Experienced moms and dads know one incontrovertible maxim of parenting: babies will put anything within reach into their mouths. Moreover, they’ll do so with little regard for taste, texture, cleanliness, or danger. For new parents, keeping things from finding their way into the mouths of their babies can prove a harrowing experience.
Mouthing is normal behavior for infants. It’s a part of their development during which they form connections to the world around them. Even though most babies stop mouthing midway through their second year, their first eighteen months are filled with risks. In this article, we’ll describe the dangers and offer a few tips for protecting your little one.
Knowing The Risks
When infants put foreign objects into their mouths, there is a risk of infection, disease, choking, and swallowing toxic or sharp materials. For example, your baby might gain access to one of the small caps on your bathroom toilet. The cap might be too big for her to swallow, but can still cause infection if she puts it in her mouth.
An errant staple or paper clip can easily hide in a rug or carpet. If your little one swallows it, the sharp edges can damage her organs. A pen cap, penny, or small eraser can block her air passages and cause her to choke. In short, almost every foreign object poses a danger and requires parents to remain ever-vigilant.
Protecting Your Infant
It’s impossible to watch your baby every second she is awake. And it’s usually during those brief seconds that she somehow manages to find and eat strange objects. With that in mind, focus on what you can control.
First, limit your baby’s access to anything smaller than her fist. Even though she might try to eat a large rubber ball, at least you know she'll be unsuccessful. Second, make sure that anything she places her mouth on is disinfected regularly. This is especially important in environments where other babies are present. Third, baby-proof your home. Most homes have chemicals and potentially dangerous items near the floor. You’ll need to place these things out of your baby’s reach.
View The World From The Perspective of the Baby
The best way to baby-proof your house is to get down on your knees and view everything from her perspective. If she can grab something, there is a good chance she will try to put it into her mouth.
If you have cleaning supplies and chemicals near the floor, store them in an off-limits (i.e. behind a baby gate) section of your home. Remove any table coverings that she can pull on. Look carefully at the ground for any objects that might catch her attention (e.g. coins, paper clips, doorstops, magnets, etc.). If you have vases, porcelain, or other breakables, remove them. Otherwise, your little one can break them and eat them.
Even though mouthing is normal for infants, the habit can rattle the nerves of new moms and dads. If you take the protective steps described above, you’ll dramatically reduce the likelihood of a problem. That said, realize that you cannot possibly watch your baby every second of the day.