own and you may have a different experience.

Humphrey's Swift Strips

We have been avid teething tablet users since our oldest son first had the tale-tell signs of those first baby teething breaking through. Depending on where we were shopping, the coupon we had and the specials being run, we would buy Hyland's, Humphrey's or the store brand. All seemed to work equally as well for our older boys - instant relief!

As my youngest has started the teething journey, we have found that the pellets or tablets we had used previously weren't doing the job for him. My mom purchased a box of teething tablets for us she found on sale and they had a couple samples of teething swift strips made by Humphrey's. As a mom eager to take away the pain in a safe, natural way, I was all for trying these new strips, but for whatever reason, I kept putting it off.

Well, Monday night, we lost power at our house. I walked my screaming, gnawing, drooling baby around by candlelight, who was totally unhappy with any carrier I tried and only wanted me to hold him upright and super tight. Then and there, I knew I had to get some teething relief in his system. As my husband was calming the fears of our older two, I was left trying to figure out how to dispense the tiny tablets one handed...in the dark! I then remembered the teething strips. I felt my way around the kitchen counter, trying to remember where I had seen the sample pack last. Success! I opened the thin package and said out loud, "IT'S EMPTY!" I couldn't see anything by the candle light. I hit a button on my phone for some more light and found the nearly clear strip sitting inside the package.
I put it inside Caedmon's mouth, and no joke, within 30 seconds, the strip had dissolved, he was calm, looking at me with his goofy grin, and eye lids starting to get heavy. I sat in my favorite chair and began to rock and sing to him. He continued to make lovey eyes at me for about 2 minutes and then drifted off to dreamland.

He took an amazing, early evening snooze and was so happy the rest of the evening (until chow time - no teething strip can fix that!)

Not wanting to wake the snoozing baby who fought so hard for sleep, my husband and I were texting each other from across the room while waiting for the power to come back on about the success of these strips. The consensus: we WILL be buying more Humphrey's Teething Swift Strips. ASAP!

My mom found these Teething Swift Strips at Walgreens, but I also saw them available on amazon.com and just about any online drugstore.

Humphrey's Teething Swift Strips are Lactose, Sugar, Aspirin and Ibuprofen Free as well as 100% all natural.

They are called "Swift Strips" for a reason: not only do they dissolve quickly, they get to work just as fast!

Disclaimer: I was not in any way paid for this review. The samples of Humphrey's Teething Swift Strips were included inside a box of Teething Pellets purchased by my awesome mommy. :) All opinions are my own, and you may have a different experience. Please discuss any medication with your child's medical care provider.

Inspired by Finn - Review

I was so excited to have the chance to try out a Baltic Amber necklace from Inspired by Finn. Many friends of mine have raved about how much these necklaces have helped relieve their children's teething pains, and since my 2 year old is dealing with those wonderful 2-year-molars, this could not have come at a more appropriate time!

The necklace I chose, the Honey Round, came with minimal packaging (which is a big deal to me). It was simply laid in a tiny box - beautiful! (And my little guys have used that box to harbor treasures to their hearts content!) It also came with a few sheets of information on the necklace and a small flyer to join their Facebook page for special offers - all great information to have.

I immediately called over my 2 year old, Benjamin and showed him the necklace and explained that it was going to help his mouth feel so much better. He looked at me like I was a crazy lady, but allowed me to put the necklace on him. About 3 seconds later, he was screaming that he wanted it off and that he didn't like it. I immediately removed it, and in hopes of getting him to see that it was OK, put it on myself. He was very much uninterested, so I didn't push the issue.

(Benjamin whining about wearing the necklace, ha!)

However, getting into bed that night, I took the necklace off and I remembered how bad my headache was earlier in the day (I remembered my first thought when Benjamin started screaming was, "My head!!"). Here it was, 8 hours later, and my headache was gone. I thought maybe the necklace had something to do with it, but brushed the thought aside.

The next day was a repeat of this incident - he just did not want anything to do with the necklace! Keaton, my 3.5 year old, was very curious about the necklace, so I let him wear it around in hopes that his interest would spark Benjamin's curiosity (but all Benjamin did was scream that Keaton got to wear it - of course). Later, Keaton decided he was done, so I put it on myself, telling Benjamin that it was OK and how it might have helped mommy's headache.

(Keaton showing the proper way to wear Baltic Amber)

The third day, Wednesday, I woke up, fairly certain that I had strep throat. I chose to keep the necklace for myself and see if it would help. Knowing that I wasn't ready to rely on the necklace alone to help me (and not knowing if it was even intended for helping with colds), I started a regimen of garlic cloves and tea to help my throat (I was already on an antibiotic for a recurring bout of mastitis and my midwife suggested to continue that along with my garlic and tea. When I asked her about the Baltic Amber, she said that it "definitely couldn't hurt", but she really had no idea if it would help. Now, I don't know if it was one of my tricks I was already trying, but by Friday morning, my sore throat was completely better (though I still had a cough and a touch of congestion). Was the necklace to help? I can't say for certain one way or another, but I'm all for something non-invasive (and gorgeous!) that could help (not certain that I would rely fully on it for something like strep, but, as an addition to other measures, definitely).

