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ACTIVITY => Activity Time & Toddler Activity => Topic started by: lvecvagare on January 19, 2006, 14:38:34 pm

Title: baby's hands in his mouth almost all the time
Post by: lvecvagare on January 19, 2006, 14:38:34 pm
Our 4 months old son is constantly putting his hands in his mouth. Does anybody know, if it is just a phase and he is simply getting to know his hands or should we do anything about it? Should we give him pacifier (now we use it for going to sleep only)? Right now we try to take his hands out of his mouth or sometimes we do give him pacifier, but he spits it out very soon and puts his hands back in.
Title: baby's hands in his mouth almost all the time
Post by: Sarah J on January 19, 2006, 17:14:27 pm
my lo is 4 months too and  the only time his hands aren't in his mouth is when he has a toy jammed in there!!!   sometimes he even makes himself gag he shoves them that far in!  i think its their age and that this is how they explore things.  they have loads more nerve endings in their mouths to help them identify things better.  most babes get very drooly at this age too and i heard that this is natures way of preparing them for putting everything in their mouths, as the excess saliva lubricates and help protect against infection....

hth
Title: baby's hands in his mouth almost all the time
Post by: home alone on January 19, 2006, 17:45:15 pm
My lo was/is doing it since 4mth and not at 4.5mth she's teething.  It soothes her to chew and suck her hand.  Also also tracy seems to recommend it so i am not worried except when guests touch her hand.  I have to wash them a lot.
Title: Re: baby's hands in his mouth almost all the time
Post by: maggieruth on January 20, 2006, 19:45:35 pm
i read somewhere in a paediatric text that babies can interpret things via their mouths much more easily than they can with any other sense right now!  as they get more adept with moving things with their hands and watching then the mouthing will fade (provided they haven't started simultaneously cutting teeth!)
HTH!
Title: Re: baby's hands in his mouth almost all the time
Post by: Glynis on January 21, 2006, 18:25:22 pm
Samuel is 5 months old & EVERYTHING goes to his mouth.  Even if the item is clearly too big to fit, he tries!  Just a stage, don't worry about it & I wouldn't suggest introducing a soother, that will only complicate things.
Title: Re: baby's hands in his mouth almost all the time
Post by: GabrielleD on January 21, 2006, 20:45:59 pm
I agree with Glynis...don't worry about his hands in his mouth and DON'T introduce a pacifier to replace it. My DS is 6 months old now and his hands are always in his mouth. No teeth yet; I figure he is getting ready. We are currently going through weaning him from his pacifier, and if you haven't started him on one already don't do it now. Look at it this way...if he needs sucking to fall asleep, he can always find his hands, but if you have to go in the middle of the night to replace his paci ... well, that gets old really quickly. HTH