Teething can be tough and confusing! While some babies show signs of pain and discomfort, others seem to cruise through unaffected. But one thing is for sure: if your baby is experiencing teething pain, you'll do anything you can to make them feel better. And giving them frozen treats is a great way to ease their discomfort while exposing them to new foods and textures.
And they can be super simple and easy to make! So we're here to share some of our favorite, baby-safe frozen teether treats to make your life easier during this tough time as a new parent.
Safety first!
We get it. Your baby is having a terrible time with that new tooth, and you want to comfort them any way you can. But before you make anything, take a moment to review these important safety tips:
- Make sure your teether is large enough for your child to not swallow or choke on (i.e, avoid large fruits like frozen grapes, etc).
- Make sure your baby is sitting upright and only chews on their treat with your direct supervision
- Don't use frozen gel or filled options, because these can rupture when chewed and be harmful to baby if swallowed
- It's best to not use solid ice or other very hard materials because they can damage your child's teeth
- Ensure your baby is ready for solids before feeding frozen treats
- According to the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, you should avoid salty or spicy foods. Teethers that encourage sucking may also make pain worse due to increasing the blood flow to the gums.
Our favorite recipes
The simplest recipe of all: the humble banana
Bananas are an almost perfect teething relief all on their own. They're one of the first solids many babies try, and they have the perfect chewy consistency. And what could be simpler than throwing a peeled banana into your freezer? Allow at least three hours for the banana to firm up. You can cut the banana into slices after freezing, or cut into long straws before freezing for easy grasping.
For extra fun, Keri Stevens from Beach-Nut recommends pairing the banana with one of these dipping sauce recipes.
Another easy favorite: frozen watermelon
Next to bananas, watermelon is another favorite first food. As Christine from Cook the Story notes in her recipe, you don't even have to puree the watermelon or use unnecessary molds. All you need is a watermelon! We recommend cutting into thick 'straws' instead of slices, so that you and your child can position the watermelon properly.
You can also purchase some popsicle accessories like these from Amazon in order to make holding the watermelon a little bit easier for your little one.
Delicious FroYo Bites
We love Natalie's FroYo bites recipe from Super Healthy Kids. Using just two ingredients (Greek Yogur + Fruit), these frozen treats are delicious yet simple to make.
While Natalie uses ice cube trays for older kids, we recommend using a more traditional popsicle mold for younger children. A longer shape makes the FroYo easier to grasp and position in the mouth, while reducing choking risk.
Keep it simple and share your favorites!
We hope these simple and healthy recipes show that you don't have to be a trained chef or spend hours prepping while taking care of your teething child. Do you have favorite frozen treat recipes of your own? Please share with us on Instagram!
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