Baby puts everything in the mouth:
Is this normal?
Baby is a little adventurer who likes to discover the world around him. To the chagrin of parents who must be extra vigilant to avoid accidents. What child has never experienced falls or household accidents? Among the components of baby that challenge the most, we choose the one to put everything in the mouth. Toy, object, hand: everything goes. If you are interested in the subject, see in detail the famous baby oral stage.
Why does baby put everything in her mouth?
According to specialists,already in the mother's belly, babies begin to put their fingers in their mouth. It seems to be an instinctive reflex from our ancestors. Because, in addition to sight and smell, taste was a means of discovering the environment that surrounded us. surrounded. It is for this reason that babies develop this type of reflex very early. It's a way for him to learn more about everything he finds.
So, don't worry if baby puts everything in his mouth, it's completely normal. According to experts, it is a great way to make new discoveries. Thanks to this natural and spontaneous momentum, baby learns to know both his environment and his body, which allows him to develop his intelligence.
In addition, very early on, baby teeth begin to grow. Thus, putting things in the mouth to chew on allows him to relax his gumswhich is good for him. As a result, you understand that putting certain things in the mouth has many benefits for the child, provided that it is obviously not dangerous for him.
The oral stage of baby: explanation
Theorized for the first time by Freud, the oral stage is the first stage of development of a child. It begins at birth and continues to be latent throughout our lives. Psychologists even believe that, in adults, this oral stage is manifested by the pleasure of drinking, smoking or kissing one's partner.
In all cases, Freud explains that there is 5 different stages:
- the oral stage (up to 18 months),
- the anal stage (between 18 months and 3 years),< /li>
- the phallic stage (between 3 and 7 years old),
- the latency period (at 7-8 years old)
- the genital stage (during adolescence ).
Note: the oral stage is, according to Karl Abraham, itself divided into two: the early or preambivalent oral stage (pleasure linked to sucking) and the oral cannibalism or oral sadism (related to biting).
In any case, your toddler enjoys sucking or biting things in order to get to know objects through this mode of identification</ strong>.
Baby puts everything in the mouth: how to avoid accidents?
As a parent, your role is to accompany your child in the discovery of his environment and his body.
Thus, do not put its scope of dangerous elements. In addition, as soon as you see that baby puts something in the mouth, explain to him what it is.
Although it is not recommended to prohibit this type of behavior (a child needs it ), of course,stay vigilant and keep objects that are toxic or dangerous for him away. If he gets close, remove them immediately and explain to him that it's for his own good.
In any case, rest assured: this Just because your child puts something dirty in his mouth doesn't mean he'll get sick. This will already allow him to consolidate his immune defences (the famous antibodies. Also, it will pass with age. Try as much as possible to keep your interior space clean and, above all, give time to time. This mania will pass to him as he grows up.
