Toddler biting baby

[taliac]

DD1 20m, DD2 4m. Never had any problems with them together before beyond what you'd expect - ie DD1 doesn't really "get" being gentle. But never any maliciousness.

The last few days she's start biting, mainly me but now a couple of times DD2. Shes overtired due to the clock change, and maybe is going down with something. But this is quite weird. The biting doesn't seem to be coming from anger - she'll be playing and cuddling one minute and the next will go in for a chomp!

Have explained at length that teeth are for food, and biting hurts people. DD2's screaming when DD1 bit her definitely upset her. But dont know what to do beyond that.

Any ideas v gratefully appreciated.

Try a chat with the HV? Or you could start using time outs for her. (Sit her on a spot explain what she as done wrong and make her stay there for 1 minute, then ask her to say sorry and continue as normal.) It works for my DD who can hit us occasionally! I also read recently offer your dd something else to bite if you see her going in for the chomp. Good luck, and remember nothing lasts for ever!

Has she got some new teeth coming through? I'm not really up on timing on new teeth, but I now that when my wisdom teeth were coming through and consequently shifting all my other teeth, I wanted to bite a lot.

xx

My little girl did this - exactly the same - not out of malice. We (and nursery) told her the we do not bite as it hurts other children, focussed on comforting the other child and then once comforted had a conversation with other the biter. It took a couple of goes but she did stop when she started to understand that it hurts and was not acceptable. If she went to bite me I would auto put her down and stop what we were doing and say no biting and give her no attention.

Thanks all, esp RuthT - it does seem to be part of some attention grabbing game with her. Will try your suggestions and see what happens!