Inspired by Finn Review and Giveaway

I was in the market for a Baltic amber teething necklace for Tiny Man and was referred over to Inspired by Finn by several friends.  When I was placing my order, I was graciously given the opportunity to offer one up for a giveaway!  In addition, all of my lovely readers are given the opportunity to save 20% with discount code "BLOG".  Very exciting!  Now, some of you may be asking, "What is Baltic amber?  What does it do?  Why do you have a necklace on that boy?"  So here's a bit of info, as provided on the Inspired by Finn website.

What is it?

"Historically, Baltic Amber has been used in Europe as a natural and traditional remedy and curative for many ailments for centuries. Long ago it was considered one of the leading ‘medicines’ of its time. Baltic Amber is the most esteemed amber in the world, and the healing qualities of Baltic Amber make it unlike any other type of amber found in the world.

When baltic amber is worn on the skin, the skin’s warmth releases trace amounts of healing oils from the amber. These oils contain succinic acid and are absorbed into the skin.

Baltic Amber has some of the highest concentrations of Succinic Acid found in nature, and this is what makes it so special. Succinic Acid is a natural component of plant and animal tissues, and it's presence in the human body is beneficial in many ways."

How can it help?

"Pain Relief -

Baltic amber contains analgesic properties and helps take the edge off of many types of discomfort associated with dental issues, headaches, joint pain, etc.

Strengthens the body's immune system -
In many different and subtle ways, succinic acid helps boost the body's own natural healing ability and immune system.

Restoring Energy –
The human body naturally produces succinic acid. The salt of succinic acid (succinate) is one of the most active substances in the processes of cellular respiration and intercellular energy creation. Succinic acid restores oxygen and energy supply to depleted cells and helps the body return to a normal, functioning state.
Succinate is a raw material and a catalyst in the Krebs Cycle which is one of our main sources of energy. During the Krebs Cycle carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are metabolized for energy.

Maintaining Wellness -
When the human body reacts to stress, the body’s cells begin to use oxygen more quickly. Oxygen plays a central role in the intercellular creation of energy, and a lack of oxygen can result in feeling lethargic.
Oxygen is alkaline-forming in the blood and maintaining a slightly alkaline blood ph helps keep us healthy. Whenever the body functions in a state of low oxygen, it is much more susceptible to illness."

On teething.

Baltic amber is said to help with relief of teething pain.  Babies DO NOT chew on the necklace/bracelet/anklet, they merely wear it and let the oils absorb into their skin.  To be honest, these necklaces are NOT recommended for children under 3 years of age because the small pieces and choking hazard.  I understand this completely and made the choice to put it on my son.  The necklace I purchased is knotted between each individual "bead" to prevent the whole thing from scattering if it breaks, so I am comfortable with him wearing it.  They're also offered with magnetic clasps, which I must have missed when I was picking out his necklace because I would have chosen that one instead.  For now the clasp is fine, when he gets bigger and starts moving around I'll probably be purchasing another as a precaution.  In addition, the necklace should be removed when your child goes to sleep.

Personal Experience

I chose the earth tones chip style necklace because I liked the way it looked, more "boyish" to me than the others.  Truth is, the lighter the amber the more powerful it is, so I probably should have gotten a lighter one..maybe when I get the magnetic one I'll make it a lighter color.

I was super excited to see the package sitting in the mailbox and put it on Tiny Man right away!  He gave me this look like, "what are you doin' to me, Mom?" when I first put it on, but he didn't seem to mind.  Tiny Man has had some serious congestion since he was born that never really goes away.  Since putting the necklace on him he's been able to nurse longer without having to pop off to breathe.  He sounds more like Talker Man did when he was nursing and seems to enjoy it a lot more (if that's possible!  The boy loves his milkies!).  We aren't up to the teething stage, and he doesn't particularly drool yet, he blows some serious raspberries and can soak his shirt pretty quickly, but it's all intentional!  I wanted to try the necklace to see if it helped with his congestion and to hopefully save him some pain with the teeth start coming in.  It's absolutely adorable on him and hubby wants to get one himself!  I'm considering and while we're at it we'll probably make it a family affair, including Talker Man as well.  How fun would that be?  To have matching family necklaces that are beautiful and beneficial?

Win it!

As I said above, Inspired by Finn has graciously offered one of you amazing readers your choice of a piece of jewelry 16 inches or smaller!  Don't forget, if you can't wait or aren't the chosen winner, you have the 20% off discount code "BLOG" to use for whatever you choose!  Winner to be chosen by random number generator on March 10, 2010.  To enter, you MUST have a visible email address, either in your profile or in your comment.

To enter:

Mandatory: 
You must be a follower AND visit the Inspired by Finn website to tell me what your favorite piece of jewelry is and/or which one you would choose if your the lucky winner! (1 entry)

Extras:

Add my button to your blog. (1 entry)
Follow me on Twitter here! (1 entry)
Tweet this giveaway! (1 entry per tweet per day)
Blog about this giveaway and provide a link in your comment. (5 entries, must post 5 comments)

**Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for this review, my opinions are my own.  This giveaway is sponsored by the above mentioned company.**