DD keeps biting and head butting and thinks it is funny.

[Pregapuss]

Please help!

DD is only 13 months. She has biten me on several occasions and has actually left bruises on me. I have told her off and so has DP but she thinks it is hillarious. She has just bitten my stomach when we were putting her to bed and has nearly broken the skin. I am 6months pregnant and she really hurt me. DP really told her off, but she litterally rolled on the floor giggling. She has had me in tears tonight. She has also headbutted me on my check bone twice tonight although I think that is less of an issue as she was just playing and got a bit rough iyswim. But the biting is done purposely and nothing is working to get her to realise it is wrong. She thinks it is funny and tries to do it again. It is hard to tell when she is about to do it though as she just looks like she is going to give a cuddle or whatever until you feel her teeth! She is also teething quite badly (think her back teeth are hurting her) but I don't think it is just because of this.

Getting really desperate now and I am worried she is going to do this to another child and really hurt them. She has attempted to bite a 5 year old before but didn't manage to do it very hard thank goodness.

Oh and she doesn't go to nursery or anything, just toddler groups etc.

And my Mum thinks I should smack her gently, but I think that it isn't really going to work? Unless it was hard enough to hurt then she isn't going to be bothered? And if it is hard then I don't think that is really right when she is so young?

Sympathy - my DS does this sometimes too, usually when teething or very tired (he's 18mo). Thing to remember is that they are not doing it maliciously - they have no idea that it hurts, except for the strange/funny noises we make and faces we pull when they do it!

I don't think a smack would do any good TBH - she's too little to understand why she's being hit. Maybe try sitting her down on the floor and turning away from her with a firm "NO", so she knows that biting = no attention at all?

It's hard, but IMO the thing to do is not react at all, other than move DD off you. The loud noises to kids this age are just like their toys - when they do something clever, they get a reaction. Easier said than done though

Yes that is what I thought about a smack. I really don't think it will help. If she was 2.5 and having the same issue than maybe.

I pretty much did what you described last time. I put her down, with a firm no and walked away for a min thinking god that hurt! She still came straight back up to me and did it again and laughed.

Sorry x posted. Thanks sheila that makes a lot of sence.

bump

I've got a 16 month old who hasn't bitten us for a couple of months but when she did it was very frustrating and similar to what you have described.

I've just begun to read New Toddler Training by Dr Christopher Green and this is what he recommends:

"If you are carrying the baby and he bites you, put him on the floor immediately.

How you react to a bite depends on the circumstances. If just a minor nip in times of excitement, a gentle warning is all that is needed. If it is repeated, premeditated or major and a stern warning has been ignored, use Time Out or, some parents will give a short, sharp smack.

When your toddler bites another at playgroup, the best you can do is watch carefully, warn firmly, divert when an impending attackis anticipated and then, if a bite occurs, ignore the biter and give the best toys and attention to the injured party."