14 month old slapping/hitting

[belinda31]

Hello
My 14 month old boy has a tricky habit of slapping or hitting me and other people, and I don't know how to deal with it. He clearly doesn't mean to hurt us, but it actually does really hurt - am currently sporting a thick lip from being whacked in the face with a plastic horse.
He normally, or often, does it just when he's cuddled or kissed us, and it's more flailing arms rather than calculated slapping. I've tried ignoring it and distracting him, to no avail, and I tried 'no' but he just giggles and says 'no no no no no' and does it more.
What should I do? We share a nanny for 2 days a week who he's also been whacking, as well as the other littler girl who shares her.
Any advice?

Bump, my 9 month old is slapping and thinks it is funny, he is also throwing things when he doen't get his way so would also like advice.

bump. I'd try just being firm and saying 'we don't hit' calmly and moving away when you think he is going to hit. If he still hits you I would just move away from him and ignore him for a minute. This sed to make my ds scream and cry for attention but it worked and within a month he'd stopped hitting. Think for him it was just frustration, he would just flap his arms about and hit out when we didn't understand what he wanted also if he got too excited he would do it. He did stop though and NEVER hits now he's 2.5 and very gentle.

My dd did this at 16 months. I tried everything - Ignoring her, telling her no and why its wrong, sitting her away from her toys and tapping her hand (so lightly I'm surprised she felt it). Then one day I realised she hadnt done it for a while.

I think its just a phase they go through where they realise that they can hit IYSWIM. I think they also sometimes like the attention that comes with it.

It was weird how she just stopped but friends of mine had the same thing.