nappy changing hell with 14 month old!

[sillysillysally]

DS, 14 months, hates nappy/ clothes changes with a passion. He screams, runs away, hides in corners so I can't get to him. I dread every change! his behaviour only lenghthens the whole experience (though I realise I can't expect him to understand this.) we've tried all the distraction techniques we can so i'm just putting it down to a phase which will hopefully, eventually pass! DS1 was never like this. Anyone else had this extreme behaviour?

Incidentally, he doesn't behave like this at nursery or when grandmda changes him. Just saves it for his dad and me.

[NigellaTufnel]

My ds will not stay on his back! We have to do stand up changes, not much fun when we are dealing with poop, and he then sits on your knee...

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

My ds (13 mths) is exactly like this- screams the place down when I am changing him, wriggles, bangs his head. He can sometimes be distracted with a book or a toy, or a tickle, but sometimes nothing works!

Interestingly he is fine at nursery- and they have told me they have heard that from parents before! Why this should be, I have no idea!

[Marne]

Use pull-ups? Dd1 hated nappie changes, i found it alot easier with pull-ups as we could change her stood up.

[FattipuffsandThinnifers]

Have had this for months with DS, now 19 months.

Could you give him something with music/buttons - tv remote, phone etc?

After various trials and errors, my ds seems (atm at least) distracted by the monitor, he's discovered how to make it play music. Why did I not think of that before

[ohdearwhatamess]

Ds2 (nearly 10 months) has just started this. It drives me potty. It can take half an hour to do a nappy change, which is just ridiculous. I do remember ds1 doing the same, so am relying on it being a phase that passes.

Distraction does not work here.

[asdmumandteacher]

my son is 5 and 3 months and still in nappies and still kicks and fights (he has severe autism) and he is incredibly strong - i have some lovely bruises!

[hollyandnoah]

How long has he done this for? My ds is a nightmare at changing time. he turns over, even if i have his feet, tries to crawl away he screams and he grabs his face and claws at it.
He has just turned 11 months and has been doing it for about 2 months. It is horrible.
He does it with everyone, and the nursery don't even change him incase he hurts himself. He can be distracted for about 30 seconds, never any longer.
I tried pullups but they are just as bad.. and worse after a poo.
Oo i do feel for you! Fingers crossed this won't last long!!

[charmargot]

I guess if he only does it with you it must just be a way of getting attention. Sometimes my little girl tries to run off when it's nappy time, I used to start doing a teddy instead making out I wasn't bothered as I knew once I went after her it'd become a game. She would always come before I got the nappy on the teddy.
I usually have to give her something to play with while I change her, but the trick is to never get bothered by it. My Mum says the last resort is a biscuit, but it's never come to that.
Can you calmly tell him that it's just got to be done and try to have a laugh about it? I always talk about what I'm doing when I'm doing it 'cos I like the sound of my voice, it warns the child, it explains and gives a calming effect.
It sounds like he's just got into the habit of doing it with you so that's what he does, you just need to figure a way to break the habit. Keep your sense of humour though - if you can!

[ElenorRigby]

Id recommend a rabbitts mat DD has had one for months, its really helped with changing times.

[jellybelly25]

Hello, sympathies. My dd was like this from about 5mo when she could roll over, until about 1 month ago, when she suddenly started being more chilled out about it. She's now 19mo. So, perhaps, it will end sometime.

I did every nappy change in phases, so I would take off the nappy, try to remove as much poo as possible, then let her run around for 30 seconds, catch her, wipe off rest of poo, then another run, then catch her and try to put new nappy on, then another run before clothes on. That was the worst bit ime I put so many on while she was literally in the process of running away that they fell off, leaked or were wonky!

Also my sister taught her the change your nappy song a couple of months ago which, if sung in some ridiculous voice, would stop her in her tracks for maybe 15 seconds which is sometimes enough time to complete one phase...

Or if sung loud enough drowns out the torturous screaming...

[bran]

I used a rabbitts mat with DS when he was like this. I didn't even have to use the straps after the first couple of weeks, he got used to the idea that if he made a break for freedom I would strap him in. He also had a little musical toy which he would amuse himself with, either by pressing the button to play a tune or by hitting me in the face with it.

[RachyBaby]

We use the rabbitts mat too (from about 9 months) and likewise he gets used to the fact that he will get strapped in if he tries to move. He still screams the place down though. Changing clothes is just as bad. He's 14 months now and getting worse and worse. Everything that I try to do for him makes him annoyed. It's just a developmental phase. They want to do everything for themselves. I heard it gets worse until they're 2!
Try not to let it get to you and know that you are not alone