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Hello, this is Eri from the Bebichel editorial department.
In October 2022, a luncheon seminar "Thinking about the development of oral functions" was held in Toyama Prefecture, inviting Dr. Hiroyuki Haishima from Matsumoto Dental University as a lecturer.
Contents,The relationship between baby mouth development and the stage of baby food,How to improve your baby's sensory and oral functionsAnd so on!A lot of topics that I think.
In addition, A lot of information can be obtained from observing the baby's eating, and by observing the eating scene, it is possible to detect bad habits such as eating with the tongue sticking out and swallowing whole at an early stage.And.
I have to tell all the readers of Bebicheru about this...
So, this time, I will mainly tell you about the development of the baby's mouth and how to proceed with baby food to strengthen the mouth, focusing on what I learned from the dental university teacher!
* The benefits of training your lips are also introduced in detail in the following article.Please read this as well.
The "Try Cup Lesson Mug", which is perfect for masters of drinking cups, naturally trains your lips and prevents your mouth from popping!
How babies develop in their mouths
In the middle of the upper jaw, the mouth of the baby during the nursing period is "mammary fossaIt is characterized by a round depression called “honyuka”, and this mammary cavity gradually disappears by the time the baby is three years old.
It takes a few years for a baby's mouth to grow closer to that of an adult.
In addition, it is said that the "how to swallow" of the baby has characteristics according to the period from the nursing period to the late baby food.
The characteristics of each stage are summarized below, so please use it as a reference for childcare!
Nursing period (around 0-5 months)
Nursing period is the period before the start of baby food.The main diet is breast milk or formula.
Babies at this age have primitive reflexes (a reflex that is born in babies that unconsciously respond to stimuli) and sucking movements (one of the primitive reflexes, a reflex to forcefully suck something that enters the mouth). is seen,
・Thumb sucking
・Toy Licking
Develop muscle strength by receiving various stimuli
Such asSensory stimulation other than nipples is importantIt looks like it's going to be.
It is also good to give toys such as teething.
■ Around 3 months
Mochi Mochi Grape (with case)
■ Around 5 months
Rattle teeth, wiggle, Nyan & Chu~R
These days, breast milk and formulamammary fossaとupper labial frenulum(the place in the center of the inside of the upper lip that looks like a membrane that connects between the lip and the gums) skillfully use it to drink.It seems that the lips can be trained just by holding the nipple.
point of breastfeeding
- Time before starting baby food
- Primitive reflexes and sucking movements are seen
- Sensory stimulation other than nipples is important
- You can train your lips just by holding the nipple
Early baby food (around 5 to 6 months)
The early period of baby food is the time when the baby begins to practice eating.
For baby food, start little by little with mashed porridge (10 times porridge).
These days, when I swallowadduction of the lower lip(Drinking by rolling the lower lip) can be seen, and it can be seen that the food can be caught with the lips, crushed and swallowed.
When giving baby food to a baby, we tend to push the spoon into the mouth, but in order to train the lips,The point is to put food in the mouth using the baby's own lips and tongueThat's right.From this time on, let's train the muscles around the mouth.
Tri baby food start set
Early baby food points
- when babies start eating
- Addition of the lower lip during swallowing
- Capturing baby food with lips, crushing and swallowing
- To train your lips, don't stuff baby food into your mouth
Mid-term baby food (around 7-8 months)
In the middle of baby food, your baby will gradually get used to eating, and you will be able to crush food with your tongue and chin.
The hardness of baby food should be such that when an adult picks it up with their fingers and crushes it, the color of the nail does not change.And that.
The movement of the mouth these days is bilaterally symmetrical.The tongue can move up and down as well as back and forth.
It's also good to use a baby food feeder where you can practice chewing and eating baby food little by little.
■ Around 5 months
First Baby Food Mogu Mogu S
■ Around 6 months
First baby food mogu mogu M
Let's start practicing straw drinking with a cup mug that allows you to practice sucking.
■ Around 6 months
Aster Home Cup Mug Straw Type
Mid-term point of baby food
- Ability to crush food with tongue and jaws
- The firmness of the baby food should be such that when you pinch it with your fingers and crush it, the color of your nail does not change.
- The movement of the mouth is symmetrical.Tongue moves up and down in addition to back and forth
Late period of baby food (around 9 to 11 months)
In the latter stage of baby food, if the food is hard enough to be crushed by the gums, it will be able to bite off.
The optimal hardness of baby food is the level at which the nails become discolored when an adult pinches and crushes the food with their fingers.Or something.
At this age, the mouth feeds food from the tip of the tongue to the left and right to grind and eat, so it can move left and right asymmetrically.
It is a good idea to prepare baby food in a size that is easy to hold so that it can be eaten with your hands.
Wakewake Freezing Hand Grip Tray Stick 50
Wake-wake Freezing Hand-held Boiled Vegetable Tray
Supports eating by hand and supports the desire to eat
"Try step up! Meal set"
Points in the latter half of baby food
- Being able to chew food
- The firmness of baby food is such that the fingernails become discolored when pinched and crushed.
- Mouth movements are asymmetrical
To enhance sensory and oral functions
The firmness of baby food suitable for the growth stage enhances the functions of the baby's mouth..
On the other hand, if you don't wait until your baby's oral function develops and give them a meal that doesn't match their stage, they may end up swallowing their food whole.
In addition, In order to improve your baby's sensory and oral functions, it is important to carefully observe how your baby eats and choose baby products that match their developmental state.And that.
By closely observing your baby's eating scene, you can quickly find bad habits that affect the development of teeth and jaws.
·posture
・Lip closure
・Usage of eating utensils
・Coordination of hand and mouth
・Aspects of mastication
・Meal time
・Presence or absence of choking
It is also important to observe the movement of the whole body.
It's important to keep an eye on your baby.
Also check out Richell's official Youtube channel
On Richell's official Youtube channel, there is also a video interview with an expert on the importance of drinking training and the importance of dental care.
Why is drinking practice necessary for baby development?
How to prevent teeth from getting worse from the structure of the baby's mouth?
・How to start drinking training and what are the tricks from the baby's perspective?
How to practice when drinking with a straw is difficult?
When should you start taking care of your teeth?how to start
How to get a baby who is resistant to tooth care to open his mouth?
How to proceed with tooth care by step and how to choose a toothbrush?
It's full of interesting topics, so please take a look.
Summary
When it comes to baby products, it is important to observe the condition of the baby and give it according to the developmental state.
I tend to get ahead of myself, but it's not good if it's too early.
It seems that the functions of chewing, eating, and swallowing are created by the age of 3.
Richell has a rich lineup of products jointly developed with dental university teachers and pediatric dentists, such as baby mugs, toothbrushes, and baby bottles that can be used according to the developmental state of the baby..
It seems that they will continue to develop products that incorporate medical knowledge, so I'm looking forward to it!
Product links introduced in this article
