We’ve had a strange couple days around here. Hailey’s naps have been a bit all over the place, which is odd for her. After that week attempt (haha, a pun!) at switching to 1 nap, she’s been back to normal…. until Saturday.
Instead of napping she’s been doing head stands, rolling around and standing up.
I couldn’t figure out what exactly she was up to until I saw this.
That little beaver! Immediately I knew I had to take action. First, to take care of those chompers.
We bought her first toothbrush and Tom’s natural baby toothpaste. She has about 6 teeth now, so I figured it was time for some proper dental care. We tried it last night and she actually loved “brushing her teeth” (we tried our best to brush). The proof was when she cried when I took it away.
Next up, the furniture.
After some thorough googling I came across 2 solutions. Buy the gummy protector: pros- pliable and fits to rail; cons- plastic and mixed reviews about it not sticking or ruining furniture. OR custom fabric rail protectors, which I found on etsy from anywhere from $50-$300. Ugh.
So, I decided to attempt to be crafty, which isn’t necessarily my strong suit.
I bought 3 yards of pink felt. Then I measured each rail and got cutting. The end result?
Not too shabby! I folded the felt over the rail, then stapled it between each bar. Then I’m going to go back with thread and needle to replace the staples.
It’s not perfect and I doubt I’ll have people lining up to order these from me, but it fixed our problem for $10. Not too shabby.
Does your baby chew on the rail?
What solution did you find?
Susan @ Real Life Travels says
Luckily CK hasn’t gotten his crib, we have the “sleigh bed” style and he can’t really get his mouth around it to chew on it. However, he’s attacked our kitchen chairs! I swear we aren’t buying “nice” furniture again until all our kids are older! It’s only temporarily and I think your “quick fix” is perfect! Keep us posted if it continues to work!
Christie says
We have gummy protectors that someone gifted us with at our shower, however I have a friend, Brooke, with an etsy store that makes really adorable cloth wraps and her prices are very reasonable! She offers lots of discount codes through her facebook page (every Wednesday she offers a new one), check it out! I believe my blog discount code: rollerkoesterrun is still good (I did a review a while back). Check it out and mention me if you order anything, I am sure she’d take really good care of you.
OH- she also does customizing, so if you want to select a certain pattern, se will use that!!!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/petaljayne
https://www.facebook.com/PetalJayne
Joanna @ Midwestern Bite says
Well, my ten month old still has no teeth so while he gums at the crib he has yet to do any damage. The only damage seems to have come from my belt buckle as I lean over the crib. Sorry I can’t be of any help.
Amanda @ Sistas of Strength says
That is very creative! Nice work. 🙂
We ended up buying a cotton thing that uses velcro onto the main rail. It worked great when he was in the chewing phase. It’s still on there bc I’m sure he would still chew it a little, but he also thinks it’s fun to pull it off. Not exactly fun to keep putting it back on, but buys me a little time when he’s playing sometimes if I want to shower. ha
Lisa @ The Splattered Apron says
Ha! I love your DIY approach!
We bought the same thing as Amanda, only I bought it for the front rail and the sides. Cost about $100 but was worth it because my husband built Caroline’s crib and it will eventually become her toddler bed and full size head and foot board. Which means we need it to remain teeth-mark free as much as possible.
Brittany says
That’s so cool that your hubs built the crib! Our’s was store-bought, but I hope to use it as a toddler bed and for baby #2 (down the road), so I’m hoping to keep it as teeth-mark free as possible!
blackhuff says
I think you found the perfect solution. Wow! You did a great job.
I can’t remember if mine chewed the railings but I wouldn’t care too much as my cot was one which was like a camping cot where the side was from material and not wood.
Liz @ IHeartVegetables says
Haha I didn’t know babies did this!!! At least you figured out a solution! See, you ARE Crafty!
