About 2 weeks ago I purchased a string of Amber teething beads, after convincing my hubstopher that contrary to popular his belief, it is not a "voodoo" thing and that it does not work with magic.
Alot of websites (usually the ones who are promoting the beads) say that Amber is reputed to boost the immune system and assists with reducing inflammation and accelerating the healing of wounds, because it contains and releases succinic acid. Apparently it's been used as a soother for teething babes for many years now. As per Wikipedia, amber has been known and used for it's healing properties from the time of Hippocrates in Ancient Greece through the Middle Ages and up until the early twentieth century. Interesting.
The packaging says that Amber is not actually a stone, it is fossilized tree resin from forests that were flooded by the sea millions of years ago.The packaging also says "we believe that the power to soothe pain attributed to amber lies in the fact that it creates an electromagnetic field which enhances the human frame of mind."
Hmmm. No thanks.
And then I've also discovered many opposing websites, such as Science or Not, that speak of the dangers of having your kids wear a necklace and "de-myth" (as they say) the amber beads story. I found the Science or Not site particularly intersting since it breaks down the components that make up Amber, how much succinic acid needs to be absorbed for it to take effect and how much actually can be absorbed from a string of beads. In a nutshell, many doctors and scientists say that the idea behind a string of amber beads reducing teething symptoms is ridiculous and a chocking risk (even though the string is really short and the beads supposedly break easily - to avoid strangulation).
Surprisingly enough alot of moms swear that amber beads gave their baby a bit of relief during the terrible teething woes. I was willing to try it (while monitoring my baby closely), to see if it worked.
I tested the beads to see if they would assist with relief from
- Constant drooling
- Rash on my babies face
- Pain and uncomfortable behaviour
The result
- The drooling seemed to ease up to the point where she did not have to wear a bib. This was a big deal for me, since she has been drooling lots and I've constantly had to change her tops and bibs, to keep her dry.
- The rash is still there and comes and goes. Not a fan.
- She still has moments of discomfort, which is the norm. I cant tell if the levels of teething pains have decreased though.
In conclusion
Although 1 of the 3 symptoms eased up, I'm not entirely convinced that it was in fact the beads that helped to lessen the amount of droolage on my princess. I donot recommend having your baby sleep while wearing the necklace and strongly suggest that you monitor baby at all times, during "awake" time.
My babe still wears the beads (I remove them when its nap time) but with this said, I am extremely aware of the fact that having something around your babies neck is never a good idea, and as one website asked:Is the (supposed) benefit of wearing these beads greater than the risk?
That, Mommy, is a decision you will have to make for yourself. xxxL
