Help! Toddler hitting me and Dog! :/

Trying my best to be a peaceful parent.

I don’t have a aggressive child all the time. He is very sweet but he get spurts of energy and he just starts hitting, kicking, slapping. And it is painful. Especially since I’m currently pregnant and the last thing i need is another kick to the stomach.

He’ll start hitting me or the dog and i’ll say “no, we don’t do that, nice hands, soft” and show him.

But then that makes him even crazier and he starts Flailing his arms. Then walks over to the dog and hits him again. Like he knows what He’s doing. Even tho I say soft..nice. He walks over there with intention to do it.

It’s like saying that makes it worse. It’s doing the opposite.

I’m at my wits end. I don’t know what to do. I know/hope it’s a faze.

Know it’s early to timeout them since he’s 16 months. But my child it the size of a three year old and is strrongggg. Like I feel like my ass is gonna get a chipped tooth or a broken nose by the end of this.

Any help Mamas

What do I do?

Heeellpppp Mehhhhh 🙏🏼