Using Teethers as a Developmental Tool
Teethers aren’t just for teething anymore! You can use teethers on babies as young as newborns (!) to encourage healthy oral development. Not all teethers are created equal, though. Innobaby has an entire line of teethers, backed by experts, specially designed for giving your baby the best head start possible. Want to know how to use an oral development teether like a pro? Keep reading to learn our best tips on using an oral development teether at each developmental stage of the first year.
What is an Oral Development Teether?
An oral development teether isn’t just any teether—it is specially designed to help your baby strengthen their tongue, mouth, and jaw muscles to set them up with great oral development for life! Oh, and they also help soothe teething pain, too.
When using an oral development teether, or with any teether or toy for your baby, it is important to allow them to explore it naturally. Don’t force anything on them and let them take the lead. If they’re not interested at the moment, just try again later!
Teethers for Newborn Babies
Yes, you can use oral development teethers on newborn babies, even if they are not showing any signs of teething yet.
Some benefits of doing this include:
- Strengthening the jaw, tongue, and mouth muscles
- Helps with better breast or bottle feeding
- Reduces clicking sounds while feeding
- Reduces milk dribble while feeding
Here’s how to use it:
- Hold your baby’s teether for them. You can wrap their hands around it or not, up to you!
- Bring it up to their mouth
- Hold vertically
The goal at this age is to get their mouth to open up and their lips and tongue to get moving!
What can my baby do at this age?
- Holds head up when supported.
- Turns head towards nipple and opens mouth
- How does my baby eat and drink?
- Latches to nipple.
- Sucks and swallows.
Teethers for 3 Month Olds
At three months old, your baby may be showing some early signs of teething, such as drooling. They may also be super interested in objects around them and will soon start reaching for things. Give them something safe to hold on to that will also help their oral development!
The goals at this age, even if teething still seems far away are:
- Exercise the muscles of the mouth and face
- Get a deeper latch for breast or bottle feeding
- Help with brain development
- Added fun for tummy time and wake windows
Here’s how to use it:
- Give baby the teether to hold in their own hand
- Bring it up to their mouth
- Start with the flat side, then turn it to open up their mouth wide
- Watch them open their lips, stick out their tongue, and get their face moving
What can my baby do at this age?
- Brings hands to the breast or bottle.
- Pats breast or bottle.
- Brings hands or toys to mouth.
- Starts to sit up in cradle position and holds breast or bottle during feeding.
- Sits supported in highchair with straps and when reclined.
How does my baby eat and drink?
- Opens mouth for spoon.
- Uses tongue to move food to back of mouth for swallowing.
Teethers for 6-12 Month Olds
By six months old, your happy baby will soon be starting solids and is well-versed in holding things in their hands and bringing things to their mouth. They may also have had some teeth pop up by now, or are clearly working on it!
The goals at this age for using teethers include:
- Work on bilateral movements for brain development
- Strengthening the jaw
- Work on biting
- Work on the skills for eating solid foods
Here’s how to use it:
- Give your baby their teether or allow them to reach for it
- Watch them play with it all on their own!
- The teethers can reach the back molars to help with biting strength
What can my baby do at this age?
- Holds head up when sitting upright
- Leans forward to receive foods
- Still needs support from highchair around waist and legs, including footrest
- Reaches for toys and food
- Picks up food with fingers
- Brings foods to mouth with hands and starts to feed self
Tries to hold spoon How does my baby eat and drink?
- Starts to drink from a cup, but may bite cup edge or straw; some liquid spills out of mouth
- Drools less
- Moves food around mouth using tongue
- Munches
Innobaby Oral Development Teethers
Thoughtfully designed with little hands and mouths in mind, these teethers are made from soft, flexible TPE and feature an easy-to-grip handle that helps promote early coordination.
Made from high-quality, food-grade TPE, it’s lightweight, flexible, and safe for everyday use. The ergonomic design helps babies practice gripping, mouthing, and early coordination skills.
- Choose from tons of fun shapes and colors
- Lightweight and easy to grip for little hands
- Textured surface helps soothe gums
- Made from safe, food-grade TPE
- BPA-, phthalate-, PVC-, latex-, lead- free
- Freezer and top-rack dishwasher safe;
- Complies with ASTM F963 and EN71 safety standards
- Made in South Korea
For more parenting blogs, baby tips, and safe products for your whole family, visit us at Innobaby.com!
Milestone source:
https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/feeding-and-swallowing-milestones-birth-to-1-year/?srsltid=AfmBOopIPP4wH_pZstalZ58a0RD5F9AdJN6XjLp80BwTeIfpSrApZZBw