Tips for Traveling with a Teething Baby
Teething can be hard for both baby and parents with the baby’s discomfort, constantly putting things in their mouth, drooling, random fussiness and crying, and sleepless nights. Figuring out what soothes and comforts your baby can be a challenge and learning process. It is good to have an arsenal of tools at your disposal, because one thing that worked earlier in the day may not be what the baby needs or wants later.
My husband, his parents, and I went on a six day road trip with our seven-month-old baby girl to southwest Colorado. Lizzy had her first tooth come two weeks prior and another tooth emerge during the road trip. We trialed teething toys, fresh food feeders, edible teething chews, and teething gels. We only use Infants’ Tylenol when absolutely necessary. Here are our recommendations and tips for traveling with a teething baby.
Various Teething Toys
We have lots of teething toys that we use all the time for Lizzy to chew on. She is constantly putting things in her mouth. We want to make sure to provide her comfort and the sensory input she needs. She switches between her soft bristle teethers, silicone teether, hard and soft teether, fruit shaped teether, and freezer teethers. On the road, it’s also nice to have a teething toy that attaches to the car seat.
Fresh Food Feeder
Lizzy loves her fresh food feeder. It allows her to try solid food that ordinarily would be a chocking hazard. Since we did not have access to a blender at a restaurant, we put fruits and vegetables from our plates into the mesh feeder. This gave Lizzy relief from her teething, as well as an opportunity to expand her palate.
At home, we like freezing whole and puréed fruits and vegetables to put inside the fresh food feeder for her to chew on. To freeze puréed fruits and vegetables, simply scoop your homemade purée into an ice cube tray. We love our silicone ice cube tray because it is easy to get the ice cubes out and it fits well into the mesh feeder.
Eating Out with Baby
We enjoy eating out and exploring local cuisine. During the road trip, we looked for restaurants that served food we knew we could safely give to Lizzy, either as is or through the fresh food feeder. In Cortez, Colorado, we found a local restaurant called “The Farm Bistro” that served carrot coconut soup. This soup was both gluten free and vegan. We felt comfortable feeding this soup to Lizzy, and she absolutely loved it!
Bandanas and Bibs
To keep her clothes, dry from almost constant drooling, we were given cute bandanas for her to wear. We have two kinds, one that fastens with a snap and one that adjusts with a velcro. The ones with a snap stay on more securely; however, the ones with the velcro can provide a better fit. I would recommend washing the velcro fastened bandanas or bibs in a mesh laundry bag to prevent it from sticking to the baby’s other clothes.
Edible Teething Chews
In various flavors, edible teething chews are a great option to smooth a teething baby. Be wary of chunks that can break off of the chew, especially if your baby has oral motor or swallowing deficits. The edible teething chews were easy to bring on the road, but they can get a little messy. At home, you can also try making your own homemade breastmilk or fruit and veggie popsicles.
Teething Gel
When the teething toys and fresh food feeder are not providing your baby with relief, try teething gel to numb the area. Sometimes it is hard to get the gel in just the right area of discomfort, but it is great for a temporary, quick relief.
Tylenol
For when none of the above options are soothing your baby’s teething, we use Infants’ Tylenol liquid medicine. You can also alternate between this and liquid Motrin. Follow the dosage as your pediatrician recommends.
For more tips on how to travel with a baby, view our article, “13 Tips for Traveling with a Baby and Dogs: Our First Family Adventure.”