Dealing With Babies Biting
Why Is My Baby Biting?
Babies bite for a variety of reasons. Babies use their mouths to explore their new world and objects in it (which includes you!). Other babies bite when they are teething to relieve pressure on their gums, while some do it to see what reaction it evokes, finding it funny and interesting that an action they do has consequences!
How To Deal With Teething
If you suspect your baby's unsociable habit is down to teething (the average age to get a first tooth is 6 months, but they can come anytime!), then use other teething remedies to help relieve pressure on his sore gums. Try massaging his gums gently, rubbing bonjela on his gums, or give your baby a piece of frozen fruit to bite on (if he has started solids). Give your baby plenty of safe toys to chew on, such as teethers designed for this purpose. Pop them in the fridge to make them extra effective at soothing gums.
How to Deal With Biting
If you've ruled out teething as a cause and your baby is happy and contented, his biting habit is likely to be a behavioural issue which you should try and stop as quickly as possible. The longer it goes on for, the harder it is to break his biting habit!
Make sure you don't laugh when your baby bites you, even if you do find it funny, as this will send a message to your baby that biting is funny and that it's a fun game to play with mummy/daddy. Make sure no-one else in the room laughs either.
If your baby bites you, say 'no' firmly. If your baby bites someone else, particularly another child, check the other child is not injured and say 'no, don't bite. It hurts, ouch!'. Take your baby into a different room and explain in simple words that it is wrong to bite. For young babies, a firm no is all that's required as they will be too young to understand any more. Make sure you are consistent in saying no when your baby bites. For older babies who can understand more, explain that it hurts. Taking them out of the room where they were playing also gives them some time out and sends a message that biting equals being taken away for a few minutes from their toys.
If your baby bites out of anger, or because he wants to get his own way, don't give in or he will think that biting is a good way of getting what he wants.
If your baby bites you while you're nursing, say 'no' and take your breast out of his mouth. He will soon learn that biting means he doesn't get milk and will stop doing it.
