10m acting different. Is this normal?

[benjohnson1966]

Hi y’all I’m a first time parent and to be fair I’ve tried googling and searching reddit for some insight but haven’t found anything relating to what’s happening to us apart from vague articles about toddler behavior.

My daughter just turned 10 months old two days ago. Shes been having a hard time with both of her top teeth coming in the last 2.5 weeks practically at the same time. It’s made her especially fussy and hard to put down for naps and bedtime, as well as restless sleep all night. But the last few days, maybe week, she’s been acting entirely different. I’m unsure if this is teething related or a developmental thing. She’s been super grumpy for days now.

Shes doing things like jumping like crazy in her crib like it’s a trampoline, slamming her hands against the wall both in her crib and when standing against the wall. Shes been attempting to climb both me and things like the TV stand which isn’t an issue but it is kind of wild. Shes been trying to bite me and other family members, which I figure is from teething. She’s started throwing fits too. Like if I put her down in her pack n play, or on the floor, or if I take away an object she’s interacting with that she shouldn’t have (like a phone, plastic water bottle, or shoe) I do say “hey, I was looking for that!” Or “can I have this please?” Or just a firm no or “this isn’t for babies” when it’s an object like a phone charger or the TV speakers. And gently and slowly take it from her, I don’t snatch it, but it still triggers a fit. She gets over them quickly but it’s still a surprise. Shes also started slapping my face when being held, which I correct with a firm no and frown. She stops when I tell her to.

The only thing other than her teething or development I can think of causing this is that her grandma had surgery and is recovering so she doesn’t get to spend time being held by or playing with her. I think it has made her a bit confused sometimes, maybe she feels rejected because she doesn’t understand why grandma won’t pick her up or play? I just feel confused like maybe I’m doing something wrong.

 

[trends]

@benjohnson1966 Hey my 10mo does all those things! She's always been a very...expressive baby so it didn't seem too different from what her younger years behaviour was like haha.
A week ago she learned how to stiffen her body so I can't just sit her down, unless she's in the mood of course then no issue. Makes me realise that we're inching closer to fun toddlers stage with tantrums and meltdowns!

 

[rups]

@benjohnson1966 I vote teething, it can be so hard for them.

But also, I know that when my boy got to ~11 months, I felt like suddenly I had a toddler rather than a baby, sooner than I expected! He would scream when we took something from him, or in frustration when we didn’t understand what he meant. It is lessening somewhat (12months now) as he leaned to point, and a few other more clear gestures.

 

[starrfairy]

@benjohnson1966 Normal. It's a transition into toddlerhood.

Have you tried teaching baby signs? When they have a way to communicate, it can reduce the amount frustration and help with some of these behaviors. Babies and young toddlers will more quickly pick up nonverbal signs, and have a larger vocabulary quicker, while verbal speech is developing (and it doesn't delay verbal speech.)

We used baby signs with all our kids, but it was a particular blessing with our speech delayed kid.

 

[benjohnson1966]

@starrfairy I have been trying since she was 4 months but she hasn’t picked up on them yet. I can tell she understands me when I sign but she isn’t signing back yet. She does communicate in some ways, like when she wants more food instead of signing more she’ll tap her tray and look at me intently. But her new behavior is more during play time or wind-down time when I read her books before bed.

 

[starrfairy]

@benjohnson1966 It will come if you've been signing to her. My kids picked up milk pretty early because it's just squeezing a fist, but the other signs take longer.
The in-between stage where they know they want things but can't quite communicate those things yet is a bit exhausting. And some temperaments are more dramatic than others.

 

[churchhub]

@benjohnson1966 Welcome to the toddler teenager years! Lol, it's quite a change isn't it? Don't worry about the behaviors now, I know it can be worrying when they try to bite and scratch you etc, but it's developmentally appropriate. They want to assert their wills and wants but don't have the means to express themselves in language yet. It will get better the more advanced they get at telling you what they want/don't want.
Keep redirecting and distracting while keeping calm and friendly. You'll get used to it, the next stage in your mum journey

 

[greatgrammyjean]

@benjohnson1966 I've been dealing with this for a month. 9 months old. It feels like a transition in to being a toddler. Did not expect it so soon.

 

[katrina2017]

@benjohnson1966 My son is like this too but he’s a few months older. Does your daughter have any thing else medical going on? I think my son may be anemic

 

[thecup]

@benjohnson1966 Normal