[shannon0218]

Ok, presently I look like I've been to war--but instead I've just sat for an hour with my almost 5 mos old!!
She has started pulling hair really badly--I have short hair and now have 2 rather large bald spots--it hurts and I have a lot of trouble getting her to let go without prying her little hands apart. I have a huge scratch on my cheek and a runny weepy eye as she's scratched the inside of my eye--seemingly while attempting to remove them from the socket--my gums are bleeding as she scratches them too. To top off the look, I know have a black eye. She has excellent head control and really appears to be doing this on purpose--but she keeps slamming her head into our faces!! then she laughs!!

Help!!!! What can I do to stop or at least diminish the damage?? I can only assume she'll get stronger as she gets bigger.

 

[monkaha]

Perfect the head dodge-swing your head away from her hands. If you make a face at the same time, she'll think it's a game. Grab her hand as she's reaching to scratch you and kiss it or blow a raspberry on the palm-sure to get giggles, and keep those claws away.

Eventually, I just started setting DS down on the floor when he hurt me on purpose. He learned pretty quickly that if he wants to stay up, then he has to be nice.

 

[Felicitymom]

Wear a hat, clip her nails and get out of the way!!! THis may sound calous... but my 9 month old still pulls hair (I have lost tons) and if her nails are long enough she scratches me. I haven't had too much head banging trouble so I can't say about that, but a 5 month old doesn't really have the capacity to learn no (and remember it) and they certaininly don't know they are hurting you. IMO.

Nancy

 

[spacedog]

I have a similar problem with my 7.5 month old DD. She is constantly scratching and pulling hair, I feel so abused somtimes! And I feel horrible but it really ends up making my fuse shorter than nessacary...

I just try to stay on top of her nails and when she's reaching for my face to poke and scratch I try to make it a game and she ends up giggling...

Just thought I'd chime in... I"m sure there's lots of us missing hair and covered in scratches! LOL

Andrea

 

[shannon0218]

Her nails are about as short as they can get and dh even spent an hour filing the edges :LOL
I hate to dodge her hand because she's just discovered our faces and I know that's why she's wanting to touch (and grab) but at the same time--people are going to think I'm being abused :LOL

 

[Yo Becca]

we have similar issues. I am trying to remember to keep a little silkie blanket nearby and put it in her hand when we nurse. SOmetimes flailing it around makes her happy, sometimes she tries to toss it and go back to my face/hair. SO I give it to her again and again and that becomes a sort of game. SOmetimes I hold on to one end of it, and that's a fun change for her. I know some people make or buy beaded necklaces w/ chunky beads for the nursling to play with. I have tried to be kind but firm w/ my now-9-month-old that I am not available for abuse (we are having biting issues also) and have found that if she miostly wants to pick at me, stopping nursing and doing something else - putting her off my lap and playing, etc. - makes both of us more sane.

 

[heathenmom]

I'm so glad I found this thread. DD has started biting me this weekend. She *only* has 3 teeth (2 more on the way), but actually drew blood on the underside of my upper arm tonight.

We're also struggling with the scratching and hair-pulling. I can never seem to get those tiny little nails short enough! And I have no idea how to stop the behavior. I've been trying to redirect, but when you're hurt and bleeding sometimes it's hard to remember to do that!

gtg, she's getting fussy with dh

 

[BabyBumblebee]

whilst having one of her monkey-arm flinging moments

she was holding the remote control at the time...now I have a chipped bottom tooth.

I'm a big fan of removing them from the situation - not in a 'bad' or punishing way, but just to kinda reset things. What also worked for dd was to give her soft toys that have a nose, eyes, mouth etc, so that she could have fun touching and finding them. We also spend a lot of time practising gentle touching - I'll stroke her arm, and show her how to stroke mine.

If it's any consolation at all, it does seem to have gotten better for us over the last 4 months....dd is now nearly a year old, and tooth incident aside, has not inflicted any bodily harm for quite a while now... :LOL

 

[heathenmom]

Ouch! Sorry about your tooth ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabyBumblebee We also spend a lot of time practising gentle touching - I'll stroke her arm, and show her how to stroke mine.

I've been trying this with dd, but she just doesn't isn't "getting it" yet. When did your dd seem like she started to understand the word "gentle?"

 

[mandalamama]

Willow knew the word and action "gentle" from early on, when i showed her how to touch the cats. but now that she's 8 months old, all that has gone out the window! she swings her entire arm and slaps or punches me in the face, scratches me anywhere she can reach, and kicks the heck out of my thighs when i'm holding her to feed her. i've learned to keep folded up blankets and towels around for the kicking thing, after having both of my inner thighs bruised from top to bottom. i catch her swinging hand and use it to touch my face, i say "gentle, soft, gentle" and she gets a sweet smile on her face i let go and she bashes my nose. aack! i wear glasses and she rips those off too, when she can. i see a hand coming, i crane my neck back as far as i can now!

i figure it's all part of her experimentation. there was a time when she kept picking my nose early in the morning in bed :LOL i just keep dodging and redirecting as much as i can, i figure if i make a big deal out of it, she might eventually get the idea that it's a way to get a rise out of me. it'll pass. if it doesn't, i'll just buy more arnica for the bruises

this is why i call her the Whomping Willow

 

[heathenmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellybean this is why i call her the Whomping Willow

: That is absolutely priceless!

 

[mandalamama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by heathenmom : That is absolutely priceless!

i'm up early cuz this morning she woke up to eat at 6:30 and slapped me open-handed in the face quite a few times! i was way too groggy to duck in time. she's asleep again, i'm wide awake. ow ow OW!

how long does this phase last?? should i buy hockey goalie gear??

 

[shannon0218]

Ohhh, I am a goal tender-I'll try my equipment and see if it works!

 

[BabyBumblebee]

OMG! I had no idea that there was a whole tribe of mamas out there who are being bopped around by their babes! We really should have our own support group... :LOL

I'm not sure if dd really 'understands' the concept of gentle, in any intellectual way, but she does seem to 'know' what the gentle touch feels like. We have been doing this from day 3 (when she first met our dogs

) and she started to do better at stroking rather than grabbing at around 5 months.

On an slightly more worrying note, she has now discovered my hair....it's curly, so I guess it must be that bit more satisfying to pull

Dh wears his glasses all of the time even though he doesn't need to just to protect his eyes from those wicked little fingers.......