scREEEEEEEEEEEching baby. What to do?

[barbareebaa]

Hello!
My boy is nearly 9 months old and has just started doing this ear splitting screech. It is definitely to do with him being annoyed but there is no middle ground - he is either fine or VERY ANNOYED!
So our poor ears and our poor neighbours ears and the poor cat.
Any tips? I suspect ignore, behave calmly and serenely and pretend all is well, la la la loo loo loo.
Anyone else experienced this? Please tell me it is a very short lived stage...
Thanks,
B

Just to clarify I don't mean ignore ds, just the noise!!

Yeah, ignore the noise - as long as there is no real serious reason causing it, he may have just realised it gets a reaction from Mummy

Am trying to ignore but this morning (7ish)he screeched because his breakfast wasn't quick enough and I can just imagine the neighbours cursing us with their pillows over their heads

Am certain it's not pain related, just impatience!

Hi - my dd who is 8 months does exactly the same. it's soooo shrill and unbearable and as you said - ear piercing. It's driving me mad! She does it while we're out too and I get all sorts of comments - some funny but some quite rude. I really haven't got any advice but wanted to let you know that you're not alone! I am hoping it's a phase - but she has been doing it for about 1.5 - 2 months. I've given the neighbours a bottle of wine to dull the pain - they are very nice and haven't complained but I thought it would be a nice gesture anyway. Will watch this thread with interest in case anyone has a solution.

1.5-2 months! Yikes! I think I had also be buying some wine for my neighbours had to close all the windows at teatime today!
Ho hum. Hope your dd soon learns a new (quieter) way to attract your attention/ express her annoyance... think we have a way to go here - so hard not to react! Good Luck!

barbareebaa - sorry, didn't mean to scare you by telling you how long Screeching has reached new heights yesterday and today - I think it's cos she is getting more teeth... meanwhile I am dying a slow death!! - better to laugh else I'll be crying!

Try using the screeching as an opportunity to teach words, like 'breakfast', 'drink', 'dinner', 'hungry', 'thirsty' etc. 9 months is not too young to even try teaching a little sign language -- if he's screaming for breakfast point to your mouth and make chewing motions. This turns down the volume a bit too. Then if he starts to catch on you'll have less noise and better communication.

Fab idea Mathanxiety (great name btw!!) I am using a few signs ('booby' and 'more')but not when he's in his chair/ dinner related signs. Will give it a go!
Fireandice hope things are a bit better today, I find cursing quietly under my breath when I have my back to ds helps relieve some of the tension

hi barbareebaa, it must be the age! My dd has recently started making this awful whimpering sound when she wants our attention or when she gets impatient.
We have started calling it 'tweeting'.
It is driving me insane.
I am thinking of teaching her a few signs to see if it helps with her frustration.

Hi, Ignoring is a brilliant idea - you just have to be tough enough to do it!! I used to put whichever DC was screaming in another room, or even ouside the patio door (visible), working on the basis that they could make as much noise as they liked, just not in front of me - pretty effective too!!
Sign language was brilliant at reducing tantrums because of screaming :-) I started when DS & DD1 were about 8months& they had about 20signs by the age of a year I think (hazy memory!). Key ones were 'more', 'all gone'(food eaten or dropped toy from high chair!), aeroplane, car, crocodile.... DS used to stand in the kitchen frantically signing 'more' underneath where the fruit bowl was - his favourite snack was apple! You can buy a book, or just make them up!
Good Luck!