She won't stop hitting!

[caiesmommy]

Dd(9 months today) will not stop hitting us. She won't sit on her own for 5 minutes without screaming to be p/up but when we hold her she hits, claws and basically beats us up. She's left huge scratches, claw marks and pulls hair right out. I know its normal for babes to pull on hair but this is unbelieveable. She scratched her brother so bad today she drew blood. When she's nursing she scratches at my breasts so hard that I have tiny scars!

Please help me! Its at the point where I hate holding her and I don't know how to stop her.

[babybirkel]

my son is almost 9 months and doing the exact same thing. it's pretty annoying, i agree. my advice to to keep your dc's nails cut short. if there is any white showing we clip 'em. that helps to a certain extent.

i try to just distract him if he starts hitting but i also say, (while holding onto his hitting hand), "no hitting" and then pet his arm lovingly and say "gentle, gentle. see how nice that feels?" and then try to get him to pet my arm.

it doesn't really work, but maybe someday? he grabs glasses right off our faces, too.

i know he's just excited about...well, everything, but i will agree that it's pretty obnoxious.

[saritajoy]

Thank you babybirkel for the tips.

... just curious if anyone has other solutions to this problem? My baby is nearly at his first birthday and this week he has just exploded with the hitting and pinching.

We say "gentle please" ad nauseum... and even pretend to cry when he hits particularly hard... but he continues to do it all the time and I'm really getting tired of it.

I know he's excited and I hope it's just a phase, but any other suggestions will help!