When your baby grabs something for the first time, chances are the object will end up in their mouth within a second. A block, a cloth, a cuddly toy... everything seems to have the final destination "mouth." But why do babies actually do this? And should you be worried?
In this blog, we explain why babies put everything in their mouths, what this says about their development, and how you as a parent can handle this safely.
The mouth as the first ‘discovery instrument’
Between 3 and 7 months, your baby enters what is called themouth phase: an important developmental phase in which your baby learns about the world through the mouth. Babies initially cannot see well, grasp, or analyze with their hands like adults do. What they can do? Taste, suck, and feel with their lips, tongue, and gums.
The mouth is at that moment the most sensitive sense and helps your baby gather information about:
Temperature
Texture (soft, hard, smooth, rough…)
Size and shape
Whether something is edible or safe
So no, it is not a "bad habit" – it is a completely natural and even essential part of thesensory and motor developmentof your child.
Is it dangerous that babies put everything in their mouths?
In principle not, as long as the itemssafe, clean and suitable for their ageare. Think of teething toys, soft cuddly toys, silicone rings, or fabric books. However, as a parent, you need to be alert for:
Small items(choking hazard)
Sharp edges
Batteries and magnets– life-threatening
Toxic materialslike paint or plastic without a quality mark
💡Safety tip:choose products with a CE certification (in accordance with EU regulations) and avoid anything smaller than a ping pong ball.
The importance of teething toys
During the oral phase and especially when the teeth are coming through, canteething toysprovide lighting. These are specially designed for sucking or chewing, without damaging gums or teeth. You can find them in all kinds of shapes: from silicone figures to cooling elements that you place in the refrigerator.
A softplay matwith bite-friendly toys nearby is the ideal combo: your baby lies comfortably and can safely experiment with grabbing and tasting.
When does it stop?
The peak of the oral phase is between 6 and 12 months. Around the first year of life, babies also start to explore more with their hands and eyes, but the oral use does not disappear immediately. Some children continue to like putting things in their mouths even after that – this is normal, as long as it happens safely.
What can you do as a parent?
Give your baby toys made for chewing on.
Ensure a safe play environment, such as a defined play mat without small objects. Check out our blog about a safe play environment.
Let your baby explore, but stay close by.
Remove unsafe objectslike keys, coins, or plastic packaging.