Does your kid put his/her blanket IN their mouth?

BlairFrench

I've seen a couple friends kids do this often- the kid likes to chew on it, or keep it in the mouth as a sort of happy safety thing or whatever. My son has always liked his blankey but never been latched to it as he seems to be now. The past couple of months, the 2.5 year old has really just boom, NEEDED it around all the time. he now likes to chew on it, keep a piece of it in the mouth- lol. Anyone else?

 

DevonPow

Yes. DS's lovey is one of those little blankets with a bear head on it. He sucks on it (one corner - he calls it his "special corner" - LOL). He sleeps with it in his mouth all night and nap, when he needs comfort, etc.

It gets disgusting. I actually have 4 loveys and I rotate them every day so he gets a clean/dry one each night - we do a lot of laundry for loveys, but they start to smell and are just gross if  we don't do this. Also, his bear "Lives" in his room. He can go and visit bear whenever he wants, but bear can't leave his room (we obviously bring bear on plane rides, etc. but not for daily outings). We had to limit it because it was getting so gross and DS wasn't speaking clearly because bear was ALWAYS in his mouth.

reemarie81

Yes, they both do it.  DS1 really doesnt anymore.  DS2 does and he also rubs his bears hand on his lips.  I try and clean them twice a week.  We also have an extra but they dont use them!!

KrisBriMcBunny

omg YES!  She chews/sucks on the tags of her taggie blankie.

BlairFrench

kind of a big issue, now that he's so attached to it, the blanket is homemade by grandma, and it's HUGE. HUGE. It's really think and heavy- a satin on one side, and a material kind of like faux fur on the other side. yesterday at costco, the checkout guy asked if it was a buffalo. we are washing it at least every other day.

I am now seriously considering trying to hunt down the fabrics, pulling out my sewing machine I have never used, figuring out how to use it, and making a new blankey, same looking, same material, just...SMALLER.

worth it?

CubbyMama

Yep.  K has an afghan that used to be pink, but is now mostly brown (ew) because she has literally sucked the dye right out of it.  She bunches up a corner and shoves as much in her mouth as she can get in there, and sleeps like that.  I wonder if it's going to cause any type of tooth/mouth issues b/c of having bacteria and moisture hanging around in there for hours on end!

CubbyMama

BlairFrench:

kind of a big issue, now that he's so attached to it, the blanket is homemade by grandma, and it's HUGE. HUGE. It's really think and heavy- a satin on one side, and a material kind of like faux fur on the other side. yesterday at costco, the checkout guy asked if it was a buffalo. we are washing it at least every other day.

I am now seriously considering trying to hunt down the fabrics, pulling out my sewing machine I have never used, figuring out how to use it, and making a new blankey, same looking, same material, just...SMALLER.

worth it?

My mom tried making K a replacement/substitute Blankie and it was categorically rejected. LOL

KrisBriMcBunny

do what I did with my oldest blanket....I cut it up in 4 pieces and sew on a new piecie of satin on the edges...actually my mother sewed...i cant sew to save my life lol

Chrisy-Wyobride

No thankfully they (the older 2) aren't very orally fixated (no pacis nor thumbs)...I had a blankie as a kid but sucked my thumb.  I have seen kids that suck on blankets many times though.

hikerbeth

The boy I babysit does.  The thing is in his mouth ALL. THE. TIME.  He is nearly 4 years old and is nearly unintelligible because he learned to talk with the thing in his mouth.

I think your DS should definitely have a comfort object, but you should be vigilant of speech and potential other issues surrounding having it in his mouth all the time.

bugmommy

My younger DS has a stuffed animal that he sucks on like this.  Well, actually he has 4 of them.  As soon as my kids get attached to something I get multiples (usually before there is wear on them) and rotate them regularly so they don't notice a difference.  I wash those disgusting bunnies everyday .  If you have a washing machine that has a steam sanitize cycle I have noticed that they stay MUCH cleaner.  They used to smell by the end of every day, but using that cycle they don't.  But I still wash everyday because they gross me out.

I would totally track down the fabric and make a new one if I could.  Try washing it first (maybe several times) and replacing it when he isn't looking or is asleep.  I never let my guys see me switch them out.