Tips for diapering a squirming baby?
Our (usually mild-mannered) 11 mos old squirm monkey grows ever-more-challenging to diaper with each passing day. We have different goals - mine is prosaic, boring, change a dirty diaper; hers is to stand up, walk around, explore the world, right now!
Don't suggest using a toy or puppet to distract her, that was so 3 months ago. The things that work (occasionally, somewhat well) today are:
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changing her on the floor with one leg over her and a ever new & different toy (so she doesn't get sad for at least the first half) or
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two people, one manning the top half, the other manning the bottom
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diapering her standing up (is there a good way to do this? I manage to get the diaper on somewhat securely, but it sure needs to be faster and quality could be higher)
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giving her a bottle to bide the time while on the table
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pausing to kiss her tummy and make her laugh, but man, your hands better be working at the same time :)
Is anyone good at this?! Any suggestions?
9 Answers
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Here is the maneuver I came up with for my very squirmy son:
Sit on the floor with the baby directly in front of you, between your legs. Position your legs "froggy-style" and (gently) use both feet to hold the child's torso (your toes will be in your child's armpits). It's like you're doing that inner-thigh stretch with your knees pointing out and your feet pressed together, but there's a baby in the middle.
Looks crazy but it worked like a charm for me. He howled, of course, but he couldn't roll away or otherwise escape.
Once he was able to stand well, I got reasonably good at the standing change, but in my experience those are never as good as changes done while the child is lying down.
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I got a lot of mileage out of quoting lines from TV shows. Seriously. The line that seemed to work the best was, "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry," from the Incredible Hulk tv show in the late 70's. For some reason that particular line seemed to always turn my squirmy, wailing, kicking little girl into a mesmerized, smiley kid. When it started to get stale, I began to vary the tone, volume and speed of delivery. I was as goofy as possible and my daughter stopped everything to see why Dad was being so silly. This technique also works well to control high chair meltdowns - although, dancing is usually more effective in that case.
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These are all really excellent suggestions! I found with my really BIG boys, that it was very hard for me to control them during the squirmy yearling phase. Diapering was an extra challenge for me with them being so strong, and since it was a task that really isn't optional. I ended up sitting on them. Yes. I mean that. I straddled them on the floor. My legs against their torso between their arms and legs with my behind facing their face. I sat down with just enough pressure to hold them still. They could kick and protest all they want and still couldn't stop the diaper change. When it is all over, it's all hugs and kisses, and I've gotten the job done even without dad. It doesn't take long for them to realize that resistance is futile! :-)
I *love* this image!
- andrea, Feb 5, 2010
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We have had the same problem -- our 9-month-old started this over Thanksgiving weekend. The first few times, it was funny. We made the mistake of laughing - we think it encouraged him to squirm even more.
Anyway, we started very firmly saying no and resetting his position whenever he tried to move. Husband was more successful at it than I was, so he took over the next few diaper changes until our son settled back down into a more reasonable, less squirmy routine. It's gotten a lot better. He understands that diaper change time is not time for playing or moving around - so he starts to squirm towards the end of the change, but he's pretty good during most of it.
So, I guess my suggestions would be to be firm and consistent about the no-squiriming requirement. I know, easier said than done!
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Our 10mo is the same. Lately we've been opting with #1, changing her on the floor perpendicular to you with a leg thrown over her torso. Or another position, a variation of LoreBes', is child on the floor in front of you between your legs, and each of your legs stretched out over each of the child's arm. Just be aware of kicking feet in your groin (if you're a guy).
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For us a board book worked well but not so much any more. Now, at 11 months, I have started using count down to manage all kinds of little things: getting in and out of a car seat, getting out of the feeding chair, getting up from the potty, changing the diaper... She knows now the intonation of the "three... two... one... " (although with diapers, I start from six or five). She settles because she anticipates that when we get to zero, something fun happens! This keeps her from squirming out of her seat, and often buys me time to get the diaper on even when she's antsy to do more. Trick is - zero has to be something fun! Like a tickle, or a little flight through the air, or a hug.
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I find the thing that works best for me is turning diapering time into a bit of playtime.
You'd be surprised how quickly a squirming & crying baby starts to laugh when you blow raspberries on her tummy.
Sometimes the squirming continues even after a bit of play, but I've almost always found that once all the clothes come off, she's usually in a reasonable mood until you start the reverse.
So, tickle her, give her lots of close eye contact, make raspberries everywhere, and make sure she knows that you're having a good time, and that changing time is "playtime". If changing time becomes "struggle time" then the bad association will just continue...
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I do the foot thing too, like LoreBes. when I'm somewhere that won't work - changing a diaper on the floor of the minivan, on one of those diaper changing tables in a public restroom - I've learned to do a single handed diaper change. I stand facing the same way the baby is, lean to the side over him, and put my elbow on his other side. It pins him down, and no - he's not thrilled with that. But my job is to be the parent, and that means doing what's best for him, and sitting in a nasty diaper isn't what's best. So, once he's well pinned, I hold my supplies in the hand that's pinning him and use the other hand to change him.
I've done the same thing with him on his belly. Sometimes that change of scenery helps, but once he gets used to him its even harder to pin him - he has more leverage.
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Great answers above, and also just came across a wide range of suggestions here: http://codenamemama.com/2010/06/29/gentle-parenting-ideas-toddlers-and-diaper-changes/
Nice! This worked!
- andrea, Dec 16, 2009