Chewing on Crib and Wooden Furniture

I don't know if she's lacking anything but my daughter chewed on her crib and pretty much anything she could get in her mouth she nows chews her fingernails to where she has none and her toes and she is 28 months old.

Hi M..
I don't have any real pearls of wisdom to offer here, but as some of the other moms have mentioned, my daughter and son did the same thing. When I read your request it made me smile because it brought to mind the little wooden crib with the perfect prints of their tiny baby teeth and the little scrape marks they left there. It may sound silly, but I would never give away or sell the crib just because of that. My daughter is 16 now and and my son is 12. Someday (in the future!!!) when my grand-kids come over they will be sleeping in that same crib.
If you are worried at all, go ahead and take your little one on to the doctor. It sounds like you are doing all the right things for her and she is lucky to have such a caring mamma.

My daughter did this too. We are using her old crib for our new baby, and its a friendly reminder everyday that she chewed on her crib. I just thought she was bored and all babies did that. My nephews did it too. I never took her to the doctor for it, and shes turned out pretty well! lol. =). But if its something your concerned about, they wont think you are crazy and if they do who cares. I took my son to the doctor last week for the second time in two weeks, they told me to bring him back if he had a fever, he never did but I took him anyways and the nurse on the phone seemed like I was overreacting. I finally told her "I just want to bring him in!" I did, and he had a double ear infection! So if you want to, take her!

I know you've already pretty much settled this, but I wanted to add that some kids find something to teethe on, and that's what feels the best. My son chewed on his crib alot, my daughter didn't as much. But I have a little guy in my daycare who will not stay away from the foam blocks! He carries one around all day chewing on it. She just found a texture she likes that feels good.

Buy some wooden teething toys. You should be able to find some made in the USA on line or at a specialty baby store.
Maybe with the teething she likes the feeling of wood more than plastic. Wood does give a little more (when bitten) than plastics do.

God bless!

Hi M., I think that she just likes chewing on wood. I'm sure that feels good on her gums - plus she gets a reaction from you. Which in little kid world is a BONUS! My younger daughter was the same way, I was sure that she was part beaver. It as almost embarrassing when we gave her crib away it had so many teeth marks on it. I wouldn't make an appointment and take her in I'd just wait till your next well baby visit and mention it, or give the Dr a call and just ask if they think it's a problem. If they see it as a problem they'll have you bring her in, but if not they can just give you advise over the phone. Good luck and just think how much fun this story will be to tell when she's 15!

I would definitely have her checked by her pediatrician. My son did the same thing to his crib to the point that we had to throw it away. Most items do not contain lead in them anymore, but I would still be concerned about that. Pica (the chewing on non-food items) can be a sign of mineral deficiencies or other health problems. In my son's case, he ended up being diagnosed with asberger's (a form of autism). Your daughter may just be trying to find anything to relieve her teething pain, but I would still talk to the doctor about it. Good luck! I know it is very frustrating to try to keep a baby from chewing things up!

My grandson was doing the same thing and I took him to the dr and he told me to give him 2 multi vitamins a day. He chewed on our front door that was wooden and had a little ledge on it that was just the right height. Then he started eating dirt. After I started giving him 2 vitamins a day he quit. We had to go in for blood test because his lead level got high for a while. He is fine now and graduating pre-school.

Glad you got your problem solved, but I just had to respond to the poster who said breast fed babies need a vitamin supplement. Formula is not more nutritionally complete than breast milk! With some exposure to natural sunlight, she can produce the vitamin D she needs. There are very few foods that even have vit. D naturally at all. We're meant to get it from sunshine. Anyway, it's not a mineral and I'm sure eating wood to get vit. D is completely unheard of. There's no D in wood.

Thanks for letting me rant. . . ;)

Breastfed babies need a vitamin supplement so it is possible that she is deficient or looking for something however it does sound like typical teething. Some babies are worse about this than others. Does she take a vitamin supplement? I believe breastmilk lacks vitamin D as opposed to a formula's more complete makeup. I would have her tested just to be sure! Her diet sounds healthy enough and sounds like you are doing a great job.

I would take her. I would also watch because these items may have paint even varnish that could be harmful with lead or other chemicals. not to scare you but to raise your awareness, My cousin did that 50 years ago and got lead poisening and it lead to a brain injury.

