Ok i need some mommie advice (orphan, ideas, infant, sucking)

[jerzstyle00]

My 1 year old son has a bad habit of banging his head on the crib rail(which is wood)for attention.He used to cry everytime we'd put him in there to sleep or to play but now when he wants our attention that smart ass bangs his head on the rail because he knows that will get our attention to get him out of there.I tried ignoring him for awhile but he keeps banging so i have to attend to him because he starts to get light bruises at times,spanked him, Pinched him a few times but now as i get closer to him he stops and gives me that cheezy smile and when i walk away he starts again,im just out of ideas!
I got so desperate that i covered the railings with blanket and tape!And yes he still does it.
So now i turn to ths forum.Helpppppp!!
Suggestions please!

[mrstewart]

Are you sure it is for attention and not a self soothing technique? If you believe it is a self soothing technique I would call the pediatrician and tell them everything.

[jerzstyle00]

Originally Posted by mrstewart

Are you sure it is for attention and not a self soothing technique? If you believe it is a self soothing technique I would call the pediatrician and tell them everything.

Self soothing meaning?

[b75]

Some babies who are left to cry it out will start banging their head into the wall or the side of the crib as a coping mechanism. It happens in America but is especially prevalent in orphanages in other countries where often babies will wind up with failure to thrive. Your baby is a baby - he isn't manipulating you; he just wants his mother. If he is hurting himself that bad to get your attention maybe he actually needs it at this point emotionally? I mean spanking a one year old is something that even experts, who are proponents of spanking, oppose.

[turnbun]

You spanked and pinched your one-year-old?
I don't think a one-year-old is capable of being a smart ass.
He's smiling at you when you come in because he's happy to see you.

[mrstewart]

When I say self soothing I mean thumb sucking, a special blanket, etc. Sometimes kids bang their head to self sooth but if that is the case, this may be an issue.

[NYMD67]

Originally Posted by turnbun

You spanked and pinched your one-year-old?
I don't think a one-year-old is capable of being a smart ass.
He's smiling at you when you come in because he's happy to see you.

I am confused as well? I would think that would NOT be an answer to the problem....

[jessiegirl_98]

First, you shouln't spank or pinch your one year old. Sorry, but that is not appropriate. Also, if this is a problem, you need to think about putting him somewhere else to sleep (such as a play pen with padded rails where he can't hurt himself) and as mrstewart suggested, this may be self-soothing. You need to consult with his pediatrician.

[max's mama]

Your post had made me cringe.

You don't seriously think that your 1 year old is manipulating you???? You don't seriously think that he is out to get you and make you lose it?
I agree with previous posters. He is either a)really does need your attention b)soothing himself (in similar fashion to thumb sucking).

How in the world could you spank and pinch your 1 year old? You don't seriously think that he will say to himself: "hum, my mom spanked me, so perhaps I shouldn't be doing this".

I'm sorry if I sound judgemental, but I think you need a dose of reality here and perhaps see that maybe, just maybe, your baby does need you.
Also, I do want to show some support and let you know that it's hard to have a small infant turning toddler and perhaps you are getting a lot of very wrong advice from so-called experts on spanking, cry it out and etc...
Please kindly read the following books:

The Vital Touch
Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff
The Baby Book by William Sears
The Nightime Parenting by William Sears

[jerzstyle00]

Originally Posted by turnbun

You spanked and pinched your one-year-old?
I don't think a one-year-old is capable of being a smart ass.
He's smiling at you when you come in because he's happy to see you.

Ok my son is 1 year and 4 months,I think children in that age group are capable of understanding things.You make it sound like im really hurting my son which aint true at all im just trying to disipline the kid to where he knows what he does is wrong.For example before he used to always bang his head until i took him out of the crib but now if i make believe im going to pinch him he would stop.I believe my son is at a age where control plays a role.Im trying to teach him he can't get or do anything he wants because in the future it will be harder to discipline him because he already will be in a habit of it.Some might argue it is too early for discilpline and some may not.
But i just don't want my to go up to being one of those brats that when i say no he starts to cry and create a big fuss at a toys r us or something.