I know. I know. You're wondering, "Did you ever get the necklace on your toddler? Does it help with teething?" I can answer with great enthusiasm, "Yes I did! And I really do believe so!" Finally, that weekend, I was able to convince Benjamin that the necklace was not hurting him and that it was "cool" to wear - he went for that! There was an afternoon that he was fussy and drooling everywhere. I knew this was my chance and I had to take it. Within the hour, his demeanor had completely changed. Leading up to his wearing the necklace, he kept asking for teething tablets (of which we were out of, of course), after starting to wear the necklace, he did not ask for them again while he was wearing it. It is recommended on Inspired by Finn's website for the child to not wear the necklace around their neck while sleeping, but to place it on their ankle, covered with a sock (as you can imagine, Benjamin wanted nothing to do with that, so we just discontinued used altogether at nap and bedtimes).

The necklace did not relieve and drooling associated with teething (I saw no claims to this on their website, but I was curious if it would or not!) but his pain did seem to diminish (and the attitude change was worth the necklaces' weight in gold!)

We continued for about 2 weeks (and we are continuing) to use this for teething issues and I really have noticed a difference in him. After a couple of days, I would notice him begin to chew on fingers and toys, and within a few minutes, he'd ask for the "Ne-las" (necklace).

To answer the main questions we keep asking - HOW does it work? From the paper included with the necklace, it says: "When Baltic Amber is worn on the skin, the skin's warmth releases trace amounts of healing oil from the amber. To receive a therapeutic benefit, Baltic Amber cannot be in a metal setting - the amber must come in direct contact with the skin." The amber also needs to be worn as much as possible.

Another note of interest includes that the lightest color of amber is best, as that color generally possesses "the greatest amount of succinic acid (which is a natural component of plant and animal tissues, and its presence in the human body is beneficial in many ways) and thus the greatest therapeutic benefit."

If you would like to buy a Baltic Amber necklace for yourself, head it Inspired by Finn's Facebook page to learn how to save 20% off ANY purchase.

Disclaimer: I was given a 17"-18" Honey Round necklace to review. I was not paid for this review and the opinions are my own. You may have a different experience.

Teething Bling Review

My baby is 6 1/2 months old and has not had any teeth come through yet. I keep thinking one of these days something is going to happen. He is constantly wanting to chew on something, he is drooling like crazy so you would think it would be soon. But until then my little guy needs to have something to soothe those sore gums. I was given the chance to test out some Teething Bling by Smart Mom. They have some really neat items to help your baby's become more comfortable during the teething stage while helping mommy to stay fashionable. They even have a new item for the daddies called 'Babe Magnet Ties' that have little rattles and squeaky toys inside to help entertain baby. How fun is that! They also have teen bling and bangles for mom. The teething bling come in donut shape and you can get a solid color or a patterned one. They have lots of great colors and their patterned donuts look like the 'cats eye' marbles that you used to play with as kids. They have a cool swirly in them. I got the brown snowflake donut teething bling to try out.When I first found out about Teething Bling the donuts looked a lot like stones. I couldn't figure out how these would be any good for babies who had babies, but after receiving this necklace I was surprised to see that the donut is actually softer and bendable. Teething Bling products are made from a food-safe, phthalate-free, federally-approved silicone. I can see where this would feel great on a babies sore gums.

After I opened up the package and starting wearing it my little guy noticed it pretty quick. He liked to look at my regular necklaces so when he seen this and was actually able to play with it he was pretty happy. The clasp is a simple click together type so if he was to pull on the pendant to hard it would simply pop open with out breaking anything or having little pieces going everywhere. The chord is made of a black silky material and is comfortable to wear. After doing the initial once over of the necklace it went straight for the mouth. Z love chewing on it. He rubs it side to side and back and forth and he chomps down on it pretty good. He does produce a lot of drool while using it but I can tell by watching him that it feels good on him gums.

I thought I had more pictures than just the one but I guess not! I will try and get some of the necklace in use to share. My toddler seen the necklace on the counter and said "Thats Z's necklace" and had to go and share it with him. These necklaces should not be given to the babies to use unsupervised because of the long string, it could cause strangulation.

Overall I would have to say that I really like this necklace. The color is great and I can wear it with what ever, the style is simple yet cute to wear and its baby friendly.

Head over to Teething Blings website to purchase one for your self. They run $12.75 a piece which I think is pretty good.


**This review is entirely of m own opinion. I was not paid to write this. I was sent 1 teething bling necklace to use and review.**

Teething Ideas

In light of the recent recall on Hyland’s Teething Tablets, many parents are probably scrambling to find another natural alternative for their children. I look forward to hearing what many of our readers do and use as well, even if that is to continue to use Hyland’s. Let’s use this as a learning opportunity!

Other Brands of Teething Tablets
Even though you will be hard-pressed to find a bottle of Hyland’s these days, other companies do make tablets and drops for little ones to find teething pain relief. Our chiropractor recommended Boiron’s Teething Relief. Another brand we have used in the past is Humphrey’s Teething Pellets (although, in our area, they seem to be hard to find).

Amber Teething Necklaces
Baltic Amber is said to help relieve the pain and discomfort associated with teething. Just by wearing these necklaces next to the skin, the amber releases oils that help to diminish the pain.

Frozen Washcloth
For the older baby who can hold things in their mouth, this is a great help (especially if you have a “mouthy” baby who loves to chew on everything!) Wet one end of a baby washcloth and roll it up, like a cigar. Stick it in the freezer (preferably in a ziploc baggie or on a clean dish) and allow it to freeze. Once it is frozen, hand it to the teething child and let them have at it. Your child will naturally put the hardest part on those achy gums, soothing the pain.

Mama & Daddy
My boys have been terrible teethers, but one thing that has calmed the fussiness of those first teeth breaking through - massage. My husband or I would run our finger on their gums for what seemed like hours, but that counter pressure always seemed to provide some relief.

What has your child found helpful in those teething days?