Help with calming baby during diaper changes

angeltrainin · April 2011

Having a really difficult time changing my son's diapers. Don't remember any of these problems with my daughter several years ago. Just by virtue of him being a boy, I'm already having a hard time with having to beat the 2-second clock on switching out the diaper, cleaning him up, and applying diaper cream before he pees all over everything. On the rare occasion, he'll cooperate, but overall he'll cry/scream and fight me with his legs and moving his butt all around, which just makes it take forever and creates mess upon mess. He fights even more as I'm trying to get the new diaper on. Plus he'll push his arms/hands straight down into his diaper area, making me more nervous with him getting pee/poop on him and having to clean that up as well. I've tried singing, music, timing the changes after he's eaten, etc. He's overall better when my husband changes him so I've tried his "dont fear the rear (or the messes it makes)" attitude, talked to the baby more before I start to change him, but thats not really helping me. With how many times a day I have to change him, I really want to get better at this for his comfort and my sanity....any tips/advice please?

JustMeInFlorida · April 2011

Are your baby wipes maybe to chilly? N used to cry every time I changed him because he'd get a chill from the wipes. So I started holding them in my closed hand for a few seconds to warm them a little and now he's fine.

SarahTx5701 · April 2011

get a pack of the cheapie cloth diapers from walmart or whatever. They just look like big burp rags. Fold one up and place it over his peter. this will catch the peeing and give you time to clean him up and put diaper cream on if he needs it.

You just need to be super quick! Practice makes perfect!! You'll get there

Temp246483875007510 · April 2011

I have these little mini wash clothes that I keep on the changing table, I just throw one of those over him. He still squirms like crazy but the crying has gotten better as the weeks have gone by. I don't have a wipe warmer but I wish I had one from the beginning.

Anniee1963 · April 2011

We have a different approach to changing diapers. We use cloth, and like his bum to get all kinds of air-out time so we always take his diaper off and let him swing his legs all over as long as he wants. We lay a prefold down on the changing table, take his diaper off and put a baby washcloth over him so he doesn't pee all over. He often does pee, but it just gets on the washcloth and sometimes prefold so it's not a big deal. Same with a little poop- oh well!
His happiest times during the day are when we let him go diaper free on the changing table and it's so much easier to put a new diaper on after he has had time to relax. Maybe instead of trying to fight him, just go with it!

htuzzi324 · April 2011

DS also hates having his diaper changed. He was happy when we got the wipe warmer, but it got too hot and started drying out the wipes. So I warm the wipe in my hand. Also, when I rub his head, he calms down. As for the peeing, keep his room warm and draft-free. DS only pees when we are changing him at night in our room because we have the overhead fan on.

Phil&Corinna · April 2011

I have a LO who hates diaper changes too!! I try to get the new diaper open, butt cream tube open, and I open his diaper, expose his weenie to the cool air and then lay it back over... I find the coldness is what makes them go... I do warm the wipe in my hand (warms very quickly) and then just go fast!! Just remember, pee is sterile!! Practice (and you'll get lots!) will make you an expert too LOL Smile

carinamarie77 · April 2011

Anniee1963:
We have a different approach to changing diapers. We use cloth, and like his bum to get all kinds of air-out time so we always take his diaper off and let him swing his legs all over as long as he wants. We lay a prefold down on the changing table, take his diaper off and put a baby washcloth over him so he doesn't pee all over. He often does pee, but it just gets on the washcloth and sometimes prefold so it's not a big deal. Same with a little poop- oh well!
His happiest times during the day are when we let him go diaper free on the changing table and it's so much easier to put a new diaper on after he has had time to relax. Maybe instead of trying to fight him, just go with it!

All of this. Also, if you go super fast every time and don't let his bum air out, he'll more than likely get a diaper rash. So, my advice is to take your time, get a cloth to put over his penis and one for under his bum and go with it. Also, I dont' know how old your LO is, but mine hated diaper changes for the fist two weeks no matter what I did. Now it's his favorite part of the day and where I get most of my smiles because he's so happy. It will happen for you, too, I'm sure.

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