Referencing Robin's post below: IF your baby is Vit D deficient and you are nursing, you can increase your Vit D intake and it will help. Sun exposure works....I think it should be about 20 min/day.

BF babies RARELY need a vitamin suppliment. Vitamins are not absorbed nearly as well as mama's milk anyway. Most vitamins taken by ANYONE are not absorbed...just ask any Johnny On The Spot cleaner person, they will tell you of the piles of vitamins that are left over after cleaning the port-a-pottys that have passed through people WHOLE! Gross, I know, but don't (ahem) FLUSH your money away!

AND Breastmilk is WAY more complete nutrition. Even formula companies will tell you that! Formula is a FAR DISTANT second. BF babies are so much better off, in so many ways. Health benefits include: better dental and language development, less obesity and diabetes rates, higher IQ and GPA, and the longer you BF, the more benefits the child will reap.

Thanks for allowing me the soapbox for a moment.

Blessings!

M., it could just be teething, my oldest son we thought was part beaver...he gnawed all around the coffee table, even on my moms ( his grandma's) rocking chair. He out grew it...we discouraged it and offered good choices for teething = ), a fave with my kiddos was frozen waffles. Two year molars are called two year molars but they do sometimes come in earlier. Anytime you have a concern though, don't be afraid to ask your pediatrician, they have heard it all before = ) I am convinced Very little shocks them these days. Good Luck!
B.

it would not hurt to just call them and tell them what she is doing and if you read could be true. but it does sound like teething. I think every kids try to chew on bed. but never hurt of chewing on chairs. best wishes

just to let ya know your not alone! my 15 month old is still doing it and she has almost all of her teeth. she started it about 9 months after her first tooth. my girl chews on anything she can get ahold of but will climb up me to reach the back of the couch to try to chew on it. so I try to stop her from chewing on that by giving her something more appropriate to chew on. it doesn't always work but its better than her diggin in and getting a splinter in her mouth.

Are you referring to Pica? If so, your 11 month old would be actually eating the wood, not just chewing it.

You could give your child tomato sauce, or anything rich in tomatoes if you think that it is a magnesium problem. You don't want to raise zinc levels too much, because it depletes Magnesium. That could be dangerous!

I highly doubt that your child is actually ingesting the wood, she is probably just chewing. Think about pencils for instance, many children chew on pencils when they are concentrating or nervous. She probably just finds more comfort in chewing wood substances. Maybe you could find something similar to wood that would not be a choking hazzard. Good Luck!

I would check with your doctor. He would know if it is a deficiency or malabsoprtion problem. Also try to offer her teeting rings so she has something good to chew on. They also have baby biscuits and hard pieces of bread to chew on that might help.

Good Morning M., Our eldest son chewed on his crib, didn't have crib rail protectors 34 yrs ago. And on the pews at Church. Ut Oh's real pew biter!!! In fact both of the boys chewed the foot board on the crib. It looked like a dog or a beaver got it.
I don't remember them chewing on other furniture though.
You might try giving her a cold teething toy or something along those lines. Mention it to her Ped at next check up at One year. They won't think your crazy at all. Take pictures if you want them to see what your little Princess is doing. Kidd-os will chew on just about anything they get their little hands on. Zane tried chewing on the rubber puppy bone. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwey

God Bless you and yours with a Beautiful Day
K. Nana of 5

My 16month old daughter is doing the same thing..she is chewing on the crib sometimes..but she chews on the wooden tables to the point where the splinters are getting in her mouth and she makes a yucky face and spits them out. I get so afraid she will swallow them and they will hurt her..she was chewing the cabinet shelves in the kitchen driving me crazy until we put on cabinet locks..it's funny because she doesn't want what is in the cabinet..just the wooden shelf..lol. She will chew the doors and our kitchen table if we don't block her off w/a baby gate. I am relieved in a way to see that other people are having the same issue..so I can get some help on this matter as well. Thanks!

Hi M.,
I know you said you talked to your doctor and it is most likely teething--I just wanted to let you know how normal this is. My almost 10 month old does the same thing. We have little bite marks on our coffee table, end table, etc. and he tries for my shoulder too! (This has been our first experience with "NO.") He has 8 teeth now and each time a new tooth has emerged, he's started chewing even more of the furniture. I've heard this is common from other moms too. Hope this phase passes quickly!