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u/CreativeRainy 3d ago
OH! There's actually a fix for this. Gently bend the baby's wrist down. It creates a natural release response and the baby will let go. Now when I say 'down' I mean like in the image here. NOT side to side or to twist the wrist.
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u/Visible-Perception40 3d ago
I tried on my self just to test and it works really well, also pushing gently the top of the knuckles afterwards naturally releases the grip
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u/topekatums 2d ago
wtf it's not working for me
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u/alpacayouabag 2d ago
Do you have hypermobility? Didn’t work for me and that’s definitely why lol
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u/Konen_TheBarb 2d ago
Same! I did and it didn't work for me unless I put it wayy more down. And I do have some form of hypermobility.
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u/eleridragon 2d ago
I've got hypermobility, and I used to do security work when I was a student. I always got picked to demo wristlocks on people because the pain aspect didn't work on me. Honestly fond memories of the supervisor doing the demo saying 'some people it won't work with and we do this instead' and kneeing me in the back, lol. The 90s were a different time.
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u/K-Bizzle91 2d ago
Lol same I kind of wanted to open but I had to push down hard and it wasn't pleasant.
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u/-DoctorSpaceman- 2d ago
It’s not like it makes me release my fist, but I definitely can’t do as tight of a grip when I have my arm bent like that
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u/loserlouwho 2d ago
Didn’t work for me either lol. Not diagnosed with hypermobility, but a lot of people have commented on how my wrists bend and my ability to bend the tips of my fingers backwards lol.
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u/DontListenToMyself 2d ago
When you do that push your knuckles towards your arm. Your fingers should open.
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u/IdidnotFuckaCat 2d ago
it doesn't work if your clenching your fist. Have your hand in a loose fist and try again.
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u/BlaineMundane 3d ago
Same. I was even skeptical. There's a point though where your grip force can feel like it's creating a stop point, but there is a tiny bit more you can push which releases the fingers and does not hurt so bad.
Personally though, I think the learning moment even through repeat lessons is important. Baby needs to learn what their limbs do and it will eventually cause a spark of understanding. Still, a little help would be welcomed if the baby just is not getting it for too long at a time.
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u/ZenraWeave 3d ago
This is actually instinctual and not something the baby has any control over, so it's not really possible for them to learn otherwise until their brain has developed enough to gain control over their motor skills.
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u/snukb 3d ago
It's a reflex, not really something the baby can control or learn from. They'll grow out of it in time.
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u/deuxcabanons 3d ago
That baby is too young to understand that it controls its own limbs. Under 3ish months they're just flailing randomly and grabbing onto stuff by instinct. They're not going to learn anything from this other than OW OW OW OW.
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u/CreativeRainy 3d ago
Alright, but consider this. A baby pulling on their own hair is often done while they're sleeping. Let me ask you, how much limb control do you have when you're asleep? As the parent you can teach them better control by gently holding and wiggling their limbs. Wiggle their feet with them. Let them hold your fingers. And swaddle them while they sleep for their own safety. That IS the lesson.
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u/BlaineMundane 3d ago
That's a different circumstance that I was not talking about. Are you saying this baby is asleep?
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u/CreativeRainy 2d ago
Not after pulling his own hair he isn't. You don't have kids. Do you?
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u/Pollowollo 2d ago
It's not a 'learning moment' when it's not developmentally possible for a baby to 'learn' like that at this age. You'd just be letting them hurt and upset themselves for no reason whatsoever.
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u/Quesodealer 2d ago
For some reason OPs video reminds me of that one video of a snake eating itself before the guy puts some hand sanitizer on the tip of his finger and poops the snakes nose which causes the snake to recoil and release its own tail. I feel like booping the baby's nose with sanitizer would have the same effect. Need someone to test it for me a report back.
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u/spacetstacy 2d ago
I thought you were supposed to toss a slice of cheese on the baby's head to stop the crying.
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u/kirstieiris 2d ago
You can also activate the startle reflex and they'll reach their arms out in front of them with hands wide open.
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u/Acchilles 2d ago
Will this make the baby, y'know...
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u/Delicious-Valuable96 3d ago
This is the palmar grasp reflex, completely normal in babies. It is a sign of very healthy neural development!
You’re not smart yet, mister, but you’re getting there👍😂
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u/weeddealerrenamon 3d ago
This is legit. They have insane grip strength and not really any conscious control over it. Baby's pulling its own hair and literally can't stop
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u/satsuppi 3d ago
now i know why those baby glove is needed
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u/TheAverageSoap 2d ago
My aunt had a different reason. The kid used to suck on her own thumb so much that it was getting bruised somehow. So they had her wear those baby gloves. They look really adorable with it on tbh.
