Need help with biting baby!?

Question

My son is 10 months old, and in the last couple of days, he has started biting - mainly my legs because that's what he can reach! He's got 8 teeth, so it HURTS and I have two bruises courtesy of his gnashers!

I really want to nip this in the bud before he starts doing it to other people, but it's obviously difficult at his age as I can't explain why biting is wrong. I think he understands "no", but he doesn't listen to it! Any other ideas how I can get him to stop biting?

Answer 1

COOKIE

That was brilliant

Answer 2

yeah i know it sounds wrong but when i was younger my bro bit me so hard it bruised for weeks. my mum bit him (not hard at all though) just to show him that it wasn't nice and he never did it again.

It sounds harsh but it works.

My own son started to go through a phase of biting but he only ever did it to me and it was when he was teething so when i gave him a teething ring/ something to chew on he didn't bite my leg Any more.  

Answer 3

my son goes through stages of biting and pinching. the only way to get him to stop is to let him know that it hurts. say "ouch! that hurts" or "you are hurtin mummy" when he does it but don't say it too loudly and try not to make a big deal about it because he might start to like the reaction. sometimes it helps if i pretend to cry. my son gets really anxious when somebody cries and he knows something is wrong then.

avoid saying "no" all the time as he is just ignoring it. use alternative ways like "don't do that", "that's not allowed" and just keep saying them and he'll soon understand what you're saying.  

Answer 4

Be thankful, ours loves kicking, fortunately only my wife, only 7 months old and whichever way you lay him, he always rolls back into position so his legs can reach the missus, Good Lad !

Answer 5

I nipped this in the bud with my baby by simply putting him down somewhere safe or walking away and ignoring it, I didn't give a reaction or make eye contact. He used to cry when I did it but he learned that it was a consequence of biting/slapping/pinching me. It took a little while to see a result like a few days but eventually it got to the stage that he would bite/pinch/slap once in a blue moon and now hardly ever. They love to see the reaction they cause, they find it fascinating and want to see it again and again, so as much as it might hurt don't show the reaction, just walk away from him every single time he does it after about a minute or so go back and behave normally towards him but as soon as he does it again put him down and move away with no reaction.

Please what ever you do do not retaliate by biting/slapping/pinching back. Not only is it childish but sends completely the wrong message to the baby (well, mummy bites/pinches/slaps too!) and he/she will think it's Ok to bite other children/adults because mummy is biting too.

Answer 6

Say no firmly and put him in a highchair or somewhere that he is safe but can't get at you. Don't look at him or talk to him for a couple of minutes.

If you do this every time he will realise its not getting him any attention.

Answer 7

I know it sounds extreme, but I agree with Cookie...bite him back. It doesn't have to be as hard as he bites you, but hard enough to cause discomfort.

At this point he has no idea that biting hurts. All he knows is that it gets your attention, big time! The concept of right and wrong won't work with him until he understands why, and knowing that it hurts gives him that why. Once he understands, every time he bites, bite back. Eventually he will tire of getting what he gives and will move on to something else.

As far as "no" goes, does any kids really listen?? lol It'll come with age, but be persistent.

Hope this helps!

Answer 8

My daughter was a massive biter at around 10 months and once she bit me on the shoulder and drew blood, through a jumper.  Each time she bit I would pick her up at arms length and put her across the room.  She soon got the idea that when she bit me I didn't want to be with her.

I also care for a 11 month old who does the same and I'm treating it the same way. He is getting the idea quite quickly too.  Good luck.

Answer 9

Kids do this stuff. Bite baby back. BUT REMEMBER YOU ARE BIG AND BUB IS SMALL! So dont chomp babys head off, ok?

Got 2 kids 17 & 19 who do not bite (most) people anymore.

Answer 10

Bite him back

Edit: Oh please get a grip - you don't have to bite him hard but it will stop him doing it. There was an article a few weeks ago that you have to train kids like dogs and that is totally true.

Edit2: It worked for my sister with her children. Obviously they follow from example but won't encourage them to keep biting.