Baby Finds It Funny When You Say Ouch

Calmly keep putting her down in her pack and play and walk away when she does this. She will eventually learn she doesn't want to do it and lose time with you if you're consistent.

All your baby knows is that she is getting a reaction from you. It's a game to her. She pokes you in the eye, you say ouch...she finds it funny.

Babies this age don't understand "ouch" or pain. It's the same thing when babies bite while nursing. It doesn't hurt them so they have no idea why you might be crying over it.

The best thing to do is to put her down right away when she does it. Put her in her pack and play or crib for a couple of minutes and walk away. It's that type of negative reaction that will help her understand that it isn't funny and she will learn to connect "ouch" with play time being over.
It works with the nursing/biting thing too.
I thought I was going to have to stop nursing my son because he was biting me so hard. I just took the breast away and put him down every time and went on to nurse for 15 months.

You are doing exactly the right thing!
She'll get it figured out.

Best wishes.

she's not being malicious, she just likes the reaction. instead of a high pitched, "OUCH!!" followed by lots of positive-toned correction ("oh honey we don't hurt mama!" in a sweet sing-song voice), make your face look unhappy, look her in the eye, and put her down as soon as she does it. say "NO HITTING." in a firm, deeper tone, and walk away. she will understand that what SHE DID caused a negative reaction.

Babies like reactions and attention. Good or bad.. whatever they can get.

When she does something you do not like, walk away, put her down or place her alone somewhere.

She will catch on she does not get reactions from those behaviors..

When she laughs, smiles, hugs, kisses, waves.. Anything positive.. give her lots of positive reactions and attention..

It isn't fun for her because she is hurting people. She has no idea she is hurting. She also has no idea what pulling hair, scratching or anything else even does. She is just getting a clue that what she does has an effect on the world. The reaction she is getting is fun!

Using a stern "No" can also be a fun reaction. I found that calmly(no emotion) saying "No" and "gentle" (she really will not get gentle for quite a while though) and putting her down when she did that sort of thing, did eventually get the idea across. Still, she is a baby and it will be a long time before she will have impulse control.

At 10 months old she doesn't understand language. You could be speaking in English, French or any other language and she would not know the difference. Also at 10 months babies do not get the concept of when they touch you -- you feel it too.

I agree instead of saying 'ouch' hold her hands and say in a firm voice 'NO' and set her down and walk away. Since her memory is so short you will usually be able to go a pick her up again in less than 5 minutes.

mama:

welcome to mamapedia.

This is a phase. The more attention she gets for the action - the more she will do it.

If at 10 months she continues the actions - then remove the toys from the area.

You can firmly tell her NO. That works too. But the more reaction she gets - the more she will do it.

Babies know what to do based on what happens to them and how they feel. If you say, "No" and firmly slap the hand doing these things, she will learn to follow your warning quickly. She's way too young to think hitting for hitting is ironic or anything, she just won't do it, and she'll never remember she tried it in the future. This worked for all of mine and I never had to hover or worry that they would harm another child. it doesn't take lots of repetition if you're effective. Babies are very smart.