Vegan Mum Lets Her Baby Eat Dirt And Chew On Rocks As She "Welcomes Bacteria"

We’re all in for the “5-second rule” (food dropped on the floor is OK to eat if you pick it up in 5 seconds or less) but one mum has taken this to the extreme and lets her young baby eat dirt and chew on rocks.

Alice Bender, 22, a passionate vegan, shares a number of eyebrow-raising videos on her TikTok channel, showing her “crunchy son” eating sand, dirt and chewing on rocks and sticks.

She said that while her eight-month-old boy is exclusively breastfed, she said that she lets him chew on whatever he decides to put in his mouth. But we’re not talking about a stray crust of bread or a discarded cookie. No, her TikToks show Fern digging his squidgy hands into beach sand and putting fistfuls into his mouth. In one video, Alice hands baby Fern a dirty rock and the bub immediately gives it a good suck. Just seeing that skyrockets my germ-phobia to Mars and beyond. Seriously, who does that?

The alternative mum-of-two, also loves to show how she takes her bub on shopping expeditions where she is totally chilled out when Fern licks the dirty shopping trolleys. Yuck!!!

@comingupfernReply to @sydneybrassyfields those crunches ???? ##teething ##homebirth ##unassistedbirth ##vbac ##grounding ##babygrounding ##naturebaby ##8monthsold ♬ Runaway – AURORA

Bacteria Is My Friend

“I do not fear bacteria. In fact, I welcome it. I trust nature and my baby. It is not a coincidence babies have this instinct while they are breastfeeding,” the controversial mum declared in the video, which has attracted over 6.2-million views and over 23,000 comments.

She also said that she takes him outside as much as possible but doesn’t use sunscreen as she doesn’t “fear the sun”.

Burnt To A Crisp!

While there are always going to be those who support her weird ways, the majority of commenters on the video were shocked, especially about the no sunscreen admission.

“I feel like you’re treating him as an experiment,” one person wrote.

“I get where you’re coming from, but also parasites, flesh-eating bacteria, meningitis, measles, MRSA etc…” another said.

“It’s one thing letting your child eat food off the ground, but you’re taking it too far,” another said.

“The only crunchy thing about your baby is its skin!”

Is This A Joke?

Many viewers actually thought that the video was a joke.

“This is a joke right?” one asked.

Alice has a whole host of controversial videos on her ComingupFern channel, which has over 275,000 followers. She shares her unassisted home birth story, talks about her vegan lifestyle and how she goes “dumpster diving” for food. There are certainly all types in this world!

Are you chilled out or neurotic (or somewhere in the middle) about letting your kids eat dirt? Do you agree or disagree with this mum’s lifestyle? Tell us in the comments below.

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36 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 25 Mar 2024
    12:11 pm
I wonder where this child is now and how its diet is.

- - Mum2archer said
  - 30 Sep 2023
    4:04 pm
Chewing on a rock doesn’t sound ideal for little teeth

- - mom478886 said
  - 30 Jul 2021
    6:09 am
I don’t care that she lets her kid eat rocks and sand. However, her constant mum shaming and judgment is awful.

- - shanika said
  - 27 May 2021
    2:07 pm
I am some what in the middle. When kids little they are explores. Some times its hard to keep away every dirt they expose.

- - Lenauselora said
  - 16 May 2021
    8:44 pm
My daughter chipped a front tooth chewing on a rock as a baby fast forward 6 to 7 years and her front tooth was dead and had to be removed. I kept rocks out of my next 2 kids mouths. Fair enough “building your kids immune system” but this is a bit far they’d end up getting weirder sicknesses than most babies. I wonder if he has been wormed
- Ellen replied
  
  25 May 2021 , 7:40 am
  Rocks are definitely not the best for the teeth !
- - rnash02 said
  - 10 May 2021
    9:01 pm
Very parent as an individual parenting style, I dont think a little but if dirt here and there would hurt

- - babymumma said
  - 10 May 2021
    8:36 am
Each parent has their own parenting style. And every other parent in the world needs to respect that, and keep their opinions to themselves.
Personally, I would never do that on the same level as that parent, but occasionally I think it’s ok to go by the 5 second rule (depending on how clean or dirty the floor is).
I don’t agree with ‘parent shaming’, but what the people that are doing that need to realise is, that baby is happy and healthy!!!

- - mom103778 said
  - 07 May 2021
    1:26 pm
I don’t see any harm in the child eating a bit of dirt or chewing on a rock. I think it is actually helping her immune system. I think the more we sterilize things the less resistance we are able to build up against germs. I don’t think my mother ever put sunscreen on us as children either.

- - mom467577 said
  - 07 May 2021
    2:08 am
I’m quite chilled with my baby, but I’m very strong on teaching her that only food or certain toys go in our mouths. I would prefer her get her bacteria incidentally rather than purposefully letting her put things with bacteria in her mouth.
This has to be a joke for sure.

- - Gracey said
  - 06 May 2021
    12:52 pm
I’m not over the top when it comes to dirt, germs, bacteria etc but I do feel like this is a bit much.
I also don’t agree with for wing vegan/vegetarian on children. They should be able to make that decision for themselves. But just my opinion

- - mom460689 said
  - 05 May 2021
    8:19 pm
I was definitely not as easy going as this but i know some parents who would totally agree with this.

- - tessie said
  - 05 May 2021
    1:51 pm
I wouldn’t do this for my children but everyone has their own ideas.

- - Shazza said
  - 05 May 2021
    12:11 pm
She’s young & wants to do her own thing.. Preaching all she does..on TikTok..?!!! Each to their own. I just wonder how she’ll handle things if her child became seriously ill.. Not my cup of tea..!

- - rovermum said
  - 05 May 2021
    9:22 am
I was somewhere in the middle. But each to their own I guess.

- - BellaB said
  - 04 May 2021
    4:15 pm
A bit of dirt won’t hurt most kids, but that doesn’t mean actively shoving it in their mouth. I’d also be worried about injury if he’s chewing on rocks and sticks. Generally I’m live and let live, but I think there’s a real risk of harm here.
- Ellen replied
  
  05 May 2021 , 7:57 am
  Yes, I agree. rocks can damage the teeth & sun exposure can cause skin cancers