Day 266 - Baby That Hits Himself

Today's first time parenting tip - If your baby is hitting himself, he may be trying to tell you something. But he'll grow out of it.

Today our son started hitting himself, much to our displeasure. Since it's Sunday here in the states, we turned to the trusty interweb, with the plan to speak with our pediatrician during his next appointment (this week).

It seems that the consensus is that this is fairly normal, and that its a phase he'll grow out of. Reassuring, but what to do in the meantime.

A young infant may be sending a signal by hitting themselves like "I'm tired" or I"m hungry." They're exploring new ways of expressing themselves. If they seem upset while they're hitting their head, see if something else isn't going on.

On the other hand, they could be doing it just because. If they don't seem to want anything, the best course of action may be to ignore it. Let them discover that it hurts to hit yourself, and you don't really get much attention out of it either.

See what other parents say at Baby Center

And other parents at DC Urban Moms and Dads

Older children needa different tactic, but you should explore which one works best for you.


Parenting, Hit, Self, Behavior, Discipline