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Original poster

Head banging in cot. How do you stop it?

13 replies

Rebecca75 · 27/03/2014 16:25

My dd is nearly 1 and head banging constantly in her cot. I haven't got any bumpers and sometimes end up putting a pillow in. Its just hideous and my partner is constantly going on at me to sort it out ( anyway....).

Any suggestions?

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ExBrightonBell · 27/03/2014 17:11

It's a fairly common thing, and weirdly it is a self comforting thing. I'm not sure there's much you can do to stop it. It will be something that she grows out of in the end. See this article for some more explanation.

Anyway, why is it up to just you to "sort it out"? Why are you 100% responsible and your partner not? Tell him it's his job!

minipie · 27/03/2014 17:36

Get bumpers? I know they are frowned on due to suffocation risk but I decided the (pretty large) chance of DD hurting herself through head banging outweighed the (very small) chance of her getting tangled and suffocating. So we've got bumpers...

Agree I have no idea why it's your job to sort it out rather than your partner's, and how you're supposed to anyway!

Original poster
Rebecca75 · 27/03/2014 18:14

Thanks. The link is very interesting.
Thought bumpers wouldn't be thick enough.
Not sure why its my job either but there you go!

OP posts:
ZuleikaD · 27/03/2014 19:02

There was research in the 50s that indicated this sort of headbanging was symptomatic of babies that had lacked rhythmic rocking and bouncing motions when they were very small. You may still be able to provide her with the rocking that her body and brain clearly crave by picking her up and bouncing/rocking her to sleep. Does she stop it if you pick her up and rock her (and babies, particularly older ones, often like quite robust bouncing)?

beckslovestimmy · 28/03/2014 19:39

My DD did this all the time but I think she's growing out of it as its much less frequent now, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure she won't hurt herself.

TippiShagpile · 28/03/2014 19:42

I'm a former head banger. It was so so so soothing. I can't explain why - it just was.

I did it for years and years and years (too embarrassed to say how long).

123Jump · 29/03/2014 11:21

Oh, I did still do this all the time. I even did it when sitting, rocked backwards and forwards on the sofa, in the car... I was adopted from the nuns aged 3 months, my mum says that she put me in the cot, and in the morning it would be on the other side of the room, as I would move it with all my head banging, Grin!
I have to admit I still do it for about 5 mins when I go to bed, it is so relaxing.
I think I've turned out alright, so hopefully no harm to it.

ladygagoo · 31/03/2014 13:09

My DS does this, drove us to distraction as his room was next to ours - so noisy!

Firstly we swapped rooms (he is now further away Grin )

Secondly we've dismantled the wooden cot & he is now permanently in a travel cot with nice mesh sides. We found a longer one that fits his proper cot mattress in for good support.

He has just turned 19 months. The rocking/ head banging started around 14 months. I know it's worrying and noisy but it's really ok. Moving him into the travel cot has changed our lives Wink

I hope you can sort something out Thanks

(& tell your DH to stop being a plonker - it's hardly just your issue)

littlemisssarcastic · 31/03/2014 15:38

My DD was a headbanger. It began when she was under a year old and continued until she was 5 years old. There really was nothing I could do to stop her doing it.
Fortunately she appears to have outgrown the habit now thank goodness.
It has to be one of the most frustrating habits DD has ever had.

I think they do it for comfort and it becomes a habit. The longer it goes on, the more entrenched the habit becomes to the point where I wondered if it would ever stop.

If I had my time again, I would distract a lot more instead of ignoring as I was advised by HE, paed and GP. I would move the child away from the surface they were banging on where possible and try not to let it become a habit.

skuntoo · 31/03/2014 16:00

My DD 4 head banged until she went in a bed at 18 months she sometimes kicks her leg during the night. My DS 27 months still head bangs badly sometimes wakes up up DD. They share a room and when he gets going its so noisy and we are the furthest away from him. We raised 1 end of the cot on bricks so he cant move up the cot so easily and hit his head on the wood. Its very common read somewhere its a sign of intelligents my DB was 10 when he stopped and hes brains of Britain

Isolde85 · 31/03/2014 17:35

I put in 2 large cushions and DS is now 8 months and hasn't suffocated so far.

Original poster
Rebecca75 · 03/04/2014 23:40

I think I've come up with a solution. I've put a pillow at each end of her cot, wrapped large cellular blankets around and tied really tight with cable ties.
Her room is next to ours so it was really awful having to listen all night...!!
She rocks in her hichair too, I did have the cheapy one from Ikea but she rocked it across the kitchen every mealtime so have got a cheapo stokke style one which is better as its heavier.
Thanks for all your replies.
I hope she grows out of it soon, and I really hope she doesn't do it for so long that she remembers doing it!!!!

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RedSpringer · 03/04/2014 23:46

My nephew has only just grown out of doing this & he is 12. Wasn't ever really an issue unless my brother forgot to warn babysitter or when my nephew started going to sleepovers then it was obv something other kids picked up on.x

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