Why do babies like to chew things?

Many babies love to bite things for a period of time. They put everything they see into their mouths and in serious cases they will even bite people. Some breastfeeding mothers are very troubled because their babies like to bite their nipples while feeding. It is normal for babies to like to bite things. We don’t need to worry too much about whether the baby is lacking nutrition. Generally, babies bite things because they are growing teeth. At this time, mothers can buy teethers for their babies, which is more hygienic and beneficial to the development of the baby’s teeth.

Babies love to bite people. This is a common behavior in infancy and toddlers. There are many reasons for this. Babies may bite when they are teething, when they enter the oral stage, or when they are venting their emotions. For example, if a child over one year old bites people, it may be because he is about to grow teeth. The mother can pay attention to whether the baby has any symptoms of teething, such as drooling. If it is caused by the baby's teething, it is recommended that the mother give the baby a teething stick to help him relieve the discomfort of teething.

Why do babies bite?

1. Oral stage

The oral cavity is a very important organ in the baby's development. In infancy, they use their mouths to eat and suck to satisfy their psychology. They also use their mouths to perceive the world. This is why we often see young babies putting toys in their mouths. Biting is an unconscious way for babies to explore the world. Babies between 2 and 8 months old are in the oral pleasure period. They explore the outside world and gain satisfaction by biting people or objects. This is a normal physiological need.

2. Teething

Generally speaking, babies will grow their first deciduous teeth within 4 to 10 months. During the teething period, babies will feel oral discomfort and will bite people and objects because of the pain and itching of the gums. If complementary foods are added too late, babies will not be able to experience the feeling of chewing, so they will experience the feeling of teeth and mouth by biting people.

3. Emotional expression

Most of the happy emotions of babies are obtained during breastfeeding. After a baby is full, he will often bite his mother. This is his way of expressing gratitude to his mother. He is saying thank you, mother, for giving him such delicious milk. When a 1 to 2 year old baby is happily playing with his mother, he will suddenly bite his mother. The more he is asked to let go, the more he will bite. The baby’s thought at this time is, I love my mother so much that I can’t help but bite it hard.

4. Poor language

Babies between 1 and 2 years old have not yet fully developed their language and are generally unable to express their wishes accurately, so they often use extraordinary means such as biting to attract the attention of their parents or peers, or simply vent an emotion, in order to achieve the purpose of communication and expressing their wishes.

5. Imitation or venting

Babies around 2 years old are very curious and have a self-centered consciousness. When they see other children biting others, they will find it very interesting. Some parents also express closeness and love for their baby's skin by biting it gently, so the baby will imitate them to bite others.

Sometimes, when a baby's demands are not met and he feels dissatisfied, he will vent his feelings by biting others. In addition, if the caregiver ignores the baby's safety needs and lets him play alone, he will become afraid and phobic of new and unfamiliar environments, and biting people will become his only way to protect himself and overcome his fear.

It is normal for babies to love to bite things. As a mother, don't worry too much. Check if the baby is growing teeth. This usually happens when the baby is five or six months old. Mothers can buy some teething sticks for the baby to play with. Teething sticks made of silicone can stimulate the baby's tooth development. At the same time, parents should also pay attention that it is also very important to provide proper nutritional supplements to babies.