One of the hardest things for parents to have to go through with a newborn is the teething phase. You feel utterly helpless and would do anything to take your baby’s pain away.
Thanks to a clever hack from TikTok user Vickie Marie Wheeler, parents now have a solution to help soothe their newborn’s gums — and it works every time.
Vickie Marie Wheeler is a TikToker, as well as a mother of three.
Earlier this year, in the spring of 2021. Vickie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Kobe. Since that time, he’s become the new favorite star of Vickie’s TikTok videos.
Around the four-month mark is when Vickie says that her baby began teething.
For those without children, teething , in a nutshell, is when a baby’s first set of teeth breaks through their gum line. Newborns often experience pain/discomfort as a result of their swollen gums.
Such was certainly the case for Vickie and Kobe.
Vickie’s little guy was in so much pain that he wasn’t able to sleep at night — at all. Still, you’d never be able to tell from looking at his sweet face.
Little Kobe was in so much discomfort that he’d do quite literally anything for some relief.
Even if that meant sucking on the steel legs of the couch in order to find some sense of relief. After watching her son do this, Vickie got an idea for something that might be able to help.
The first thing you’ll need is a pacifier and a bowl of warm water.
Place the pacifier into the water, submerge it completely, and then squeeze the soother end between your thumb and index finger. Do this until it completely fills with water.
Then, all you need to do is stick the pacifier into your freezer.
Once the water inside the pacifier freezes, remove it from the freezer and give it to your newborn to suck on. This will help provide instant relief for their sore gums.
Vickie’s video has been played nearly 12-million times, and most parents fully support Vickie’s methods.
“That’s actually quite clever, I’ll definitely give that a go,” one parent echoed.
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“My kids are adults now but I did this and it was a lifesaver,” said another.
Of course, not everyone feels the same way.
A fellow TikTok user who goes by the handle @sophiedavies515 said, “Don’t do this it can give a baby freezer burn on their gums.
Other users were quick to point out that some freezers can also harbor harmful bacteria.
According to an article written on Dr. Browns Bab, chilling a pacifier is perfectly safe.
“A chilled pacifier is perfect particularly for incoming front teeth, as it doesn’t reach very far into the back of baby’s mouth,” the article reads.
Just be sure to inspect it for any visible signs of damage.
Another option for those parents who don’t want to go the pacifier route is to freeze a wet rag or towel.
However, you’re going to want to be very careful. Make sure to always supervise your newborn while they’re sucking, as rags can become a choking hazard. And once they’re thawed — they make a big mess.
A healthy in-between option is to freeze your baby’s favorite fruits.
By the time your baby hits four months, they should be able to handle pureed apples, bananas, and peaches with ease. Freezing these fruits will provide pain relief as well as healthy nourishment.
