[Wisdom]

When our son gets frustrated (usually when sleepy, tired, bored or hungry) and I'm holding him he'll grab and pull my hair with a good grip. He starts laughing when I try to free my hair from his hands and tell him no. After freeing my hair from his grip, I'll hold his hands and say "wrong" or "no" and then he seems to get it and will sometimes cry when I'm saying wrong or no, but he still hasn't stopped the behavior. This has happened when we're out too so it's not always that easy to deal with it. (It happened yesterday at the doctor's office and the week before at a restaurant and yesterday at home.) He used to bite but is much better about that. He will put his mouth on my shoulder (or DH's) as though he's going to bite but knows not to. I'm hoping the hair thing will get better soon. Has anyone had any experience with this? If so please give me some pointers! Thanks!

[Stormster]

E pulls my hair but I do this kind of combo "ouch that hurts and no do not do that" DS is very empathic and in tune with our facial expressions. So no doesn't work without the disappointed or ouch expression. He seems to have stopped.

Thank goodness he doesn't bite. He does use his head a a wrecking ball but usually that's accidental.

Good luck!

[nikkianni]

Boy do I feel your pain. Our DD started doing that at about the same age as your DS.
It was awful, and she most often did it to me. We tried the "ouch, no no" thing. She'd laugh. We tried the disappointed/reproving expressions. No go.
Ultimately she would pull my hair, I would free myself, saying ouch and no the whole time, plop her on the floor, tap the back of her hand lightly and walk away.
It worked eventually, but led to her pulling her own hair, which she still does when tired.

[aclee]

Tyler doesn't bite (I'm almost scared to type that) but he's a hair puller and a pincher. The pinching is the worst...This morning he pinched me so bad on the arm it was black and blue and I screamed...cause it hurt! It was totally instinctual Then I said, no, no! Owie. For once he didn't reply back with a NO!, and he looked really concerned, so I think he could tell it hurt. Once when I saw his pincher fingers going, I moved his hand so he pinched himself. He was pretty shocked. I do have to say that pinching intentionally has dropped off dramatically! Now I think I more get the I'm so excited, I'm not real sure what's going on with my hands pinching...It's usually my back, and my arms when he's gripping on to me and jumping up and down.

The hair thing... I have no idea. I was always his favorite target and not as much with anyone else. So I cut off all my hair. Now he never really does it to anyone...Seems like he lost interest once I made it to hard for him He will pull DH hair when Ty is on his shoulders, but I think that's a location, excitement issue...and DH almost encourages it, so that's his problem!

[Celesyee]

Devin turned 10months yesterday, but for about a month has been biting, hitting, and pulling my hair when he's bored, I'm on the phone, or he's mad because I took away a toy that he was throwing at the TV or something like that. He is very verbal for his age and when I tell him "we do not hit," or "no" he responds with "yeah" or "got you." Grrrr

I'd also LOVE some advise with this.

[Fran27]

DS was pulling my hair a month ago or so... I just said 'no pulling hair', put it down and left. He's not doing it anymore, although I'm not sure it's because of what I did or just because he got bored with it, lol.

[ChromaKelly]

Ainsley would pull my hair, glasses, and face. I would say No firmly and set her down for a couple minutes. I think she learned that if she wants to be held, she can't pull my hair. I know I scared her one time by crying when she pulled my hair so hard she got some out!

[jarian]

I have no children yet, but I've heard this works...If your child bites, kicks or pulls your hair or whatever they do you that hurts, your should say "ouch" very loud, almost to the point where it scares them a little. After a few times of them getting a louder than normal "ouch" they usually don't like the tone and will not do it again.

[devildogwife]

Cameron is not a biter at all thankfully, but if my hair is down he'll pull it and I've gotten smacked a few times. I tell him no and he laughs. Something to keep workin on I guess.

[mondk]

Joshie used to pull at my hair too when he was younger so I just started putting my hair up in a ponytail and he eventually stopped. With my older son, he bit me one time during breastfeeding and I screamed (he drew blood even) and it scared him so bad that he cried for about 10 minutes but never did it again.

My niece used to pull my sister's hair while breastfeeding too but I can't remember how she handled it. I honestly think my niece just sort of stopped when the b/f'ing stopped...around age 2.

Blessings, Michelle

[EZ2Luv]

My youngest used to bite and pull hair while BFing. The best way to stop this is to say ouch and set the baby down. It may take a few times but eventually they will get it that biting/hair pulling means they will no longer be held. The key is consistancy though and it is best to nip it in the bud by immediately placing baby down the second you are able to free yourself. Most of the time it is out of excitement or inability to communicate so it is their way of getting your attention.

Michele I so know how you felt getting bit while Bfing. Can you say OUCH?

EZ

[mondk]

Originally Posted by EZ2Luv

My youngest used to bite and pull hair while BFing. The best way to stop this is to say ouch and set the baby down. It may take a few times but eventually they will get it that biting/hair pulling means they will no longer be held. The key is consistancy though and it is best to nip it in the bud by immediately placing baby down the second you are able to free yourself. Most of the time it is out of excitement or inability to communicate so it is their way of getting your attention.

Michele I so know how you felt getting bit while Bfing. Can you say OUCH?

EZ

I think I literally screamed "OWWWW" I was afraid to look at my nipple; I remember thinking he had bitten it off!

[Wisdom]

Well, I got the opportunity to try your suggestions. Yesterday when DS grabbed my hair I said "ooouch!" really loud and he let go of my hair (which he usually doesn't do--I would have to pry his hands open). He started crying in a wimpering type cry. I think he got scared, but also I think the word "ouch" let him know that there was pain involved. He went to grab my hair again later and didn't because he remembered my "ouch." Hopefully the cure to hair pulling has been found. We'll see what happens. Like Mondk said, I could always resort to a ponytail. When I do wear a pony tail or have my hair up DS always looks at me like "Where's your hair? I've nothing to grab when I get upset."

[EZ2Luv]

I am glad the OUCH worked for you Wisdom.

I don't think these babies realize that this hurts and I don't believe they are doing this to hurt us. It is just a way of expressing their excitement since they cannot verbalize with words.

Michele,
I know what you mean, I was afraid to look too. I know it hurt and felt wet and thought I was bleeding to death. I don't think DS realized that he had teeth and biting with teeth hurts.

Sometimes the Ouch startle reaction does work on stopping the behavior, but more frequent than not, just putting baby down works best. For my son I don't think he knew at that point Ouch meant pain and would laugh at my reaction, if he did cry it was only because he was startled.

I couldn't do ponytails because both my BF sons used to like to play with my hair while nursing, sort of a comfort thing. That is until my youngest gripped and pulled, but nothing was worse than getting bitten. OMG I literally saw stars.

EZ

[Quesita]

Liana wasn't a hair puller, but she would do a little slappy thing with her hand when she was frustrated. I would take her hand and rub it softly on whatever or whoever she was slapping at, and say "suave, suave" or "soft, soft" and then praise her a lot when she touched softly. I've been very lucky that she has always responded really well when good behavior is modeled and she gets praise for practicing the good behavior. I know that this does not work with all kids.