solter/kohn and me
My 17 mo just started hitting me in the face while nursing. He is also throwing things right at my face from very close and at the cats. He laughs really hard when he does this. I don't think he is trying to hurt any of us. Sometimes when he throws he is imitating us playing catch with him - he is ball obsessed. But other times it is different.I have read Aware Baby and Unconditional Parenting. They both make sense to me. When I take whatever it is that he is about to smash into my face or hold his arm down he gets very angry. I think, well this is what is all about, he has some fustration or pent up feelings that he needs to release and now he is going to cry them out while I hold him. But it is not that kind of crying. It is more like I'm not getting my way crying and when I let go or he wiggles out of my arms he gets far away from me and stops crying at looks very angry at me and then gets up to throw something at me again. Then I thought well maybe he wants to laugh it out. I try to play the power reversal type style with him and he does laugh very hard and seems to enjoy it. He just hits harder and harder. Maybe I don't do it long enough for him to get enough/any benefit from it.
I am also not sure how I feel about comfort nursing. The idea that it stops him from getting through his feelings, that he is using food when he doesn't feel good doesn't sit well with me. On the other hand, I am so glad that he could do that while we were in the ER with a smash finger (his) and needed stitches. Sometimes he is playing or sitting in my lap and he turns to me, very happy and signs for milk and nurses for less than a minute. That is not for food, it is just a check in. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with her term overnursing. OTOH, why did he start hitting my face while nursing?
I understand that others go through this and it is a phase that will be passed through. It worries me so much.
Please can we keep talking about this?
