Manic Muncher

[arthursmum]

My 6 month old son tries to chew EVERYTHING! Furniture, rugs, pillows, washing machine, cot, high chair, other babies, walls (so gifted), plants, old ladies, the bus, any exposed part of mine & dp's bodies, parasol on his pram, shop countertops and the list goes on..
He has been orally obsessed since the age of 8 weeks, doesn't have any teeth yet despite all those baby experts who tell me that 'oooh, his teeth are coming soon'.
I understand completely that babies need to explore orally to comprehend better the world around them but sometimes he just goes for things with such enthusiasm - sick the chairleg, Arthur:o - that i think he's going to hurt himself or the object of desire. He's big and very strong but with normal 6 month motor skills.
When i have the impression that his gums are really bothering him and he's upset by them, i give him baby pain killers. Even when he has gel on his gums he munches, so i'm convinced that it's about discovery.
I let him go most of the time, it mostly makes me laugh alot but sometimes i really do think, 'good grief'. None of his friends or aquaintances behave in quite the same way.
Just wondering if anybody else has or has had a similarly obsessed child..(& when did it stop?)

[SassyMummy]

My DD doesn't chew on EVERYTHING..but she chews on LOTS of things.

The other day, I was chewing on a chewy caramel lolly, and for a few moments she watched my mouth in amazement...and then all of a sudden she opened her mouth wide, stuck out her toungue and directed it towards my chewing mouth! :eek: Quite scary (I don't wish to be tongue-kissed by my own daughter! lol). Luckily I was quite enough to get out of her way in time to avoid her slobber.

I think she was thinking she would steal whatever it was I was chewing from me... But I don't really KNOW what she was thinking. lol. Weird child.

I once caught DD in the process of trying to shove the CATS EAR into her gob! MY GOD! (Not very hygeinic I know!).

DD is 10.5 months old...so I'm not sure when it stops...

I did read, however, that putting things into their mouths is the best way for babies to get a sense of texture, shape and size. I think their mouths must be more sensitive than their hands (plus their hands aren't as precise as ours are).

[arthursmum]

I once caught DD in the process of trying to shove the CATS EAR into her gob! MY GOD! (Not very hygeinic I know!).



That's VERY funny, thankfully, we don't have a cat!

Do you think i could get out of handing in assignments at my course with, 'yes, i completed it but the baby ate it'?....

[Mamaduke]

Your predicament has given me an idea...:idea:


Baby Kongs!!!

Like the ones for doggies when they get bored, this one would be for babies...it could be a rubbery chew toy which you could fill with tasty delights such as Farex, apple puree etc to keep them amused for hours (and maybe give the 'old ladies' a break)!

[arthursmum]

Your predicament has given me an idea...:idea:


Baby Kongs!!!

Like the ones for doggies when they get bored, this one would be for babies...it could be a rubbery chew toy which you could fill with tasty delights such as Farex, apple puree etc to keep them amused for hours (and maybe give the 'old ladies' a break)!

Fantastic idea!! We didn't think the dried pig's ear (do you have those for dogs in Australia?)would be looked upon favourably in the parent social circles:shame:

he really does try to eat the elderly ladies who stop and say hello on the street, just smiles and kind of lurches straight at them,especially if he's in the baby bjorn..

[Tam-I-Am]

Why do you think they're called "ankle-biters"? LOL

OMG - he hasn't has he?!?:laughing:

[Seekrit]

Your predicament has given me an idea...:idea:


Baby Kongs!!!

Like the ones for doggies when they get bored, this one would be for babies...it could be a rubbery chew toy which you could fill with tasty delights such as Farex, apple puree etc to keep them amused for hours (and maybe give the 'old ladies' a break)!
On hot days we could pop them in the freezer for a little while as an extra treat!!!

[arthursmum]

Why do you think they're called "ankle-biters"? LOL

OMG - he hasn't has he?!?:laughing:

:laughing: :laughing: can't speak:laughing:

[Will]

I always knew babies liked to chew things, but that is amazing! is this what ihave to look forward to? DS is 3 months and already likes chewing everything, he even chews his dummy now instead of sucking it (although he does have 2 teeth coming through....) When did Arthur start chewing things??

[arthursmum]

He began to explore orally:laughing: at around 8-10 weeks, i can't really remember (hopeless at that sort of thing) but it sort of became 'a thing' at around 3.5-4 months. i guess it was just a function of his mobility and strength. He has stopped chewing his cot over the past few days, maybe he's done it enough and now he knows what it feels like...
& he likes chewing the plastic bit on the dummy, too..i really thought his teeth were coming 3 days ago, little bumps appeared for the first time, but still no little pearls:ecomcity:

[ozzysmum]

ozzy's a muncher too - even one of my ultrasound pictures shows him with his hand partly in his mouth :o i have been told that it can wear off early in some kids but some continue until as late as two years old (although i'm an ex-nail-biter so i think it might last forever!).
ozzy even tried to eat a dead spider the other day :barf: he's chewed the cat's tail, carpet edges, sand, trees, bits of leaf + twig type garden stuff, door frames, remote controls, daddy's glasses, keys, cot bars, curtains, padlock on mum's suitcase, anything ... i've managed to keep him away from the cat litter thank goodness!

i'll buy one of those baby kongs when they're ready!!:D

[arthursmum]

ozzy's a muncher too - even one of my ultrasound pictures shows him with his hand partly in his mouth :o i have been told that it can wear off early in some kids but some continue until as late as two years old (although i'm an ex-nail-biter so i think it might last forever!).
ozzy even tried to eat a dead spider the other day :barf: he's chewed the cat's tail, carpet edges, sand, trees, bits of leaf + twig type garden stuff, door frames, remote controls, daddy's glasses, keys, cot bars, curtains, padlock on mum's suitcase, anything ... i've managed to keep him away from the cat litter thank goodness!

i'll buy one of those baby kongs when they're ready!!:D

I'm hoping that they'll ship overseas!

Really funny about ozzy's u/s...i just watched arthur's 20wk scan on video and his little jaw is munching way back then.
Thanks ozzysmum:) , nice to know we're all normal here (as can be expected, anyway)