When will baby stop putting everything in his mouth?

[Daizy]

Hi, I am just wondering when will my 9 month old stop putting everything in his mouth? He crawls all over the house and puts anything and everything straight to his mouth it's cute but ofcourse dangerous. Just wondering when he will grow out of that stage.

 

[saralee]

Hi I have a 17 month old who is still putting a lot of things into her mouth although it is getting better. In playgroup she is told no a lot but it does nothing to stop her especially if she's teething. I am pretty laid back about this phase figuring it will pass soon.

 

[jools]

Hi,
I agree with saralee about this one. One of the reasons babies put things in their mouths is to investigate the world around them. I have two children and both loved and love exploring things by putting them in their mouths. Obviously if it is dangerous then the item is removed and they are told very firmly 'no'. But if it's not I let them get on with it. I also feel that it helps to develop their immune system.

Jools

 

[Daizy]

I understand completely this is how they explore things and I let him chew away on most things. I am just tiered of getting tissue paper out of his mouth and other little stuff so I am wondering when this phase will phase out and he knows what is dangerous and what's not  that's all.

 

[JennyB]

My child is 19 months and still puts lots of things in her mouth, but I did find that once she started walking it did gradually get less. This coincided with manual dexterity improving to the point where she could push buttons, open and close things, etc, which obviously widened her means of exploration.

But even though she is puttings less in her mouth nowadays, if anything I have to be more vigilant now about what she puts in her mouth, because she can reach more things, put them to her mouth very quickly, and also move out of my sight more quickly!