BABY SUCKING BOTTOM LIP-5 Important Things Any Parent Can Do – Any parent, new or experienced, is concerned about their child’s safety, health, and well-being. This is completely natural, as they sometimes exhibit odd behaviors you may not understand. You may have noticed your baby sucking on their bottom lip. It’s natural to be curious about what this behavior means. Is your child hungry? Are they worried or anxious? Will biting their lips cause them problems in the future?
The good news is that your baby biting their lips is completely normal in most cases. However, if this behavior continues, it can lead to problems in the future. For example, if your child continues to suck on their bottom lip, the lip may continue to turn inward. First, look for indications that your baby is sucking their bottom lip. To stop this behavior or slow it down so that it does not become a habit, you must first understand why your child has begun lip sucking.
There could be several reasons why they are sucking their lips. Paying attention to when your child is sucking their lip is one of the primary methods for determining why.
The following are some of the most common reasons why your baby is sucking their bottom lip:
- Hunger
While an older child can tell you when they’re hungry, babies must rely on nonverbal communication to convey their message. Older babies may point to food to indicate hunger, but younger babies use other cues.
- Teething
Teething is an important developmental milestone in your baby’s first year of life. Teething usually begins around 6 months of age, which can be a difficult time for parents due to the baby’s fussiness and frequent crying.
Remedies include teething toys, cold compresses, and chamomile tea.
Sucking on your baby’s lip is a self-soothing technique. Babies find sucking comforting because it reminds them of breastfeeding, so this should come as no surprise.
Teething is frequently accompanied by a variety of other symptoms, including sore and red gums, excessive drooling, and ear rubbing. You’ll also notice that your baby wants to chew on anything and everything to relieve the pain in their gums.
Your child’s baby teeth will have fully developed by the time he or she is 2 to 3 years old. Until then, all you can do is keep wiping their chins and offering them chew toys.
- Medical Concerns
Even though the majority of infants stop lip-sucking by six months of age, especially if solid foods are offered, some small children may be adamant about continuing the habit. Constant bottom lip tucking raises a few medical concerns, which you should be aware of just in case.
- Serious Misalignment
Because of the misaligned upper baby teeth, your toddler is very likely to suck on the lower lip. Visit your pediatric dentist as soon as possible because braces are the most common solution for this problem.
- Babies can be stressed at times. They become irritable, tired, and overstimulated.
Passing a newborn baby from person to person in a room can overstimulate some babies. When your baby is stressed or anxious, he or she is more likely to engage in self-soothing behaviors such as lip biting or bottom lip sucking.
Other signs that your child is stressed and needs to unwind include:
- Squirming and Hiccups
- Moving arms and legs
- Excessive sobbing
- Change in eating habits (eating more or eating significantly less)
- A change in Sleeping habits (such as no longer sleeping through the night)
Frequent body movements that are not a normal part of development
If you notice this, it means your baby is stressed. Removing them from the stressful environment, practicing regular calming techniques such as baby massage, and ensuring that they are not overstimulated are all excellent ways to keep your baby happy and prevent bottom lip sucking.
- Normal Development
Baby sucking with the bottom lip is sometimes a normal part of development. There are several things that will cause a baby to suck on their lip that are normal, and babies will stop on their own.
- Sensory Growth
As babies grow older, they learn about a variety of topics. They learn how to move their arms and legs, as well as how things look, sound, and feel.
If your child has only recently discovered how to suck on their tongue or lip, they may be learning about how different movements feel. This is also a normal stage of development.
Your child will become distracted and move on to a new fascination as they grow older and learn new things. Pick up some sensory development toys to help with this.
The Effects Of Baby Sucking Bottom Lip
If your baby suckles their bottom lip for a few months, there should be no negative consequences. However, if your child continues to do this as they get older, it can be detrimental to their development.
Overbite
An overbite can occur when the mouth is consistently in a position where the bottom lip is inside the mouth as teeth form and grow. This means that the top teeth and lip protrude more than the bottom teeth and lip. If this is possible, it could take years to correct.
Speech Therapy
Children who grow up sucking on their bottom lip may try to talk around it rather than stop sucking on it. As a result, they may not learn how to pronounce letters and words properly. It may also necessitate years of speech therapy to correct the issue.
Children usually outgrow this behavior on their own. It’s usually a normal part of growing up. Contact your pediatrician if your baby continues to suck on their bottom lip after 7-12 months or if you are concerned.
Lip sucking causes dry, cracked, and chapped lips over time. There is reason to be concerned, especially if a red ring has formed around the mouth. Skin infection is a risk if this area is damaged. Your child may be susceptible to cold sores or impetigo.
Lip sucking causes dental distortions such as occlusion and an asymmetric jaw. If left untreated, the habit may result in a permanent error in the bite.
