Although I enjoy wearing jewelry, I stopped wearing most after the birth of my daughter. She liked to pull on my necklaces especially. Then after the birth of my son, I found that I still could not wear my favorite necklaces because he loves to keep his hands busy while nursing. He especially love pulling on earrings and necklaces as well as my clothes and anything else on which he can get his hands. When my daughter was an infant, I purchased myself a silicone teething necklace. I then gave the pink silicone donut to my daughter to use as a chew necklace, which she ended up losing. When I saw a recent review of the silicone teething necklaces from Willow + Mae on Mommy Knows What’s Best, I decided to approach the company about writing a review of my own. In exchange for my honest opinion, Willow + Mae two teething necklaces, a Sarah and an Isabella – Grey.
About Willow + Mae
Willow + Mae is a small family owned and operated business based in Middle Tennessee. The owners, Jody and Alanna, are parents to five amazing children. The business is named after Jody’s and Alanna’s maternal grandmothers and the first necklace collections are named after their children and reflect their unique personalities. Jody is the fabulous website and graphic designer for the company, and Alanna is the product designer and all-around administrator.
The silicone teething necklaces from Willow + Mae allow you to love your baby by giving your little one something unique to play with, grasp, and chew while you hold or wear your baby close. The necklaces also are a great opportunity to love yourself by choosing a style and color that is uniquely you. As a mom, falling into a fashion rut is easy. Willow + Mae teething jewelry is the perfect addition to any wardrobe, dressy or casual. Whatever your style, Willow + Mae offers something to meet your needs.
Willow + Mae also gives back. On May 13, 2015 as the family was moving into a new house, the youngest daughter was hit in the head by a falling appliance dolly and had to be rushed by helicopter to the emergency room at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. Jody and Alanna were told that she had suffered a skull fracture and a traumatic brain injury. She was in critical care in the pediatric ICU for three weeks followed by seven weeks of recovery and rehab. While she was in the ICU, the family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House across the street from the hospital. The staff and volunteers were amazing and helped the family through the difficult experience.
To honor these amazing people and give back to those who gave so much, Willow + Mae created a new necklace, the Sunset Miracle. The colors of the necklace are inspired by the Ronald McDonald House, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the necklace go directly to the charity to support its mission to provide a home away from home for families who have a child in critical care in the hospital. Willow + Mae additionally donated a box of Sunset Miracle necklaces to the Ronald McDonald House in Chattanooga to give to the mothers who stay there. Willow + Mae hopes to help in some small way others who have gone through a similar experience.
Price
The two styles of silicone teething necklaces that I received from Willow + Mae — Sarah and Isabella – Grey — both cost $19.99 each. All other styles of necklaces from the brand also currently cost 19.99 each. Compared to other similar silicone teething necklaces, the necklaces are Willow + Mae are comparatively priced. Most other brands cost about the same, with some a little more and some a little less. I would definitely pay $19.99, so I rate the pricing extremely highly. I also found the necklaces on sale for $14.99 on Amazon, which is an even better deal!
Design
I received two silicone teething necklaces — Sarah and Isabella – Grey — from Willow + Mae. The Sarah design features ivory 9-millimeter round beads with a large removable ivory donut and approximately a 16-inch drop plus the donut. The Isabella design features gray 9-millimeter round beads with a hexagon accent bead and approximately a 14-inch drop. Willow + Mae uses the best food grade silicone beads that are free from BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, latex, cadmium, and metal. All Willow + Mae necklaces have been CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Commission) tested and certified compliant for ASTM F963-11 mechanical and physical safety. Each necklace also features a plastic breakaway clasp to prevent breakage. All Willow + Mae products come with a Money Back Guarantee.
