There’s nothing worse than having a biting baby. Biters try to sink their teeth into everything they hold. This usually doesn’t cause any harm in toys, but it is much worse if your baby does it to other people or other children. Babies mainly bite when they are angry or cannot properly express their powerlessness. However, biting is not condoned and as parents you must oppose it. It is not enough to say once: “You are not allowed to bite”. You will have to build up a pattern so that your baby eventually knows that biting is not allowed and that it can hurt. The message is to stop biting as quickly as possible.
Why do babies bite?
It is logical that every baby sometimes sinks its teeth into the arm or shoulders of its mother, father or other peers. It is very annoying and a bit embarrassing for parents if their child has bitten another child. Yet the biting habit is a very logical process in your baby’s development. In the period after the first teeth appear, he wants to put as much as possible in his mouth. So there is a good chance that he will bite a finger, arm or shoulder at some point. There is a difference between babies who only bite briefly and other babies who really keep biting, leaving a nice imprint of the teeth in the arm or shoulder. In addition, biting can have other causes. Babies who cannot yet talk want to express their dissatisfaction or frustration by biting.
Don’t be strict with your baby, but respond correctly
If your baby were to bite, it is not a good idea to be very rude about it. It is a developmental process for your baby and ultimately he cannot do anything about it. As a parent you naturally set an example for your children. So it would be completely wrong to react with violence if your baby were to bite. Biting back is also not an option. Otherwise, your baby might think that biting is normal and that he is allowed to do it. A heavy tap on the hands is also not recommended. This gives the impression that you are allowed to hit. The best way to deal with this is to remain calm and make it very clear to your baby that biting is not allowed. You can say this by looking at your baby and saying the words: That is not allowed!
Punish and reward
In many cases, saying no will not help at all and your baby will do it again the next time. Then there is the solution to place your baby in the playpen. The playpen is the ideal place for your baby to relax and he can do nothing wrong there. If you take your baby aside after he does something wrong, he will realize that he is doing something wrong and needs to go into the playpen. However, don’t overdo it and of course don’t let him sit alone for hours. A few minutes should be more than enough. If you notice that your baby no longer bites after a few times, or has the intention to hold back, you can reward him. Material rewards are not always necessary. You can also just say Good job. The rule of thumb is as follows: reward your baby for not biting anymore instead of shouting very loudly if he does bite.
Prevention is better than cure
If you notice that your baby is going to bite, you can of course stop him. This way you work preventively and no one has to suffer. You can also try to get him to react differently. If he bites, then you can say that biting is wrong or naughty. You can also give kisses and tell them that this is good or bad. This way your baby learns to distinguish between naughty and bold. Always try to describe your baby’s behavior as naughty, and not your baby itself. So never say: John is naughty, but always biting is naughty. In any case, don’t lose your control. The biting period does not last long.
Biters: a teething ring can be an aid
A teething ring offers help when your baby’s teeth come through. This is because there is pressure on the gums. You can try to ease the pain by letting your baby bite on a (cold) teething ring. It relieves pressure and massages the gums. If your baby knows that he can bite on a teething ring and that is the only thing he is allowed to bite on, he can possibly unlearn to bite other children or people. He must (be allowed to) bite then associate it with a teething ring.
