Why Is My Baby Pinching Me?
Your baby’s inability to get what they want can develop into pinching. This can feel frustrating, but it is important to remain calm. Here are some reasons why your baby may be reaching out, pinching your skin and what to do in response:
Reason 1: Need for Attention
Your baby may be trying to capture your attention, even if it is negative. Pay attention to your baby when they are calmly reaching out, and not when they pinch.
Reason 2: An Attempt to Communicate
Your baby is indicating that they want something that they cannot express using words yet. Identifying what your baby really wants can be challenging, but by analyzing their body language and facial expressions you can start to understand.
Reason 3: Need for Comfort
Your baby may be feeling overwhelmed, overwhelmed or stressed and may need cuddles or distraction.
How to Address
When your baby is pinching, try the following steps:
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- Stay calm: Avoid reacting in an angry manner.
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- Acknowledge your baby’s feelings: Show that you understand, use phrases such as ‘It looks like you wanted_____’
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- Redirect: Distract your baby with a toy or activity.
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- Offer positive reinforcement: Reward your baby with positive words and actions when they communicate without pinching.
Pinching can be a difficult behavior to handle, but it is important to stay patient and consistent in order to help your baby learn how to use words to communicate.