to think there has to be a better way to change a toddlers nappy...please help!

[ICBINEG]

We are still using a change table which we should have stopped using about 6 months ago.

We also have a technique that seems to use around 200mls of water, 10 cotton wool squares, around 15 sheets of kitchen roll, and more patience than we apparently can muster. The location is our bedroom which means we have a shit covered toddler roaming over the bed while things get made ready and basically the room is full of non toddler friendly things and it sucks and I'm fed up.

Please tell me how you go about changing your toddlers nappy and where, for the sake of the environment if nothig else....

[brdgrl]

You don't need baby wipes and they aren't necessary for easy changes.

DD is 29 months. Cotton wool and water has worked fine. She is scared of the changing table (small incident with a fall over a year ago...) so I change her on the floor, but DH has dodgy knees so he still uses the changing table and she accepts that I am softer than him on this issue he's not to be budged.

[Gentleness]

Ditziness - if the poo hasn't dried on, using baby wipes (whether straight from the pack or dunked in water) downstairs is MUCH less hassle and clearing up than hoiking both kids and self upstairs, undressing, washing, drying, redressing then coming back down again. I'm lazy. If it was a secret poo or there is a nasty rash (mine get vicious nappy rash when teething) and we're at home AND we're not just about to eat a meal, then I'll go to the extra trouble. Otherwise I like to keep things easy!

Pull-ups are loads more expensive. I've not used them at all for that reason, even in potty training.

[pinksomething]

Rather than bringing the water in, why not wet the cotton wool and squeeze out the excess? I know that's the least of your worries but at least it takes the 200mls of water out of the equation!! (Until you see sense and use baby wipes )

[ICBINEG]

relaxed in the bath?? You know I am starting to think my toddler is a different species to all yours....

there is no relaxed....she is never not at it. she will not stay asleep or be distracted by anything up to and including the laptop/phone/tablet if she suspects you are up to something....

and you definitely CANNOT control all her limbs with one hand.

who are all these bizarre calm relaxed compliant toddlers and where did you get them from?

[Gentleness]

Oh - and top tip for nail cutting? Baby Jake on iPlayer and then vacuum. Makes them sit still and me work fast so we don't have to watch two!

[ICBINEG]

MrsD the only thing worse than arming her with one rattle would be arming her with two. Twice the hit covered toys, twice the bruising.

Also can someone explain how reusable wipes work...i mean aren't they covered in poo after the first go? what do you do then?

[PickledFanjoCat]

Changing DS is like changing a satanic cat.

I do him on the floor with Huggies Wipes and I cant imagine trying to use water, though it couldnt possibly be any worse.

I lie him on his back and try and make him laugh or calm him down which works sometimes, otherwise its a shitty fiasco.

[ICBINEG]

hahahahaha the vacuum cleaner? no way. you know that thing they do with the climbing up you till they are clinging onto your face? that's what the vacuum cleaner does for DD.

[DinosaursOnASpaceship]

On my lap with wipes and nappy set out ready. I've never used a changing mat or been able to change any of mine whilst they are laying on the floor, my hands get all confundulled and he escapes.

I remember before he was born, I was desperate for a wee and nipped into the mother and baby room in John Lewis. The mothers in there were singing to their children as they changed their nappies. I thought it was funny and daft. Now it's me singing raa raa the noisy lion every nappy change.

[LingDiLong]

Erm ok, you win. You have the most hyper toddler on the planet and there is no way anyone could ever cut her nails or change her nappy. Here is a medal

[ICBINEG]

picked thank actual fuck there is someone on here who seems to understand...

I am going crazy with all this 'oh just distract them' and 'wait till they are calm' nonsense.

I think it might help me a lot to stop thinking of my DD as a toddler and start thinking of her as a satanic cat....

mind you the pull ups may be an idea...so not a total loss.

[pinkyp]

Baby wipes, cheap changing may (mothercare £6) we change ours wherever, hide the changing mat behind sofa

[ICBINEG]

dino ohhh she is strangely hypnotised by wheels on the bus at the moment...probably wont last more than a few days (nothing does) but hey.

[ICBINEG]

ahh so they are multiuse in the same way as non-disposable nappies? you use them then wash them?

[LauraPashley]

I have the same kind of 18 mth dd. brute force, baby wipes and television is my winning combo at the moment. And chocolate for toe nail cutting
And sorry but all these "what's all the fuss" type of posts clearly have had toddlers like my first dd who lay pretty calmly, maybe just with a toy to fiddle with. Dd2 is full on, mini octopus of fury, it's a nightmare!

[amarylisnightandday]

Is it just changing and mail cutting? How do you leave the house with this kid or feed her anything?

[ICBINEG]

LOVING the mini octopus of fury....now we are getting somewhere!

[Gentleness]

Icbineg - I do know this is going to sound ridiculous and I also know I've not had a child as active as you describe so feel free to snort in disgust - but maybe working on being still for a short time will be just as useful as baby wipes? Ds2 is altogether more kinaesthetic than ds1 but we're getting him to learn to stop still more now at 18mo because I just need him to. I'm 7mo pregnant and have spd so I have to manage my activity and energy levels just to get through with some sanity and without od-ing on cocodamol. I don't care if it seems selfish - my kids will be better off if I'm not staggering in pain and having a melt-down. And I do think they'll benefit from learning to sometimes be quiet.

[PacificDogwood]

ICBINEG, you do have my sympathies, honestly you do.
I have my own satanic toddler, just in other respects... .

I agree you need more hands than Shiva to pin down a properly struggling toddler, and nothing worse than one running away trailing shit .

Try the pull-ups, but I had to tell you, I found them pretty useless: we bought a pack when DS1, now 9, was potty-training and still have half of said pack...

No answer, just sympathy, sorry!

[ICBINEG]

sorry mrsD just fed up with all the 'why are you making a fuss responses'.

[Mousefunk]

You can use reusable wipes.. made out of fleece and before you even attempt to change bum you go wet them and then change.. Saves money, the environment and not full of nasty chemicals.

I change mine on the floor, I gave up on changing mats because they would scream with it being cold so I started putting a blanket on it and then realised how pointless the mat was, any mess would get on the blanket..

[Pooka]

Change whereever. Have wipes and nappies in a basket in the sitting room, but also in my bag so wherever is handy/I can pin him down.

Always with baby wipes (we use pampers sensitive). The faffing with cotton wool only lasted about a week with each of the three dcs.