High pitched squealing baby help!

[squidzin]

He's just turned 9mo, and has suddenly become one of these insane over-excited squealing babies that attracts those narrow-eyed "someone shut that child up" looks from miles around. He's crawling and cruising, and just loves to scream as loud as he possibly can.

This must have been asked a million times but what on earth do I do? I said "No" "Don't scream" 100's of times now...

Should I try something else?

[squidzin]

I should add he is weaning, bf and also has sippy cup, but his squealing is not always subdued by milk or food. It seems to come when he's happy or just awake.

[SheWhoMustBe]

I think you're fighting a losing battle saying "no", and in fact you may be indirectly rewarding the squealing by doing it. In my experience you have basically 2 options with children this age - ignore (perfect your blank face, no reaction at all, definitely not an angry face but not a smile either), or distract (as soon as he starts to squeal say "oh look!! a birdy! Let's go and look at it...!!" or whatever). It may take a few weeks for him to get over it though. Good luck!

[daisydalrymple]

He will reduce the amount of time screaming and squealing when the next new skill is learnt ds2 is same age and exactly the same as your son. Both ds1 and dd went through this too.

It's like ooh listen to me I am MAKING THIS NOISE ALL BY MYSELF!! LOOK EVERYBODY IS WATCHING ME!! HMMMM, now just HOW LOUD can I get???

I remember I was on the phone with mum when ds1 first found his screaming voice and she actually said she jumped!! She was like 'what's that noise??? Has he fallen, what's wrong??'

[Lj8893]

Dd went through a squealing phase, she sounded like one of those shrieking mandrakes from Harry Potter. It didn't last long and she stopped within a couple of weeks.

[TheEagle]

Ah yes the squealing phase! DS1 just loved doing this.

We lived with PIL at the time - FIL is the loudest man on earth so DS1 would shout/squeal and FIL would roar back at him.

It was a maddening time

It'll pass, there's nothing you should be doing!

[gamerwidow]

Leave him be his just enjoying his new skill it'll pass soon enough.

[Mulligrubs]

I would say ignore it, don't even acknowledge when he squeals at all even to say no. My DS is 22 months now and has gone through several annoying phases (squealing, teeth grinding, nail biting!) and the ones that have passed quicker are the ones I've ignored. It isn't easy but it works for us! Especially when your baby is still tiny and while he may understand "no" he doesn't understand why you're saying it about his squealing.

[squidzin]

Thanks for the tips. This morning hasn't been so bad as he's had new plastic cups to play with. Def distracting+ignoring are tips to go for.

[Roseybee10]

My 6 month old has just discovered how to squeal. OMG!! I'm spending as much time as possible in the garden as she doesn't seem as loud outside lol.
Also scares the cats away!!!

Dd1 never did this