Teething Toys
Teething toys are similar to teething rings but are much more fun to play with. These toys can be chilled by placing them in the fridge which helps soothe the pain of teething. A nice, ice cold toy is great for easing sore, swollen gums. As you might imagine, there is a wide range of teething toys to choose from and your little one will decide very quickly which one they like! It may be worthwhile buying toys which double up as a teether as well as a conventional toy. So look for soft, cuddly toys or toys which are amusing or highly appealing. Buy a selection of these and be patient while your baby experiments with all of these. He or she will probably chew most if not all of these toys before picking a favourite. However, your little one will constantly change his/her mind about what constitutes his/her 'favourite' teething toy.
Choosing a teething toy
There is an endless selection to choose from but use these guidelines when buying a teething toy:
- Non-toxic
- Easy to clean and care for
- Fun
- Mega chewy
In other words, you want a teething toy which is great looking, safe to use, highly chewable and most importantly, easy to clean. The last point is particularly important as this toy will require a lot, and we mean a LOT, of cleaning. Your baby will be drooling like crazy whilst teething so expect whatever they chew to be covered in drool. But it is better that they do this with a teething toy or ring rather than your cushions or any other item of furniture.
A good example of a teething toy is a farmyard or zoo animal which also contains a squeaker. It is made from a soft rubber and is to carry and chew. Best of all it makes a nice squeaky sound when chewed which keeps baby amused. There is a toy which fits this description called 'Sophie the Giraffe'. She is produced by Vulli and has proven to be very popular with parents for more than 40 years.
There are toys which are suitable for different types of teething, for example, when the molars start to appear. Then there are others which are used by babies as the first of their bottom middle teeth start to emerge.
