Any tips for Nappy Changing.?

Renae - posted on 07/30/2010

Nappy pants, same price as huggies normal nappies, but easier to get on because you pull them up while they are standing. Or give him something he is not usually allowed to have like the remote control or your mobile / cell phone.

Tracy - posted on 07/30/2010

The other moms seem to have covered all I've tried, but what works for me if it's just a pee pee diaper, is to let my daughter stand up, and I learned how to put it on quick that way. It doesn't come out perfect, but you can adjust it as he goes! I sometimes feel like I'm in a calf roping competition,(minus the ropes)so I go as fast as I can, and put both hands up in victory when I finish. I have to laugh at it, because it would frustrate me otherwise! I even get a clap and a smile from her! Just remember, this too shall pass. Try everything listed, and maybe one will stick! Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 07/29/2010

My daughter was terrified of public changing tables, which is how I mastered the art of standing up changes out of desperation.

Itsa - posted on 07/29/2010

We got a free wooden farm animal shapes mobile from a diaper company and our son LOVES it! We hung it above his change station and diaper changes were a breeze! Now we've moved and he's almost a yr old, there's no specific place we change him, just wherever we feel like it! Change the change station is fun because baby has something new to look at while being changed. The mobile still hangs from a few places and he still loves it! We also give him a toy or his sippy cup with a few sips of water (which he goes bananas for) every once in a while.

Ink - posted on 07/29/2010

Would he be more comfortable changing in the car? That's a bit more of a USUAL place for him. I know it would be a bother to go ALL the way back out to the car, but for sanity's sake...

He has a fear of the plastic changing stations? Maybe they are too high, or he can feel it wiggle as if it were unstable? Is it cold?

Babies form an opinion on something and its hard to help them shake it. My boy decided he was going to scream in the bathtub, every single time. He made the decision one day he does NOT like to sit in a tub of water. But when I get in the shower, he's climbing in the bottom of my tub constantly. We tried a shower, and he's fine. He's been taking showers for about four or five months now. We came to a compromise. I managed to decipher the fact that its the tub of water he doesn't like... we compromised with a shower. He will accept the shower.
Can you work with him to look for a compromise?

I'm GLAD he's an adventurous child! They are the smartest ones! Don't break his spirit... let him flourish! One day that strong will is going to protect him, you'll be glad he is that way one day soon.
And you aren't on your own... you have each other! I spent 18 adult years with no children... and I was lonely every step of the way. My children complete me.
Hugs and love :) kiss kiss

Lora - posted on 07/29/2010

Changing him in a unusual room is outta the question he just will not do it and trying to change him when where out is just a nightmare because as soon as he sees the plastic changing unit i can see the look of fear on his face and he'll scream the place down till its over which is extremely embarassing when i come out and everyone stares like ive beeen trying to hurt him. i think hes just a adventurous (unruley) child by natureand i find it harder by the day to deal with because were on our own with no back :(

Amanda - posted on 07/28/2010

If it's just a wet diaper, try pull on diapers that have velcro closures so you can open them i needed for changing but stay closed otherwise. Also, I made up a song for my son when I have to change a dirty diaper which he thinks is hilarious.

Ink - posted on 07/28/2010

Keep in mind..... What works right now is NOT going to work in an hour and a half. Keep your mind open to trying EVERYTHING under the sun... over and over again. What my boy finds funny today is NOT going to work tomorrow. It might work again the time after... but you can NEVER tell which trick is going to work which time.

Laura - posted on 07/28/2010

I went through that. My boy seems to be easily distracted now, but he wasn't always like that. I actually had a couple weeks where I literally had to pin him down with one hand and change him with the other. He got so mad at me, but eventually he realized that I'm in charge during bum changes. Now he just lays there until I'm done before he tries to escape.

Ink - posted on 07/28/2010

Katie and Judy are right. A leg across the belly is a HUGE help here too! My BF lost her left hand in a car accident years ago and this is how she changes ALL babies. (she is an emergency foster parent for the state of South Carolina)
Rebecca, Yes, I am raising the reincarnation of the Tasmanian Devil! I love watching him sleep, it's the only time you can see him without a blur!

Judy - posted on 07/28/2010

One hand firmly held across the hips works a treat. They can't roll over with their hips pinned to the ground! Just make sure you have the clean diaper open and ready and wipes, cream etc ready to go as you only have one hand to do the change. Also when you are wiping, hold both feet in one hand high in the air, again stops them from rolling.

Katie - posted on 07/28/2010

You are not alone. There are times when mo matter what I do my 9 month old will not sit still to get his diaper changed. On days like that I use a trick my dearly departed mohter used to use on me. She would change my diaper on the bed or the floor and use one leg lightly laid across my chest to hold me down and then you have two hands free to change baby with. Whatever you do you have to be fast though because even this trick can only be used for so long.

Rebecca - posted on 07/28/2010

Ink Has given all of the best advice for this! She must have experience with this trouble area as well;P
I have nothing to add i guess, she covered it all very well:)
Good luck!!

Priya - posted on 07/28/2010

Yeah...try to distract his attention to something else that he loves to play with. Thats the only best and easy way. I have the same problem, My little one, 5 mths now....She does the same way and I find it so difficult to change. So, I normally keep this small tinny toys for her to look or play with, otherwise I will ask my elder daughter to play with her. Thats another way of keeping the little one quite for a moment till you are done. Try out. Hope this helps :)

Ink - posted on 07/28/2010

Try keeping a special toy with the diapers... he only gets to play with it when he's at the changing station. Or your car keys... or whatever little treasure your purse holds that he craves. A broken cellphone with the battery removed is what works for us.

Try a song... one he doesn't hear often. You might be able to hold his attention long enough to get a new diaper on him if you are singing a song he hasn't ever heard you sing before. Branch out beyond nursery rhymes... My son is hypnotized when I sing rock songs. (It's NOT pretty)

Keep one hand on him while changing him. If you have to turn back to get another wipe or the cream... keep one hand on his belly while you look away.

Try setting up your changing station in a room that he's not familiar with. If you are changing him in the same room with the TV playing he might be more interested in Barney than you. He might rather get to his toys he can see across the room. Change him in a boring room... like the laundry room...somewhere he doesn't have a lot of distractions.

Master the art of moving FAST. Don't slow down to admire that little freckle.... save that for when he's asleep.

He's getting a little older... is he standing yet? Let him "help" by standing up for you to put his pants back on. Right now my 15 month old is amazed with trying to guide his foot into his pants.

My boy is a total commercial NUT! If he sees Flo from the Progressive Insurance commercials he slams on the brakes and watches her every word with his bottom lip hanging loose. He does the same thing for the intro music to General Hospital. Try Youtube and find something that catches his attention. The GH theme music is on youtube... and it is 49 seconds long. I press play, grab the baby and the diaper flies!

I will playfully tell him off while he is trying to get away. I take on a baby voice and fuss at him. "mama tryin to change dis poopie butt and all you wanna do is fight me! Mama tryin to be good to you and all you want is fuss! Mama dont want no fuss! Mama wants a cookie, not a fuss fight!" Make funny faces and try to copy his own mannerisms.

Last thing that comes to mind....I have long hair, I wear in a ponytail most all the time. If I put my hair down, he turns into a passive little doe eyed little boy staring at me. He just LOVES my hair and next to never gets to see it down. When we have to do something tedious like change a bandaid on a booboo.... I can put my hair down and he is more interested in pawing at my hair than he is at me poking his booboo.

Best of luck to you here! I hope something that has worked for me will be helpful to you too!