Manipulation

My DS is quite a smart little fellow and he´s got me thinking whether he´s starting to manipulate me. I´ve read that babies can do this at 6 months but wasn´t sure if they can do it earlier.

Basically he´s developed this ´cough´. When I go to him, he stops crying and coughing. It starts again when I leave the room. He suffers gas and we had a particularly bad day with him yesterday as he couldnt get to sleep and was crying in pain (and coughing). He burped a lot and was sick a few times. I sat him up in his cot and he did burp but he settled ok then started the coughing again. I managed to help him get to sleep without picking him up so I know for sure that he wasn´t in any pain, etc. He also made the same noises when he lost his dummy.

When did your babies start to manipulate/play with you and how did you deal with it? I hate the thought of CIO, and have never done it yet, but maybe that´s what I´ll have to do. Any advice or insights?

 

My DS used to "cough" at me when he wanted attention..very funny. And my DDs are doing it too..definitely for attention.

 

I don't think mine try to manipulate me. They try to fight sleep and will fuss when I put them down for a nap. They know when they are fighting over a toy to both look at me and whine b/c they want me to intervene. They scream for me if they hurt themselves. But I don't really consider any of that to attempting to manipulate me, I don't think mine have a concept of that.

 

Sounds more like GERD than manipulation to me. Has he been evaluated for reflux?

 

Mine have definately started figuring out cause and effect. For example, if I scream while in the carseat in a public place you will take me out and hold me. And the view is much better not to mention the snuggling and attention, so I will scream to get what I want. Ha Ha! Seriously it is like a broken record, hold them out towards the car seat and screaming starts, pull them back and it stops immediately. They are such stinkers sometimes. If I leave them in the car seat because I know they are doing it just to get out they will typically stop after a minute or two if I can hold out that long.

They also fake cough for attention - and it is clearly fake. They have had several real coughs (thanks again daycare!). And what is really kinda funny is that one will do it and if it's successful (e.g. he gets attention), then the other one will start up like crazy.

They are also learning differences between people. They know the things I will fall for vs the ones their daddy will fall for. And Grannie is always good for the coughing one. Sucker!

I don't call it manipulation - I know semantics - but they are definately learning about cause and effect and human interaction.

 

QUOTE(debid @ Oct 6 2008, 05:30 PM) [snapback]1013689[/snapback]
Sounds more like GERD than manipulation to me. Has he been evaluated for reflux?


To answer your question, yes he has and he´s fine. All the tests came back clear.

However, I´ve thought about GERD also and have sat him up in his cot and he usually burps. However, I think he maybe doing this to make me go to him as he stops the second I arrive and laughs and smiles. I give him his dummy and if he takes it, I know he´s fine. If he rejects it then I know it´s gas. I have a lady who helps me and she said to me that he was learning cause and effect. I always thought that 4 months was too young to try things on but it seems mine could already be learning.

I always tend to him if he is coughing but as it´s a recent thing, havent got much to compare it to. I´m in two minds about it still. Always a mystery! Also, it only occurs during the daytime hours. Never at the first morning feed or the last 2 feeds. If it were GERD then I think the coughing would be more consistent.

 

QUOTE(beemer @ Oct 6 2008, 05:39 PM) [snapback]1013703[/snapback]
Mine have definately started figuring out cause and effect. For example, if I scream while in the carseat in a public place you will take me out and hold me. And the view is much better not to mention the snuggling and attention, so I will scream to get what I want. Ha Ha! Seriously it is like a broken record, hold them out towards the car seat and screaming starts, pull them back and it stops immediately. They are such stinkers sometimes. If I leave them in the car seat because I know they are doing it just to get out they will typically stop after a minute or two if I can hold out that long.

They also fake cough for attention - and it is clearly fake. They have had several real coughs (thanks again daycare!). And what is really kinda funny is that one will do it and if it's successful (e.g. he gets attention), then the other one will start up like crazy.

They are also learning differences between people. They know the things I will fall for vs the ones their daddy will fall for. And Grannie is always good for the coughing one. Sucker!

I don't call it manipulation - I know semantics - but they are definately learning about cause and effect and human interaction.


Thanks for your reply. Yes, maybe manipulation is the wrong word. Cause and effect is much better wording My DS gets ´angry´ when we dont go to him and makes noises like hey, where are you! It´s incredible. He´s always been incredibly alert and aware and when I´m not there, so the lady that helps me tells me, he looks for me.

I will be kept guessing for a while!

 

Ahhh.... babies are smart little people! I think they do figure it out at six months. (And let me tell you, they get better and better at it as the years go by!)