My 19 mo old is destroying her crib... with her teeth. She has gnawed all the railings, which I fixed with some of those rail bite guard things. Now she has started on the crib slats. I can't wrap every single slat to keep her little razor sharp gnawing teeth from completely decimating every bit of exposed wood! She is literally biting chunks of wood off. I worry she will get splinters in her mouth or fingers! I refuse to buy another crib at this point, but I'm not sure she's ready for a toddler bed just yet. Do you moms have any other suggestings for keeping the beaver at bay? At least for a little while longer until I feel she's ready for a toddler bed? I have never seen anything like this- it's unbelievable!
Thanks!
So, I guess I should mention that I did wrap the slat that she was chewing on with a towel. Yeah, she chewed that up too and there were tons of little strings all over her clothes and bedding. My husband put duct tape around a couple of other slats and that seemed to make it more enticing. She couldn't stand that there was something strange on her crib and picked and picked at it. She managed to get some of it pulled away and then got her hair stuck in it. Boy, she screamed her head off that time. She is something else! Looks like I will be following up with a question about transitioning to a toddler bed. lol
Wow!
We didn't have to deal with this one, but just a thought... maybe put some things in her crib that she CAN chew on? Get out the old teethers and see what happens!
She's young for a toddler bed, but desperate times... you may want to consider it if the behavior doesn't stop.
We thought OUR son was the only one!
We bought one of those convertible cribs that turns into a full headboard/footboard. I keep teasing my wife that when we send him to college with that furniture - any girl he brings over will be horrified at 'who was trying to gnaw through the footboard".
We wrapped the rails in a towel for a couple months and then it mainly subsided. But I'm anxious to scroll down and see actual solutions!
I just realized I didn't offer a solution for you. Oh dear....
:)
My older daughter was a beaver at that age. She didn't eat her crib, but there were little scallopy teeth marks all around the edges of her books. Once I took her with me to the grocery and gave her a package of cheese to hold while I gathered the rest of the things on the list - without really paying much attention to what she was doing. Do I have to tell you what that poor cheese package looked like by the time I got to the cash register?
I don't suppose your daughter would listen if you threatened her with termites...? No, I didn't think so. Does she have a taste for duct tape?
I personally would move her to her crib mattress on the floor until you can get her a toddler bed. This sounds like it is turning into a safety issue. Chocking, cutting her mouth.. etc.. Not worth the chance.
Our daughter was in a regular bed at a year. She could climb out of her crib so fast, it was amazing. We called her a monkey.. We witnessed it one morning and thought, she is going to break her neck.. Dismantled that crib that hour..
I had to laugh at your question because my 18 month old does the same thing. And we call her a beaver for it, too. LOL I have no solution for you, as we haven't found one either. I just wanted to let you know that I feel your pain! Good luck, and let me know what you figure out, if anything. :-)
Would a crib tent work? I've never used one before, but was thinking that it might deter her from getting to the wood. Wowsa. Can you give her some teething rings or something else to chew on? Maybe something nonconventional, but safe? It's gotta be better than her crib! Good luck, mama!
I know it may not seem reasonable but I would do one of two things: 1) wrap every individual bar on the crib. They make crib bumpers that go over each individual slat instead of a one piece crib bumper that ties around. I think I remember seeing them at Babies R Us. I know this is a pain but I would seriously consider worse than splinters, I would worry about choking and for that I would do anything I needed to to prevent it. 2) Move her to a toddler bed. My oldest moved to one at 9 months and my next three children have moved between 12 and 18 months. My youngest will move at 12 months old when the next baby gets here. Buy a saftey rail and put it on the bed to prevent rolling out of getting up. It may take some adjustment time but she would no longer have a crib to chew on. Just make sure to buy a non-wooden toddler bed so she can't chew on it. My 19 month old son has a huge Little Tykes firetruck toddler bed.
