Baby Chewing on the Crib – Another Teething Woe

We all know that babies and toddlers put some WEIRD stuff in their mouth when teething, like your husband’s toe, but some of these things make a lot of sense. Cue the crib rail. It’s wood, like a lot of teething toys are now (click here for more info on that trend), nice and hard, and it is there when they need comfort the most. The problem is your kid destroys their bed and could potentially hurt their baby tooth buds in the process (since cribs aren’t usually made from the same wood as teething toys). So what can we do?

Rail Guards to the Rescue

Yes I know, DON’T PUT ANYTHING IN YOUR BABY’S CRIB! No bumpers, no blankets, etc. etc. BUT this goes ON the crib. It’s a little loophole in the system. Basically you take a piece of fabric and tie it around the top of the crib rail to cover it and done! Now baby can chew away, resting their gums on the fabric instead of the wood. There are tons of diy versions out there using fleece and tying knots which is nice because you can save a few bucks and totally customize it to your liking but if you are super duper lazy like I tend to be, here are some great rail guards to buy:

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Aversion Therapy

No I am not suggesting you smack your kid every time he chews on the crib rail, but there are a few ways to make the crib rail taste real bad. There are two natural household items that can make the crib rail far less desirable without hurting baby:

• Vinegar- Rub the rail down with vinegar before bed. The taste is USUALLY very unappealing to babies and safe to ingest in small amounts.
• Neem Oil- Put a couple of drops of neem oil on the rail. Again, the taste is really gross.

Distraction

When all else fails you can go for a good distraction! Non-plush toys that can attach to the crib rail may help deter baby from eating the rail. You can try baby chain links (like these) or any toy that is meant to be attached to the car seat or stroller (this is one of my favs). Just make sure that these are securely fastened to the crib before leaving baby unattended, and again, avoid plush toys.

If oral distraction isn’t good enough you can get a light/sound machine to distract and calm baby. I like this one because it has a soft glow, movement and the music isn’t terribly annoying.

New Environment

Ok nothing else has worked. Your child is determined to chew on the crib rail. No big deal. Let’s remove the crib rail all together. There is a lot to be said for floor sleeping. A lot of cultures start with babies on mattress on the floor as soon as baby outgrows a cradle. As long as his room is baby-proofed and you have some patience, baby is perfectly fine to sleep on his mattress on the floor.

If that makes you incredibly uneasy then opt for a pack and play. Pack and plays have come a long way from basically a netted cage. They have some beautiful designs available with tons of extra features! We opted to do a pack and play for both of our kids instead of a crib from the beginning. They are safer than a crib (nothing to get stuck in, firm mattress, tightly fitting bedding and breathable sides) and portable so you can bring baby’s bed with you anytime you travel. But most importantly THERE’S NO CRIB RAIL!! Well not a wood one, obviously there is still a rail, but it is already padded and covered. Win, win.

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See? No reason to worry over baby chewing on the crib rail! There are many solutions and like everything else, this too shall pass. Do you have any tips to help stop baby from chewing undesirable items? What worked or didn’t work for you? Comment below!