Anna W. says
Love reading your blog – rarely comment (sorry!) but wanted to let you know we took our son to the dentist (13 months, 5 teeth) which was a bit much but my husband is a pediatrician and he felt it was important for us to go as the AAP’s rec is at or before 1 year. Anyway, our dentist explained that if you give your child tap water that is flourinated (sp?) that you should not brush with a flouride toothpaste until the baby is old enough (say, 2) to truly spit the toothpaste out. We were using Tom’s for kids and a Crest for kids and still are until we run out (both are flourinated) but he explained that too much flouride (which you get with our water here in Philly) can have a negative effect on the teeth under the gums that haven’t errupted yet. I am sure you can find more accurate info on Dr. Google but – thought you’d want the two cents 🙂 And while I’m commenting, my son was a great napper – 9am and 12pm for 1.5 hours each nap. But around 10 months he got wacky (when he was developing physically re: crawling, pulling up and cruising) and he would start rolling, playing, and sometimes crying through his second nap. I would say, after playing around with his naps for 2 months he RARELY took that second nap even with switching it to 12, 1, 2, 3 – trying to feed him earlier, etc. Now at 13 months this week – I am trying to “push” his naps to one consolidated nap at 12pm, feeding him lunch at 11:30. From what I hear (we worked with a sleep consultant) that is pretty typical, and that while 13 months is usually the earliest they will truly give up the 2nd nap, that they can begin showing you signs of readiness much earlier. So – all that to say – keep your chin up, you may have a beautiful little excited nap protesting girl on and off until you find your groove again. I am wondering what will happen today…kept him up until 12 when he practically threw himself into the crib! Love your blog and parenting style. Esp your willingness to feed your child real food. 🙂
Brittany says
Anna- thanks so much for your great input! I ran and looked at our tube of Tom’s that we bought, and it’s actually the flouride free one (thank goodness because I don’t remember looking very carefully at Target). Still, it’s interesting about the flouride. I just might have to visit Dr Google to learn more 😉
And of course as soon as I say Hailey’s naps are all over the place, she does her normal 9-11 and 2-4 naps today. I think you’re right and we’re in the back and forth stage. How did your nap/s go today??
Anna W. says
now i am the one who needs to go buy new toothpaste. lol. he actually napped from 12-3:20. no crying – and was pleasant and energetic through bed time routine. sheesh. nice work to both babies 🙂
Madeline @ Food Fitness and Family says
GENIUS. I am probably going to have to do this when I get back to Georgia. Emmie is gnawing on her rail in defiance I am sure 😉 Em also loves brushing her teeth! SO much fun.
Jessie says
What a little stinker, but wayy too funny. Love your approach to fixing it all though 🙂
Krista says
My 7 month old is still toothless but I can totally see him doing this in the near future! And I would totally pay you $10 for some of those covers. I don’t even half 1/16 of a crafty bone in me!
Ali says
Hey – They have a cotten crib rail I believe I got from BRU for N when she started doing that. It uses velcro,, but it’s for the main rail and it seems H likes the side rails. I just brought ours back out for G because she’s taken to chewing on the coffee table and chairs with her 4 teeth. As Susan said, we arent buying any new or nice furniture until the kids are older!
Andie says
I’ve seen where people have taken the crib bumpers and repurposed them to cover the top rails for this very reason!
One Step Ahead makes personalized teething rail covers too.
tiana says
Thanks for this idea, totally going to try it. Our son has been chewing his crib like crazy..taking chunks out and we have been trying to figure out something to do. we worry about him eating the wood. Can’t wait to try it and see if it works for us as well!!
Telsia Ziyad says
Thank you so much for sharing. I am a mother of 2, and I just noticed my 9 month old has been taken a chomp at the railings on his crib (which are made out of real wood). So scary because my husband refinished it, and I’m not sure what kind of chemicals are in the stain.
I pray he will be fine, but I am going to purchase some fabric and do the same thing. In a few more months, he’ll be in a toddler bed. $10, in my opinion, is a great investment. You’re a genius!!!