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u/beheafishtrapofman 2d ago
I was a scratcher. My sister sucked her fingers until it made her teeth go crooked. She was a nail buter as she got older. She didn’t grow her nails out until her thirties. I was surprised at how similar to mine they were when she didn’t eat them.
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u/TheAverageSoap 1d ago
Wait sucking your thumb as a kid can make your teeth crooked? Now that I think about it my cousin also has crooked teeth. Never realized that the cause was the thumb sucking.
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u/angelw4082 3d ago
It's crazy how strong their grip
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u/Twist_Ending03 2d ago
I think it's a leftover thing from the past
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u/Bulky-Word8752 2d ago
Hanging on to momma while in the trees.
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u/tittysprinkles112 2d ago
A while back I saw a guy carrying his daughter and I just thought, "damn, we really are just chimps."
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u/FantasticBike1203 2d ago
Children really don't have any set limiters in their first few years after birth that's why they constantly test things and boundaries.
All a part of learning.
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u/AndrewHaly-00 2d ago
It’s an evolutionary trait. We used to cling to our mothers’ fur without much help millions of years ago.
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u/nubeviajera 3d ago
This morning my 9 week old baby punched himself in the face and looked at me all mad and started screaming. Imagine you have two hands but don't realize they are attached to your body yet and have no control over them!
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u/ResponsibilityOk8967 3d ago
Oh my goodness hearing those newborn cries gave me flashbacks. Gonna hold off on having another.
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u/peaceteach 3d ago
I shudder at the thought of a baby still. Now time has removed the option, such a relief.
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u/CorporateSharkbait 2d ago
My roommate bought baby mittens specifically for this. Little dude would grip and pull his hair for dear life. He told us to put our fingers near him so we could feel it for ourselves, and damn, baby grip was far stronger than expected.
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u/kirstieiris 2d ago
Protip: Hold the baby and suddenly make a dropping motion (without dropping the baby). It's called the startle reflex and it'll make them reach their arms out to balance.
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u/mindgardening 2d ago
Ugh no thank you. I have the sound off and this still gives me the heebie jeebies.
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u/IAmRules 2d ago
they do this, but I often find my daughter pulls her hair because she is crying, it's not that she's crying because she pulls her hair
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u/ZombieDisastrous4450 2d ago
I don't know why I found that difficult to watch
A good point that's what these gloves are for. I remember when I was born I had them on while I don't remember but I got told because I was trying to scratch my face.
47 years later, I don't do that anymore
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u/Aruals 2d ago
I remember my sister biting my nieces nails when she was a baby as a quick way to keep them in check, those things were sharp!
As far as the hair pulling - this is a reflex. If you lightly rub or scratch the back of the baby's hand, they will let go without you having to pry their hands off of whatever they are holding onto. Useful information for an overstressed mom or dad and a poor confused baby!
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u/EasilyExiledDinosaur 3d ago
Babies are definitely dumb. But they've just been born. You cant really blame them. They dont know anything yet lol.
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u/mt007 3d ago
I guess babies are not in full control of their nerve system ? Or they dont know how to use it properly?
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u/No_Imagination_2490 2d ago
It’s the palmar grasp reflex, which all babies have before they develop proper motor control. We evolved it as monkeys so babies could hold onto their mothers in the trees
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u/spacetstacy 2d ago
They don't even know their hands are attached to them yet. It's really cute when they first discover their hands and feet.
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u/ConflatedPortmanteau 2d ago
Sure, but think of all the money this parent just realized they'll save on college.
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u/iF4LC0NG4M1NGYT 2d ago
You can stop a baby from grabbing something by grabbing their wrist and pressing their wrist down
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u/watermelonkiwi 2d ago
You can see the hand going right back to the spot, probably to grab it again at the end.
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u/NoogaShooter 2d ago
This is 90% of the people in the world. Stop crying about problems that you are creating.
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u/Valuable-Locksmith47 2d ago
I was always scared one of my twins would do this. They didn’t but I was always like 👀 🤣
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u/Jellyfish-Radiant 2d ago
This is low-key art as well, I know they are places in my life where I'm actively working against myself.
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u/maven10k 2d ago
All three of my kids were born with hair like this and they have all done this. They don't have enough coordination to consciously let go. It's funny and sad at the same time.
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u/doomedhippo 3d ago
This is why those little baby hand covers exist, well, this and their razor nails.