Jesse started drooling and cramming everything he could into his mouth when he was about 3 1/2 months old. We could see that his bottom gums were red and swollen in the front, where his first little teeth were trying to bust thru. He got to where he would chew on anything he could get near his mouth, including his burp rag and blankets. Now that he's five months old, he has learned that he can tug his socks off and chew on those. I had to get him something he could chew on without chancing getting choke by loose threads.

The Gerber Baby Gum Soother was one of the first, and least expensive, "chew toys" we could find. At nearly 4" long, and 2" wide, the figure "8" shaped toy has been a classic. My son had one when he was younger, and so did my nephew, both are over 7 years ago.

Our Gerber Baby Gum Soother is a light blue color, but I have seen them in a purple-ish/pink color, as well. It is covered in little bumps, which is supposed to help massage baby's gums while they're chewing on it. Jesse really seems to like it.

The Gerber Baby Gum Soother is filled with sterilized water, so in the event that your child manages to gnaw a hole in it, it's safe. Just make sure that there are no missing pieces of plastic that they might have swallowed. I've never seen that happen, but there is a first time for everything. My son and nephew both got tired of theirs before they managed to poke a hole in them.

The Gerber Baby Gum Soother can be placed in the refrigerator to make it cool, which also helps sooth baby's gums, but it shouldn't be placed in the freezer. There is a warning on the back of the package, but I know people do it anyway. It is possible for your child to get burned from it being to cold, or get their little tongues stuck to it, or the frozen water if they get it open, which can be painful, especially if they try pulling it themselves and break the skin.

Washing the Gerber Baby Gum Soother couldn't be easier. Just wash it in hot, soapy water and dry. So far I haven't had a problem keeping it clean. The little bumps are raised enough to help comfort your child, but not so big that stuff gets stuck in between them, causing a cleaning issue. I actually tossed mine in my Munchkin Deluxe Dishwasher Basket and let it go thru the dishwasher. I wouldn't do this a lot, as it can cause a break down in the plastic, but for the first cleaning I wanted to make sure it was clean before I gave it to Jesse. Who knows who had their hands on it before it went into packaging?

The Gerber Baby Gum Soother is a good gift for any infant. I haven't seen any that don't like them sooner or later. It may seem to large for your child at first, but it won't take them long to get a handle on managing it without bopping themselves in the face with it. It makes a good gift if you are putting together a care package or basket as a gift. They're inexpensive and easy to find.

www.gerber.com



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