Oral stage of the newborn: why does he put everything in his mouth?
In the first years of a child's life, there are many phases that allow the child to develop different skills. The oral phase of the newborn is one of these and it is very important to support it.
Find out what it consists of and the numerous benefits it brings to the child.
1. What does the oral stage of the newborn consist of?
You have surely seen a newborn baby who puts everything he is given into his mouth .
You may have been told “yes, it’s the teeth,” but that’s not actually the reason. Of course, through objects the little one could massage his gums that prepare several months before the teeth erupt.
However, the oral stage is not due to the teeth . In fact, it is a stage of cognitive development of the child who discovers the world through his mouth .
The baby's mouth is the most innervated organ in the entire body and helps the little one to understand shapes, consistencies, densities and heat of what surrounds him.
We can say that the newborn discovers reality through the mouth.
2. When does it start?
The oral stage begins at 3 months , when the newborn is coordinated enough to be able to bring what he has in his hands to his mouth.
In fact, hand-eye-mouth coordination is necessary and develops over the first few months of life through the activities that are proposed to the child.
It usually decreases around 7-8 months , but lasts until the second year of the child's life. This is because tasting foods of different consistencies also falls into this phase.
3. Benefits of the oral phase
The oral phase allows the child to strengthen the muscles of the jaw and mouth and improves the movement of the tongue.
All of this is fundamental for the development of language because it is precisely these muscles, together with the respiratory diaphragm and the larynx, that will make the child say his first words.
Furthermore, oral manipulation also helps the little one in the phase of introducing foods as he will be ready to manage tasting them.
Finally, it helps your child find relief during periods of gum discomfort due to the eruption of teeth.
Breastfeeding as part of the oral phase
Breastfeeding can also be considered part of the oral phase because it requires active movement by the baby, strengthening the jaw muscles.
It has been found, therefore, that breastfeeding also promotes better language development in the newborn.
Beware of dangers
At this stage it is very important to pay close attention to objects within the child's reach as small pieces could risk choking him or he could ingest poisonous substances.
It is therefore important to eliminate objects smaller than 4.5 cm, round objects such as coins, buttons or batteries and all detergents and medicines from the child's door.
If the child has an older brother or sister at home, attention must be doubled. You can provide a space where only the older child can play if he has small toys like Lego or balls and be careful that these are not taken out of this space.
4. Conclusions
Many parents and grandparents wonder if it is possible to prevent their baby from putting everything in his mouth. Trying to block the oral phase of the newborn is incorrect because it would prevent the child from having his own experiences and developing his language in an optimal way.
In the course library you can find two very important video courses for child safety:
- Pediatric disobstruction maneuvers, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Safe Cuts in Weaning . This will allow you to recognize the signs of suffocation in the child and act immediately to save his life, but also all the practices to introduce the first foods safely.
- Safe Sleep and Baby Safety at Home which explains how to prevent SIDS, how to make it safe and what to do in case of poisoning.