Biting

 Henry has recently started biting me.  Not during nursing, just in general.  He will walk up to me and bite my leg or my arm.  It's strange because he has really blossomed into such a happy, curious, non-whiny toddler (for the time being, at least!), so on the surface this biting seems to have really come out of nowhere.  Or has it?

I sat down and thought about how to handle this and it occurred to me to try and figure out why he is biting me.  Well, once I did that, it became pretty obvious what the solution should be.  Henry only bites me when he is trying to get my attention while I'm using the computer, reading, or cooking.  So, how do I get him to stop biting?  First, I need to try to prevent the biting in the first place by making sure I give him more of my undivided attention during the day.  The morning sickness has made me lazy, and sometimes I get caught up in the different tasks of the day, so it's important to remember to be present for Henry and pay attention to him!  It's also important to make sure he is fed and not tired.  Once he can talk, hopefully I can teach him to verbalise his feelings.

When he does bite, I tell him firmly (but not meanly): "No biting.  That hurts mummy."  And then I give him something else that he can bite instead.