I love my new silicone teething necklaces from Willow + Mae. Although I chose the Sarah and Isabella – Grey, which feature ivory and gray beads, I had a hard time picking just two. The company currently offers almost a dozen different designs. I chose Sarah and Isabella – Grey because I wear mostly red tops, so I knew both neutral colors would go with most of my wardrobe. I additionally like that I can wear both necklaces together. I also had my eye on the Isabella – Black, which comes in the same design as my necklace but with black beads. I also love the gray and rainbow beads of Adelaide, the warm colors of Sunset Miracle, and the colors and beads of both Anastasias. No matter your personal style, you are sure to find a necklace to fit your look from Willow + Mae. The company is also working on new styles for the future.
Performance
Because my son keeps his hands busy while nursing, I had been considering getting myself some sort of necklace to wear for a while. When I saw the review of Willow + Mae from Mommy Knows What’s Best, I knew that I had found the necklaces for me. Unlike some other brands on the market, Willow + Mae necklaces look like jewelry for grownups with the added benefit of being baby-friendly. More than just a unique accessory, these necklaces provide stimulation, relief, and distraction for little ones. My son has wandering hands when he nurses. My new silicone necklaces from Willow + Mae keep him from pulling on my clothes and body, leaving me feeling overtouched. He loves to hold onto the beads and donut while nursing.
In addition to providing a distraction for his wandering hands while nursing, the silicone teething necklaces from Willow + Mae also distract my son from large and more painful toys. If my son had the choice, he would happily drag any or all of his large, hard, pointy toys onto my lap to hold on to while he nurses. I, however, do not like getting poked or hit in the face with big plastic trucks with sharp corners. Instead of arguing with him to put down his toys when he wants milk, I now can offer him the necklaces as an alternative. Willow + Mae necklaces are the perfect distraction for little hands. My daughter also keeps trying to “borrow” my necklaces from me!
My son also loves chewing on my new silicone teething necklaces from Willow + Mae. He really loves gnawing on the hexagonal bead on the Isabella. He also likes sticking the donut of the Sarah in my mouth! I too find myself lightly biting on the silicone donut when I am thinking at my computer. Willow + Mae are great for little chewers! Additionally, although neither of my kids experienced any obvious pain while teething, you can throw the necklaces in the fridge to cool the beads to soothe sensitive gums.
Taking care of my new necklaces is incredibly easy. Willow + Mae uses only the best food grade silicone beads. To clean the necklace, simply rinse with soap and water or use the top rack of the dishwasher. The breakaway clasp prevents the necklace from breaking when my son pulls on the beads. The lack of knots also allows my son to slide the beads up and down the string. The exposed cord along the back of my neck prevents hair pulling. Willow + Mae does advise against using the necklace without adult supervision. Only an adult, not a baby, should wear these silicone teething necklaces.
Final Verdict
I am more than pleased with my silicone teething necklaces from Willow + Mae. Sarah features ivory 9-millimeter round beads with a large removable ivory donut and approximately a 16-inch drop plus the donut. Isabella – Grey features gray 9-millimeter round beads with a hexagon accent bead and approximately a 14-inch drop. Willow + Mae uses the best food grade silicone beads that are free from BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, latex, cadmium, and metal, and all necklaces have been CPSIA tested and certified compliant for ASTM F963-11 mechanical and physical safety. My son loves playing with the necklaces as he nurses, and I love that he can keep his hands occupied without leaving me feeling overtouched. He also enjoys chewing on the food-safe silicone beads. The necklaces are reasonably priced and very high quality. If you have a nursing or teething baby, I highly recommend the silicone teething necklaces from Willow + Mae.
For more information or to make a purchase, visit the Willow + Mae website. All Willow + Mae necklaces are also available on Amazon. You can also follow Willow + Mae on Facebook and Instagram.
Image Credits
Willow and Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces Review © 2016 Heather Johnson
Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 1 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 2 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Donut and Bead on Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces © 2016 Heather Johnson
Breakaway Clasps on Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 1 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Breakaway Clasps on Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 2 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Wearing the Sarah Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 1 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Wearing the Sarah Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 2 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Wearing the Isabella Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 1 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Wearing the Isabella Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 2 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Wearing the Sarah and Isabella Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 1 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Wearing the Sarah and Isabella Willow + Mae Silicone Teething Necklaces 2 © 2016 Heather Johnson
