Alternatively speaking…

I’ve never been big on alternative healing. I know it’s the thing to do but I’m skeptical. The idea of a few herby, sugary looking things making you all better; or a band on your hand preventing you from chucking your guts up doesn’t quite convince me.

Oh, I’ve had my share of massages with the ‘healing power of crystal’. And people reiki-ing the migraine out of me. Hell, I’ve even sat in a bath with flashing lights (colour therapy you perv :P). Mostly though that’s been for the indulgence component rather than any real faith in the therapy on offer!

The only time that I even have the vaguest suspicion that something alternative worked for me was when I was given arnica after my emergency C-section. Its meant to heal cuts and bruises and restore the tissues’ ability to heal. I used it religiously and it may have worked! Because I do think I made quite a quick recovery. Particularly considering how high maintenance I can be with all things pain. (Or maybe it was good old-fashioned competitiveness. I was determined to move because my big sis had one too and the day after she came home from hospital, she baked a cake! Why? Because she was bored! Grew up hearing about that, so I had to do something close didn’t I :)?).

So recently, my normally sunshiny 5 month old has become a WHINER. Now, I’ve had my share of sleepless nights with her, though recently she’d been doing well. But… nope, no sir, not anymore! Cranky as hell and wakes up constantly. Not that that isn’t a great chance to bond *rolling eyes*

In my investigations (read random middle of night googling and bbm-ing any friend with a baby who’s up) I’ve figured out its teething. What’s teething? Well, the proper answer is it’s when a baby cuts her teeth between the 4 and 7 month mark.  The ACTUAL answer is that it’s the diabolical thing that happens converting one into a cringeing, drooling, red cheeked, pooing, feverish mess. Its enough to cause tears. *Sniff* (Oh did you think I meant the baby? Catch up people, first and foremost I’m a selfish cow :P)

At this point I hear about an amber teething necklace. My first thought was oh something for her to bite on; cool. No, apparently it has amber beads that have some resin in them that reacts with body temperature to build immunity or some such. That sounds like voodoo I said dismissively. 

Things, though, got tougher and when a friend got me one, I slapped it on. For the first few days she wasn’t any crankier than usual and until that point it HAD been building! Then, I washed it by mistake (washing machine, no kidding). How? Well I’m a paranoid mum and wasn’t comfy putting her to bed with something around her neck so I would wrap it around her ankle. And it went in the wash with her nightsuit. So I put it out to dry that day assuming it had lost all its value. And that next day, my baby turned into a MONSTER! Cried her head off. Didn’t want to be put down. Wouldn’t eat. The whole f**king nine yards.

So guess what I did? Put it back on. No questions. And it’s never coming off. Not until she’s at least eighteen. Grudging respect! :)