Gerber® Introduces Soothe 'n' ChewTM Teething Sticks — A First-Of-Its-Kind Natural Product for Teething Babies

Grain-based teething product made from real food was designed by feeding experts to provide long-lasting comfort

Gerber Soothe 'n' Chew Banana Teething Sticks

ARLINGTON, VA (August 11, 2020) – Today, early childhood nutrition leader Gerber announced the expansion of its teething products selection with the addition of Soothe 'n' Chew^TM, a first-of-its-kind grain-based teething product. Designed by feeding experts, Soothe 'n' Chew provides long-lasting comfort by naturally massaging little ones’ gums with real food as they chew — no plastic or medicine.

Soothe 'n' Chew is specifically designed for infants and toddlers beginning at 6 months to serve as baby’s first snack for teething comfort. The firm, long-lasting texture has a yummy taste from real bananas that slowly softens and satisfies little one’s urge to chew. Its ridged surface and small size are the optimal shape and length for a baby’s fist, and its air bubble texture massages and soothes gums.

“Gerber’s continuous priority is to innovate to meet families’ evolving needs,” said Gerber President and CEO Bill Partyka. “As parents turn to more natural alternatives for their little ones, we saw an opportunity to bring together our expertise in food and nutrition, infant development and natural product development to create something totally new for little ones.”

“While traditional methods can certainly be effective, we wanted to reach parents who are looking for alternative teething solutions that don’t necessarily include plastic or medicine – that’s where Soothe 'n' Chew comes in,” said Senior Manager Marketing of Gerber Snacks Mansi Kothari. “Currently, there’s no other product like this on the market, and we’re proud to bring this much-needed solution to parents.”

Throughout the Soothe 'n' Chew development process, Gerber partnered with pediatric feeding specialists to design a unique long-lasting edible teether for baby.

“To crack this innovation, our team focused on the experience of babies and how their developing senses guide their behavior,” said Sarah Smith-Simpson, principal scientist at Gerber. “We optimized the shape and length of Soothe 'n' Chew for babies starting at 6 months since they typically begin grabbing things with the entire fist at this age. Our goal was to introduce a long-lasting, edible product that can serve as baby’s first teething snack, as opposed to a toy or medical treatment.”

Soothe 'n' Chew is exclusively available online at Walmart.com.

ABOUT GERBER

Gerber Products Company was founded in 1928 in Fremont, Mich. Gerber joined the Nestlé family on September 1, 2007. Gerber is a leader in early childhood nutrition. At Gerber, research informs everything we do – from the products we make, the nutrition education we deliver and the services we offer. Gerber provides resources from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) for health care professionals at Medical.Gerber.com/FITS and for parents at Gerber.com.

Writer's Bio: Driven by a fascination with how young people learn, grow, and connect, Laura N. Larsson has spent years researching the role of play and social media in child and adolescent development. Since 2012, she has combined her ecommerce background with in-depth interviews of children and teenagers, producing insightful articles that explore the evolving interplay between play, communication, and online interaction. Read more articles by this author