Ok, I know that babies have oral fixation but my 9 month old has been putting everything in her mouth since she was 3 months and now that she has 4 teeth she can really make a dent in things (she eats books, furniture, everything) she seems more like a rodent then a baby. Obviously everything obviously toxic is out of the way but she is now eating the furniture (literally) so it is pretty impossible to put that away, plus I really believe in letting her explore & she is cruising.
Of course she has teething toys and maybe teething since she only has 4 teeth but this has been a constant for 6 months.
When she puts something in her mouth that she shouldn't we say no that is not for eating but she ignores us (although i think she understands no), we switch her toy etc.
anyone experience this? any suggestions?
thanks
it's just a phase. my son did the same thing. He is 19 months old now and finally doesn't put everything in his mouth....although some toys he still finds fun to chew on. keep doing what you are doing by keeping toxic things out of the way, when she eats the furniture, just tell her to stop and distract her with something else. it does get frustrating...but will eventually cease.
My sons did the same thing-- they both chewed deep holes into their cribs. I can tell you that it will get better, but potentially not for a while. My one son stopped once he was about a year old, but the other kept going strong until he was closer to two. Be very vigilant and always give her acceptable things to chew when she feels the need. We bought "teething blankets" at the grocery store-- little square blankets with rubber corners that she can chew to her heart's desire. My boys are now 2 1/2 and they still love the teething blankets. Those cold teething toys worked well, so long as they had both hard and mushy sides. If she wants to chew on something hard (like the table), a soft ring is not going to be a good substitute.
I know it can get frustrating, so please just try to be as patient as you can and know that you're not alone in this challenge.
The things we moms worry about! Interestingly, my son was the exact opposite. He was not a nibbler - didn't even want a pacifier, and that worried me tremendously, until I just realized there was nothing to be concerned about.
The previous writer put up a good idea about the pica thing. Usually this is a sign of anemia. At 9 months, babies get routinely tested for anemia and for lead toxicity. If your child has not yet been tested, you can ask for a test.
Now, presuming that is normal - have you considered that maybe this is a self-soothing behavior? Maybe you may try to guide her toward nibbling on only a few items and/or trying a lovey or small teddy as a comfort toy. If you can do this, it will be easier to keep just those items clean.
If this continues for a while, you may want to speak to your pediatrician. There are some kids who specifically eat non-edible things (a condition called "pica"), which can cause some health problems depending on what they eat. At this age, it most likely is the oral phase, as you said, plus teething, but keep an eye on it as she gets older.
