My 8 month old's only goal in life these days is to put anything and everything in his mouth.He doesn't have teeth yet and also has stopped drooling too.So this is not teething.He gets bored with his toys very fast and looks around for other things - he loves the remote, phone etc.He doesn't crawl yet but wriggles and rolls and reaches any object he wants to and puts it in his mouth - which I don't let him do. I just let him hold and play with those things.I am thinking I should reward him with something else for all the effort he puts into getting to where he wants, but he doesn't take his toys at that time.He just wants whats in his hand.He is such a wriggly baby, he hates being still for even a moment- always on a lookout for things to grab and put in his mouth!
Also, reading to him is another big fun.He wants to hold the book while I am reading and then closes it everytime and puts it in his mouth. Also he loses interest just looking at pictures after 5 minutes or so.It's funny how he closes the book everytime and then turns away from the book.It's like telling me - mommy I am done reading for the day!lol.
So When do babies stop putting everything in their mouth? Do you think most age appropriate toys(not teethers) safe for babies to put in their mouths? TIA!
You got M. on that one, my 5 year old still puts toys in her mouth! She even swallowed a part of a toy about a month ago because of it! My other 2 don't do it, but some people are just very tactile orally and we can't really stop it. I try to remind her but geesh, you would think a 5 year old who won't eat her meals because they are "gross" wouldn't put nasty dirty toys and objects into her mouth. Sorry, no help here :)
Mine is 14 months and still does it (has 12 teeth). Not every 5 minutes but once an hour. Sorry!
Hmmm.. I would say, by age 3? LOL
You know how snakes use their tongue to "smell?" that's because they have something in the roof of their mouth called a "jacob's organ" that helps their brain process what their tongue has just experienced. Guess what? Humans are born with a jacob's organ too! It isn't known for sure if the organ dissipates, or simply stops working, or we learn to ignore it, but by age 18 months the jacob's organ is no longer in use in humans. (Super weird info I learned at the wild animal park from snake trainers) SO, the answer is that around age 2 this behavior will seriously slow down! Some kids still need oral input though, i.e. my five year old still rubs his upper lip when watching TV. Just keep doing what you're doing, let him chew appropriate objects and let him handle the others. Also, the first step in reading is mouthing books... so he's off to a great start! :) Soon he will learn to turn the pages, then point to pictures, then name pictures, then listen to the story. It sounds like you have a very curious little guy on your hands who will keep you on your toes for years to come while he learns about his world in a very hands on way! Enjoy!
When they stop teething and exploring and the object is no longer of interest. It is a phase and it will pass.
The best way for a baby to learn is to put things in their mouth. I don't remember my older kids doing this but my youngest liked to put things in his mouth until about 3. It was not everything but every once in a while. I guess the answer to this might be until they feel pretty familiar with the world around them. lol
I swear my 8 year old still does it. he he
Sorry not helpful it was just the first thing I thought and hey maybe it would make you laugh like I did.
:)
Updated
I swear my 8 year old still does it. he he
Sorry not helpful it was just the first thing I thought and hey maybe it would make you laugh like I did.
:)
Mouthing things is a sensory learning experience for infants. At this age I would not discourage it, but make sure that he has things are are safe to suck and chew on. If you don't think his toys are safe, give him food items like spoons, wooden spoons, spatulas...
They mouthe things for a long time to come, my three year old still does it on occasion.
Good luck.
Google "Sigmond Freud" and you will get your answer.
At around the age of 2 the brain kicks in a neurological response that tags any chemical signature that hasn't been regularly consumed as "poisonous" and links it to a gag/spit it out response. ((NOTE that... the number 1 cause of "picky eaters" is that babyfood and "toddler" food is reeeeeeeally bland. VERY few ingredients and no spices or herbs to speak of. If you want them to *not* think that lasagna/teriyaki/curries/phad thai/green bean casserole/ etc. tastes like dog poop make sure they're eating those dishes before they're 2 years old)).
Anyhow... as soon as the response kicks in they start spitting everything out because their brain makes all "new" things taste disgusting. After a few weeks of YIKES! YUCKY YUCKY YUCKY! They tend to stop putting things in their mouths. (Even kids only put things that taste like dog poo in their mouths so many times before they learn to quit). This response wears off at about age 5... but by then, most kids have gotten over the habit of exploring with their mouths. They start again right around puberty. Sigh. EVERYTHING starts going back in their mouths. Hair, pens, pencils, fingers, paper, kissing, cigarettes... you name it and they start putting their mouths on gross things.
Haha.... I wish I knew! My 2 year old still puts EVERYTHING in her mouth! My son, on the other hand, stopped as soon as he learned to walk.
The tongue is your baby's primary sensory organ, which is why this is happening. Your baby is trying to explore his world, and just as newborns find their way to mama's nipple with just their tongue and sense of smell, this is his way of finding his way around the world.
Even though his sight and hearing now have context and meaning for him, the tongue is his tried and true way to gather information. "What is this? Is it food? What sort of texture, taste, density (the tongue is a strong muscle) does this thing have?" These are the questions his tongue is solving for him, and how he is navigating the world at present. I mention this because he might find placing things into his mouth a biological/intellectual need which can positively impact his development, so here's a place where I would avoid getting into a power struggle, and instead offer toys safe for mouthing.
He'll get older, rely more on his senses, begin to discern that some things really truly do taste gross, and these experiences will motivate him to *stop* putting things into his mouth. He'll also get older and listen to your reasons for this around 3 and 4. Kids as old as 2 and 3 eat pennies, so it's good to have really reasonable expectations as to what is safe to have around. For example, my preschool group is always supervised with marbles or other small objects, because I observe that subconciously, they are still putting things into their mouths from time to time. And I never give a young child anything they can't put into their mouths. It just happens.
If you are looking for natural toys that are safe for babies to chew on, Nova Naturals is a great company to start with. If you google "waldorf toys", you'll also find some very sweet, wonderful toys for kids. You don't have to agree with the entire Waldorf philosophy to appreciate that these toys are safer for children than the BPH chemical plastics that are offered in the mainstream.
I liked your anecdote, too, about your son closing the book when he was finished exploring it! I'd also suggest cloth or board books for this age. (Once again, online searches will get you the best results.) It also sounds like he's doing a lot of gross motor development, with the wiggling from place to place.
At this age, too, even non-emergent teeth are beginning to move around and become uncomfortable, and mouthing/chewing is one way children cope with this. The pressure on the jaw/gums feels better. This is also a big reason that very young children bite.
For now, I'd encourage you to find toys that he can safely mouth, gum and drool all over.
Best~ and have fun with your baby!:)
H.
