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If his self-harming or aggression behavior continues or gets worse, don't hesitate to talk to his pediatrician or a child development specialist. Sometimes there's an underlying sensory or emotional need that might need more support. Don't forget to take care of yourself, too. Parenting at this age can feel relentless, so give yourself grace and space to recharge when you can. You're doing amazing, mama ❤️
When my baby is being aggressive towards me or themself I take baby’s little hand and stop the behavior, then show how to be gentle Ex using hand over hand to stroke my face or baby’s own face (whoever the aggression was towards)
My daughter was doing the exact same things around that age..just a few months ago. I agree with the previous comments and wanted to add that I tried not to give too much attention when she was hitting biting or pinching her self…and then give attention and praise as soon as they stop. Sometimes they do whatever gets a reaction so no reaction helps sometimes! You’re doing great and remember it’s all a phase!
My son is not super aggressive but has started hitting things when I say no or he gets mad. If he hits me or a person it’s an automatic NO we DON’T hit! If he does it a second time he sits in time out. He’s 15mo old, so time out is him sitting in the hallway on a poof thing we have. He won’t stay. So I sit and kind of hold him there. He gets more mad and squirms and cries. I only make him sit there for one minute. I set a timer on my watch. I do not hold him or console him while he sits there. When the min is over I will give him a hug and we try to “talk” about what he did. Ex. We don’t hit bud. I love you. Hitting is not nice. It’s ok to be upset but we don’t hit. Then we go play and spend time together. I try not to over use timeout and I always give him at least 1 chance after he gets the firm NO. I can tell he’s testing me with the hitting. He will do it and then wait for my response. I never let him think it’s funny or cute. This could be totally wrong but we are trying!
My daughter hits sometimes when she gets angry or throws things. I tell her “oh not nice” after awhile she started being a bit more calm but when she does have the melt downs and throws things or hits she immediately says “oh not nice” and picks up what she threw
Oh, I can totally feel how challenging that must be. This is such a tough stage when they're too little to express themselves and have all these big emotions bubbling up. My daughter is a month older and will bite or pull my hair when she gets mega upset, so I get it! Self-soothing babies can look intense sometimes, especially if they are overwhelmed and don't have the word skills to express themselves yet. What you're describing isn't uncommon, but it definitely needs gentle guidance to help channel those feelings more positively. First - stay calm, firm, and consistent. I know it's hard when he's lashing out, but staying calm and showing him that emotions don't throw you off can help. Kids mirror us, so keeping a steady vibe might diffuse things faster. Second - redirect his energy. Offer him a safe way to release those feelings physically like giving him a stuffed animal he can squeeze or hit. Sensory ball to pinch or squish when he's upset.