Baltic Amber Review & Giveaway! **CLOSED**

This giveaway is now CLOSED.


We just ended another Inspired By Finn co-op last week.  So, we'll do a giveaway!  Besides, we need a giveaway to celebrate the DFW Cloth Diaper Group turning 1!!  That's right.  August 2011 celebrates our first birthday!





E wearing a 12" Earth Tones Nugget, polished,
from Inspired by Finn.

I first heard of the healing powers of Baltic Amber and Hazelwood in April of 2010 after writing a blog post about my youngest son's acid reflux.  Somehow the owner of Hazelaid found my blog and commented about the healing powers of hazlewood and how my son might benefit from it.  She even offered him a free necklace, but I was skeptical, and put it off.  After that, I started hearing about baltic amber and how it helps relieve teething pains.  Again, I was skeptical.  How in the world could a necklace ease the pain of teething and reflux? 

A few friends of mine (in real life and online) told me that they truly believed that the baltic amber helped their infants teething pains.  So I broke down and ordered one.  But I waited until E was 8 months old to put it on him.  I was nervous about him wearing a necklace, after all, wouldn't that be a choking hazard?!  It was suggested to put it on his ankle, but it never stayed on (either because it fell off or he took it off). 

But at 8 months of age, after finally finding the right medication for his reflux, he was miserable from his very stubborn teeth that were trying to (slowly) break through, I put it on him.  I trusted my friends that he would be fine wearing it.  The only time I took it off was at bath time, then it went right back on.  He even wore it at bedtime, since that is when his reflux seemed to flare up the worst (since he was laying down).  I wasn't sure if it was working, but I kept it on him in good faith.



Raw Color.



Two weeks later, E was completely off of his reflux meications and an entirely different baby!  He was happy, and didn't seem to be in constant pain (from either teething, reflux, or both).  He started playing more.  He even decided he was interested in food (real food, he wanted what we had -- nothing pureed).  We had tried since he was 6 months to offer food (homemade baby food), but he refused.  I believe that his reflux made it too painful to try to eat.



I was a baltic amber believer from that point on!  I know that hazelwood is what is supposed to help reflux, but the amber worked for E, so I kept it on him.  He is 21 months and still wears it.

I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, but earlier this year I finally bought one for myself.  I have suffered from migraines since I was in the 2nd grade.  As an adult, I have found my triggers and learned how to control them unmedicated (I was on medication for many years).  However, my allergies and sinuses are so bad that I suffered from 2-3 headaches a week (on a good week), in addition to tension headaches.  If I wasn't careful, they could quickly turn into a migraine.

Within just a few weeks of wearing my baltic amber, the headaches became less frequent.  I started having only 2-3 a month, if that.  Again, I was a believer!  I was the biggest skeptic of the healing powers of baltic amber, and now I share it with everyone I can!

Honey Round.  Polished.

Baltic amber comes in a variety of colors.  The theory is that the lighter the color, the more succinic acid is in it (which is the natural pain reliever).  However, many people have luck with the darker colors.  Raw amber is the best, since it is less "processed".  They offer semi-polished and polished, which are both quite successful as pain relievers.  The closer to the area of pain, the better.  For example, for teething pain or headaches, wear it as a necklace.  For back pain, wear it around your waist (they make them special for this).  For knee pain, wear it on the knee.  For the littlest babies, you could buy an anklet so you don't have to worry about your baby wearing a necklace.  It is recommended to wear it on the ankle during bedtime, and as a necklace when under adult supervision. 

Here is a tip on how to get the right size:  Take a string and drape it around your neck (or your child's) so that it lays where you would like the necklace to sit.  Then measure the string to determine which length you need.  For a child, the necklace should be snug, but not tight.  My youngest is now 21 months and I just ordered him a 13" (that fits a little loose).**

You can read more about the wonderful ways that baltic amber or hazelwood can help you at Inspired by Finn's website.  Inspired by Finn offers co-ops with a 25% off discount code for groups of people interested in purchasing from them.  If 15 pieces are purchased, then the co-op organizer receives a free item.  This is where the giveaway comes in!  We just closed a co-op and received a free necklace, but I do not feel right taking the free item for the Cloth Diaper Group's co-op, so it is being offered in a giveaway!


GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.


Up for grabs is this 11.5" Lemonade Raw Baltic Amber necklace from Inspired by Finn (pictured below). 

11.5" Lemonade. Raw Amber.

To enter, you must be local to the DFW area, and do the following.  Please leave ONE comment per person (ex: I like the Honey Round polished. I would like to try it to help relieve my headaches.).

Winner will be drawn (via random.org) Friday, August 12, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

Winner will be announced here and on the DFW Cloth Diaper Group's Facebook page.

In ONE comment per person, please say the following:

Go to the Inspired By Finn website and comment here with your favorite item.

Also let us know (in the same comment) why you would like to try baltic amber or hazlewood (for yourself or your little one).



**These are the opinions of the author.  If you have any further questions on the use of a necklace on an infant/toddler or how to find the right fit, please contact the manufacturer.

Brenda wearing a Honey Round
Polished amber necklace.

Brenda is the founder of the DFW Cloth Diaper Group and the DFW Cloth Diaper Project.  She and her husband, Ryan, are about to celebrate their 5 year wedding anniversary!  Brenda and Ryan have 2 sons, Riley (4 years) and Elijah (21 months).  You can read more about their crazy, wonderful life at Adventure's of a Crispy Mama.