A pacifier is a common method for preventing baby bottom lip sucking. This gives them something to suck on other than their lips, which can be beneficial.
A Red Ring Forms Around The Mouth
Lip licker’s dermatitis, also known as a red ring around the mouth caused by excessive lip licking, can develop. It affects a large number of school-aged children, particularly during the winter when the weather is colder and the skin is drier, and is caused by saliva damaging the skin around the lips.
How To Stop Your Baby From Sucking Bottom Lip
You don’t need to worry about correcting this practice right now unless your baby’s lips are displaying symptoms of severe discomfort or he hasn’t stopped by the time he turns one, because most newborns go through a temporary lip-sucking phase while teething or learning how to calm themselves.
The only time you should be concerned is if the behavior continues past your baby’s first birthday, as this is when oral damage can occur and there may be other underlying issues.
If the habit persists, you can help your child break it with patience and persistence.
Here are few tips to help you break this habit;
- Do not constantly call attention to or criticize the behavior. Instead, provide a soothing cream or lip balm for the child to apply. It serves to divert the child’s attention while also improving the health of the child’s lips.
- Have faith and offer support if your child expresses frustration or dissatisfaction with the habit. Give a hug and some words of encouragement.
- In stressful situations, divert the child’s attention. Attract them to positive activities that may change their way of thinking. Some babies are simply bored and suck their lips to keep themselves entertained.
Provide alternative entertainment, such as playtime with their favorite toys or watching cartoons on TV with lots of dancing and singing.
- Praise the child when you notice that he or she is not using lip sucking as a coping mechanism or is doing it unconsciously.
- Make an appointment with the dentist. If your child’s bite is bothering you, your dentist may suggest a course of action.
- Provide water on a regular basis. Avoid sweet drinks, which may cause the child to lick his or her lips instinctively. However, if your child drinks plenty of water, his or her lips may become healthier.
- Provide sugar-free candies. The candy sucking may serve to replace the need for lip sucking. You can wean them off candy if they change their habits.
- Every night, apply vitamin E or another lip moisturizer. If the cause is dry lips, use as many tools as possible to combat it. Carry lip balm around and use it throughout the day.
- Use a Pacifier: If your child is breastfed and on a breast milk supply, you may be concerned about pacifiers. Some parents may be concerned about having to correct nipple confusion, while others may be hesitant to wean their child from their pacifier in a few years. A pacifier, on the other hand, may be beneficial because it satisfies your baby’s desire to suck while also protecting her lips.
- Provide them with teething toys:If your baby is sucking or biting her lips because her teeth are coming in, you can give her a teething toy to chew on.
- Baby should be fed on time: If your child shows signs of hunger by sucking their lip, feed them as soon as you notice. Make an effort to feed them on time so they don’t have to notify you first.
If they are going through a growth spurt, plan ahead of time for more frequent feeding.
- Other Mouth Movements Seen by Baby
Babies between the ages of 6 and 8 months often mimic an adult’s facial expressions.
Experiment with different lip expressions, such as kissing or whistling.
They will copy you if you do this frequently. Who knows, they might decide it’s way more fun than sucking their bottom lip.
In case of lip irritation, there are certain things to do that can help soothe your irritated baby. They are;
- Treat with Infant-Safe Lip Balm
Apply a baby-safe lip balm to minor lip irritation, such as chapped lips.
Anything you put near your baby’s mouth must be safe in case they swallow it, which they frequently do.
If you are unsure which type to purchase, seek advice from a pediatrician.
- Natural Oils
Natural remedies such as coconut oil can help heal the affected area quickly by preventing saliva from coming into contact with the affected skin.
Keep in mind that some babies may be allergic to coconut oil, so consult a doctor or take an allergy test first.
Additionally,
Every parent worries about their child sucking their lower lip at some point. The good news is that lip sucking is usually a phase that your child will outgrow if you provide them with the necessary care and attention. While it will require some effort, you can help your baby stop harming their mouth and enjoy other forms of self-soothing.
Babies suck their lips for a variety of reasons. In general, there is nothing to be concerned about, but it is a good practice to pay attention to symptoms as they develop. It’s not cause for concern, but long-term lip sucking could lead to developmental issues and should be investigated.
Remember that your baby relies on you to help them choose acceptable behaviors as you work on this with them.
The blisters and redness around their mouth will fade over time, and your baby will move on to other forms of self-soothing.
However, if your child continues to suck their lips after the age of three, you should be concerned.
You should also take your child to the doctor if their lip sucking causes severe bodily harm, such as a blister that does not heal or becomes infected. If the behavior persists, it may be cause for concern, and consulting with your pediatrician is advised.
In most cases, however, all you have to do is persevere. Your love and attention will eventually assist your baby in breaking this irritating habit.
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