Need ideas - pinching and grabbing

[HonkyTonka]

I did a search in LWAB for pinching and grabbing and found that there were lots of moms out there experiencing this from their 6-9 month olds - but no real advice about how to make it stop. Many moms said they say "ouch" or "that hurts" or "gentle" but that they didn't really see that having any effect.

Can you teach them to be gentle at this age? How do you do it?

[raqi]

My ten-month old thinks that "ouch" is hilarious, so that's not working for me.  No advice, just commiseration.  I feel (and look) like a scratching post.

[Kikelet]

My DD is doing this. She's almost 10 months. The way I've been dealing with this is by letting her grab onto the skin around my breast, but when she starts pinching with her fingernails, I move her hand away. I let her bring her hand back until she pinches again, then after just a couple times of doing this she usually settles with just sort of pinching lightly. The issue, from what I know so far, is that if you react too strongly, the babies can become averted to nursing. I don't believe this to be entirely true and I'm sure many women have had different experiences.. The most I'll do if she pinches me really hard is to say "uh-ohh". As with so many things during infancy, this is totally a stage and I know DD will outgrow it. I, too have been wondering what to do about this pinching but then realized that she'll probably stop doing it in two or three weeks. 

You can't teach gentle, but you can sort of enforce it by taking baby's hand away repeatedly until they stop. That's all I can think of. HTH.

[Knitting Mama]

I do think they're too young to teach "gentle" and I have seen babies burst into tears at "ouch!" or "no!" I just redirect my daughter to something she can be grabby with.

[mamalex23]

my 6.5 mo old does this too and can hurt no matter how short his fingernails are! He also loves to put his fingers inside my mouth and noes (gross, I know) while he is falling asleep.

I sometimes wear a baby-safe necklace, with a wood or stone ornament on it, that he likes to grab. This seems to distract him from pinching, picking and exploring my face...sometimes.

[P.J.]

DS also pinches my boob sometimes when nursing and his nails always seem to be sharp! I just repeatedly move the hand away. I have found that having a necklace for him to grab does help, but I don't always feel like wearing it. But yeah, totally annoying!

Oh and BTW he also grabs the cats, whom he loves, and I am trying to show him gentle, but he totally does not get it. Oh well, good thing the cats either tolerate a lot, or just leave.

[lunarlady]

I'm trying to redirect her attentions to a lovey, which works well when I remember to grab it before we sit down. Otherwise I get kneeded like bread dough the entire feed. Not pleasant.

[prone_to_wander]

My DS tickles and scratches me on my side when he nurses and my chest looks like I got into a fight with a weasel. Those little finger nails are so sharp! I ask him to be gentle, or I say let's not sctrach mommy, but he just laughs. I'm trying to use ridirection also.

[Shannie77]

I am nursing my almost 4 year old and a 7 month old.  My older DD twiddles the opposite nipples and I honestly feel like I am losing my mind when she does this.  It is a HUGE problem.  Now it is such a strong association for her if I try to stop her she absolutely flips out.  My advice to all my friends who are breastfeeding is to make sure they stop their LOs from this kind of thing! :P  With my 7 month old, now she is started to scratch and grab so I just hold her hand in mine.  I have also thought of making some sort of necklace with things on it for her to touch. 

My friend has a 2 year old and I warned her about the twiddling.  She has never allowed her DD to do it but apparently she STILL tries.  :P