Relief!

A French giraffe to the rescue!

Kickbaby has been teething – or acting for all the world like he's teething – for the best part of a month. Gnawing savagely on everything he can get his hands on, drooling incessantly (sorry to ruin your smooth image, Kickbaby) and squawking about it all quite loudly.

Since I won't buy something made-in-China and potentially toxic to put in my baby's mouth, I googled "BPA-free teethers" and the adorable Vulli Sophie La Girafe popped up. I was startled at first: twenty dollars for a teether! But then I found out it's handmade in the French Alps from all-natural non-toxic rubber, decorated with non-toxic vegetable-based paint – and has been made the same way since 1961 (hence the cute retro look).

She is now, hands down, Kickbaby's favourite toy. I would've paid double for the wonderful peace it's given me – I wish I'd known about her sooner!

My friend Pauline is French... if I discover she knew about Sophie La Girafe and was holding out on me, there'll be trouble.