Impossible Diaper Changes

MrsW101011 · November 2013

My 13 month old son has recently made it nearly impossible to change his diaper. He fights me, screams, rolls away, arches his back and wraps his legs around my arms so that I CANNOT get a diaper on him. I really try to be a peaceful, happy parent but this sets me over the edge. I try to make it fun, play games with him, nothing helps. I can't continue this. I'm having to physically restrain him with my hands and feet just to get a diaper on him which makes him more angry and makes me feel like a terrible parent. How can I make diaper changes fun and take the stress out of it? I want so badly to keep things peaceful and happy.

JJ_13 · November 2013

I haven't done this yet - my LO is younger, but someone else I know had this issue and started doing standing diaper changes. It made a world of difference - maybe try that?

MrsW101011 · November 2013

That may work. I haven't tried that yet! He woke up so happy and a really difficult diaper change brought us both down. I hate it!

=Lee=B · November 2013

Sometimes all you can do is have everything ready to go. Wipes pulled out, diaper open. Lie them on the floor, swing your leg across their chest and arms and go for it as fast as possible. Talk through the steps..."Pants off, old diaper off, wipe, new diaper on, pants on, you're all done. Wow that was fast!"

It doesn't make you a bad mother. AP doesn't mean you have to give in to your babies every whim. They need the diaper changed for health reasons and to prevent rashes. They need to comply. If you have tried all the gentle, fun ways and it hasn't worked sometimes you just need to do something that upsets them.

I have found with all the kids I have worked with that by doing the above, they quickly learn that the diaper will be changed and they stop resisting. It should be a short phase! Dress them in easy to remove and put on clothes...no overalls or onesies for awhile to make it all the faster!

mb314 · November 2013

DS is the same age, and we're going through this. I've been distracting him with my sunglasses or something else that he can play with while I change him. DS doesn't walk yet, but can stand okay. We've done a few stand-up changes, and I think we'll do more of those when he can stand on his own. It's challenging! And frustrating.

cpmich · November 2013

The standing diaper change worked great for us. I also found it much cleaner and quicker.

blu-eyedwife · November 2013

This is totally normal and I'd venture to say 90% of us have had to hold our children down at some point for diaper changes. It's obviously not ideal, but you do what you have to and it's a short-lived phase. We worked with lots of distractions - special songs just for diaper changes, holding onto special toys or balloons which keep him occupied while I'm doing changes, I know someone on the board recommended stickers which seems to occupy children pretty well. I also did and still use the changing pad - changing a baby anywhere on the floor/couch/bed, led to rolling around and/or running away. But high up on his dresser, he was less likely to go anywhere.

MrsW101011 · November 2013

Thanks everyone! I tried a standup diaper a couple of times and it's incredibly difficult for me. He's been walking for a while and is super fast at that getaway also. I guess I just have to hold him down. I wish there was an easier way that wasn't so upsetting for both of us. Will keep trying!

ReeceFamily · November 2013

JJ_13 said:

I haven't done this yet - my LO is younger, but someone else I know had this issue and started doing standing diaper changes. It made a world of difference - maybe try that?

This! For whatever reason, at 9.5 mos, DD hates diaper change time (we ME only...apparently she is totally okay with it at daycare

). So I am slowly perfecting the art of the stand-up diaper change (and stand-up dressing, as well). It's like wrestling an octopus at first, but I'm actually getting pretty good at it, and DD seems much happier.

SarahandSam2007 · November 2013

Our DS HATES diaper changes! I tell him "I know that/it seems that you don't want to get your diaper changed right now because you're busy crawling/playing/etc. but we're going to because it needs to be changed." And then we go real fast or try to have him hold the diaper or his pants or participate somehow.

Or we sing the itsy bitsy spider and make silly faces to distract when all else fails.

MrsW101011 · November 2013

I'm so glad to know that we're not alone. I'm trying my hardest not to show how frustrated I am but I'm like, "Come on kid, it's just a freaking diaper change! Calm down!"

kellyrn9956 · November 2013

We've been dealing with frustrating diaper and clothing changes for awhile. For quick diaper changes, I get everything ready if I can. If H is home, we do it together. I also found that a toy for him to hold and mouth helps.

For clothing changes, I change everything I can with him sitting up, and then go down just for the diaper change.

JJ_13 · November 2013

Regal Mama said:

I saw a brilliant woman at the park once changing her kids diaper standing. The brilliant part was that she fastened one side of the diaper before putting it on. Slipped one leg through and fasten the other side. Boom done.

I would also stand DS1 on the change table ad he would look at the picture on the wall at eyelevel to distract him. This obviously doesn't work for poop though.

That does sound brilliant, although clearly her child's thighs are not as chunky as my child's! LOL!

ExcitedMum2B · November 2013

We've been going through it too, since about 10 months. The writhing, the screaming, the crying, the kicking her legs all about! Some of the time giving her something to play with helps, distracting her with kisses and silly songs works. The rest of the time we try standing changes. Or I just let her crawl around naked for a while and then wrestle a diaper on her.

spainy17 · November 2013

I literally just signed on here to make a post about this. My 10 month old has been doing this too. The pediatrician says she gets about a call a week about this. I have been bringing new household objects in with me to show her during diaper changes since her regular toys are not cutting it anymore. If all else fails I hold her down and talk/sing in a happy voice and give lots of kisses when done. It is awful. My husband and I both had to dress her after bathtime two nights ago because I physically could not get it done... it is like trying to baptize a cat!!!

MrsW101011 · November 2013

spainy17 said:

I literally just signed on here to make a post about this. My 10 month old has been doing this too. The pediatrician says she gets about a call a week about this. I have been bringing new household objects in with me to show her during diaper changes since her regular toys are not cutting it anymore. If all else fails I hold her down and talk/sing in a happy voice and give lots of kisses when done. It is awful. My husband and I both had to dress her after bathtime two nights ago because I physically could not get it done... it is like trying to baptize a cat!!!

Haha! Seriously, these kids are strong!

MrsW101011 · November 2013

Guys. That comment about fastening one side of the diaper and sliding it up on the leg gave me an idea. We cloth diaper and I snapped a pocket diaper completely before I put it on him and just slid it on while he stood up! I can't believe I've never thought of this before. This will be life changing for pee diapers at least!

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