Around the 3- to 4-month mark, babies experience an exciting transition as the suck reflex, which is so vital in the early months, begins to integrate. Sucking is a reflexive skill designed to help babies feed effectively, but as babies develop, they naturally transition to exploring other oral skills, including chewing, which is key for future eating skills when solids are introduced around 6 months. At this stage we no longer focus our energy on “suck training”, because many babies don’t want to practice sucking, they want to chew

Chewing toys and teethers help babies strengthen their jaw and practice moving their tongue and mouth in ways that lay the groundwork for chewing solid foods. This is a learning period without the expectation of swallowing food, which reduces pressure and lets them practice freely

Teethers and chewing toys let babies feel different textures and shapes, building their sensory awareness in a safe, controlled way. These sensations will become familiar, making the transition to solids more comfortable later on. These skills also carry over into sucking skills

Ditching the pacifier at this age can be helpful because it allows babies to focus on this new skill of chewing, which they are naturally ready to explore

Practicing with teethers is all about giving babies the chance to explore their mouths and practice controlling the movements they’ll need for safe and effective food chewing

By shifting from pacifiers to chewing toys, you’re supporting this natural developmental progression and giving your baby plenty of time to practice essential oral skills well before they’re expected to handle food. It’s a low-stress, baby-led way to prepare for solids while giving them the space to practice and play.