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Biting...

Can anyone offer some advice? Evan has just started biting. Thankfully, he's not doing it to anyone else, other than me and his father (nursery has re-assured me he hasn't biten any other babies) but when he wants to bite, he clamps his jawrs round and bites down hard, either on knees or thighs. It really hurts and invariably we cry out in pain and tell him off. Then he'll cry and shake his head as we say NO!! He's got a lot of teeth, and another is coming through, so we make sure we give him calpol if we know he's suffering, and he uses a dummy when he gets sleepy, but he's never really been one for teething toys.



Help!!!



Janine and Evan (14 months) xx

Replies

  • Seth has done this 3 times now, 2 time to his dad and 1 time to me, all 3 occasions is when we're lifted him out of the bath and wrapped in towel ready to go to bed. Seth only has 4.5 teeth at the moment but even so, it hurts and i want him to stop it now.

    We tell him NO very firmly but as he doesnt listen to me at all when i tell him NO i am also at a loss of what to do.



    Sorry not much help but will watch this post with bated breath!

    Sxx
  • Luen occasionally has done this and i firmly tell him no and have a sad/cross face! Just keep telling him no really firmly and as i told my husband dont even pretend to do it back as this wont help!



    At this age it usually cos there back teeth coming through and they just wanna bite something so as you've already told his nursery they will be aware to keep an eye out.



    So my ramble is not very helpful lol, but all we can do at this stage is keep telling them no firmly when they do it and maybe show them to cuddle/kiss nicely and give praise to divert attetion if this makes sense!! image
  • Again, don't know if it's the right thing to do, but James bit me once really hard and I bit him back, not hard but enough for him to realise it hurts, and he never bit again!xxx
  • Hi,



    Harry has started to do this in the last week , no pattern but has done it to me , daddy and nanny. I have done the NO thing with him hitting and now he just thinks its a game so I place him on the floor and reward his bad behaviour for hitting with no attention which has worked.



    However I am not happy to follow this approach with biting as it is so much worse and if he bit in nursery a child it could really hurt them so although at this stage I think his biting is to do with teething , back teeth coming through and him wanting to clamp down on anything hard . if it des get worse I wouldnt necessarily disagree with ravioligs and downseys approach. DH is not in favour but I have been told by friends that the negative assocaition is one of the quickest and best ways to get them to stop biting and teaches them a non violent consequence to their actions. A little heavy I know for a 14 month old but what is the answer when No becomes a game??



    It seems it may be a stage what with all these similar age babies doing it at similar times?



    Argh I dont know sometimes I do wish there was a manual! lol xx
  • I find that Grace bites when her teeth are just coming through, its strange though as she will only ever bite me, OH and nanny as well the people who she is closest to. We have just gone with the firm no approach at the mo and then ignoring her but i guess things will change as she gets older. To be honest i find it difficult to discipline her when she bites as you can see its only to get some relief for a second but obviously i want her to learn that its not acceptable. xxx
  • Have you tried doing time-out!? I know sounds a bit hard for their age but i do it with lo when he naughty, at his age i have to sit down with him and i will look at him and firmly say no and by holding his hands i try to make him sit for about a minute no longer at their age! And to begin with it was hit and miss but he knows and will grizzle or cry when i tell him off like this! Sometimes he flings himself back but i just leave him lying and if he tries to hold or pick uo a toy he not allowed whilst having time out!



    Am not trying to be funny but i wouldnt bite him back as it may only encourage worse behavoiur- would you hit your child back if they hit you? (hope this dont sound horrid) And if your child goes to nursery the staff certainly wouldnt bite back? I have heard that biting your lo in this way is seen as child abuse, cant remember where i heard it!



    Opps didnt realise i already posted i forgot!! xx
  • Thanks girls! I recognise it's frustration on his part. I do all the no, firmly sit him on the floor etc. It hasn't worked so far. But he is biting a bit less, so i think his teeth are calming down a lot!!



    Jx
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