Insert Directly Into Mouth
My grandson is at that cute but very slobbery stage of trying to insert everything he can get his little hands on directly into his mouth. As I rocked him today when he and my daughter came to visit, he gnawed on my (clean!) t-shirt until he fell asleep on my shoulder. It seems almost impossible to keep up with what he tries to put in his mouth, and we are constantly moving items away from him.
Babies love exploring with their mouths. They want to taste everything and find out if something is hard or soft or what it feels like exactly. This type of learning, known as mouthing, can last well through the second year. It only makes sense that the mouth would play an important role in their development. The sucking reflex shows up immediately after birth and provides much comfort and satisfaction, as well as the obvious job of getting nourishment. As babies get older and start teething, they often plunge things into their mouths to ease the pain of tender, swollen gums. This brings relief for the little ones, but adds a new worry for moms which is trying to keep items germ free and clean for tiny mouths.
Soft Rainbow Stacker by Melissa & Doug
That is one of the reasons my daughter loves the line of soft baby toys from Melissa and Doug. The toys can be washed in the washer with mild detergent and some can even be put in the dryer on low heat. This is especially convenient when there are other babies or toddlers around sharing toys. Dirt and dust are one thing, but viruses and bacteria are spread by human contact. Although we can’t protect our babies from every germ, we all like to feel like we are doing all we can to prevent sickness and maintain healthy homes.
