Baby chewing on crib paint is a common complaint among new moms. They wonder if crib paint is safe for their babies or if it can harm them. It can be surprising to see your baby chewing away at the corner of their crib. While the sight of them doing this may appear funny, you should be concerned about your baby’s health. This blog post will state why your baby is chewing on crib paint. You will also learn how to make your baby stop this habit and what they can chew on instead.
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Reasons why a baby will chew on crib paint
The following are some reasons for your baby chewing on crib paint.
1. Teething
Your baby will likely chew on crib paint when they are teething. That usually occurs between five months and two years. Teething can be a painful process, making children fall ill, though this varies from one baby to another. Your baby may prefer to chew the crib paint with their gum and milk teeth to relieve their itching gums. This act is not limited to crib paint, as your baby may chew on any object they find around that can help them to soothe their gums, such as clothes and toys.
2. Anxiety and stress
Anxiety and stress are other reasons why your baby chews the crib paint. Babies may need to relieve stress and cope with anxiety by chewing on objects around them. Your baby may consider the crib paint most suitable for that purpose when inside the crib.
3. Exploring their environment
One way babies get used to their surroundings is to feel and touch things around them. Some, however, go the extra length of having a taste. Your baby may be trying to understand why the crib is colored the way it is, and their only way to find out is to chew on it!
Can baby get sick chewing on crib?
Yes, your baby can get sick from chewing on the crib. Crib paint contains lead which can cause poisoning when your baby chews on it. Some are, however, coated with non-poisonous paint that prevents children from ingesting harmful chemicals. Pediatricians advise that it is better to stop children from feeding on crib paint to protect them from harm. Chewing on the crib can also make your baby sick when germs and bacteria are on its surface. That is possible if the crib is exposed to dust or someone previously held it with dirty and contaminated hands.
How to get a baby to stop chewing on crib paint
1. Offer a variety of teething toys
Babies mostly chew on crib paint because they want to relieve their itching gums. Rather than allow them to keep doing so with the crib paint, it would help if you got some teething toys for them. They come in different appealing shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Giving your baby teethers will likely distract them from chewing on the crib paint. However, you should be careful about teether necklaces and never allow your baby to use them without your supervision, as this can lead to choking hazards. You can check out these teething toys – Tinabless infant teething key toys and Bear baby teething toys.
2. Give food of various kinds
Once your baby has an alternative, they will not chew on the crib paint. You can offer your baby various foods, such as crunchy nuts, pretzels, and bagels, to help reduce the urge to nibble on the crib. Ensure you have an adequate food supply, so your baby is not tempted to return to the crib to continue chewing on it.
3. Massage your baby’s gum.
You can massage your baby’s gums with your finger or a soft damp toothbrush whenever they feel itchy. That can help soothe, relieve, and calm their discomfort. However, ensure you wash your hands before using your fingers in your baby’s gum to avoid introducing germs and bacteria into their mouth.
4. Distract your baby with their toys.
When your baby starts to make moves to chew on the crib, it would help to distract them with their toys. Signal to your baby while holding out the toys, so they can come to you. Get your baby toys they can be fascinated with so they don’t get bored with them and return to chewing on the crib. Also, ensure that toys are always in the crib when your baby is not asleep. They will get busy with their toys rather than the crib paint. You can get them teething toys that they can chew on. You check out the Tinabless teething key toys and Bear baby teething toys.
Conclusion
Now that you are aware of the reasons for your baby chewing on crib paint, you can better curtail this problem using the right approach as you can see from the tips shared in this post. Remember that this is just a phase in your baby’s development that will pass. So be patient with your baby as you protect them from ingesting harmful chemicals.
