How to change nappy when baby is wriggly?

[lottytheladybird]

Hi! Any tips on how best to change your baby's nappy when they want to wriggle around on the changing mat? My 11.5m old DS wants to start crawling around when I change his nappy these days. We have a mobile above his changing mat to keep him entertained. Plus, I give him a toy to play with as well, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. He can't stand without holding on, so changing him standing doesn't really work.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!

[narniesarnie]

Hairy Maclairy. full version with all the funny voices I can muster up. And try to maintain eye contact. my DS loves it.

[lottytheladybird]

Tried the pinning technique - DS was not happy! Resorted to stickers, toys and live entertainment (me!), while DH did his best to change DS's nappy!

[Adair]

Look
talk, pin, wait til happy and calm, start to change nappy
They wriggle you stop and pin
happy and calm you change again...

Positive reinforcement, innit.

[beanlet]

Tried the mumsnet patented universal pinning method this morning - it worked! But the poor lad screamed like a banshee. He's also decided he doesn't like trousers now... sigh.

[misslinneaflower]

Oh and cebees helps a lot too! ;)

[misslinneaflower]

I just chase my son around the livingroom with the nappy and try to put it on while he's standing against the tv/sofa/toy box. Not the most affective. However, when held down he'll scream as if tortured! And then flex his body upwards like a banana making it impossible to put a nappy on.
He's 11.5 months.

[tatyr]

I sit on the floor with my legs apart, lie DD left to right in front of me and use my left leg over her torso gently to stop her from rolling while i attend to the business end. Usually combined with a book / toys / peepo, but even in a full on rage it seems to work. she generally gives up struggling and lets me get on with it.

She doesn't play up half as bad for other people though!

Or, look into a Rabbitts mat if you can't get down to the floor / not enough space?

[Woodlands]

some great tips here, i need them for my 11 month old DS - thanks!

[Bunnynamedstanely]

My Ds was extremely wriggly! I used to put a toy or book on the sofa and he would stand and look at that while I did the change. I used my knee to hold the nappy on at the back while doing up the front.

[PeppaKew]

I hold my DD over my left arm facing down while standing then do all the cleaning with ready laid out wipes with my right hand. Luckily her poohs are solid. Then she stands while I use pull ups. Think I can do it in under 30 secs now.

[lottytheladybird]

Tried the stickers today. Kept DS entertained for a little while, which was great. His new supply of toys next to his changing mat seems to be working, too. I fear I may be spending a fortune on stickers from now on...

[Adair]

It worked on dd and ds. Both pretty wriggly. You pin and wait and tel the what you want to do and change when still, then stop and pin again if they writhe away and remind them... Seriously it freakin' works! I just thought 'I am not fighting you.' Does make nappy change a bit longer for a few times but they do 'get it'- then you can amaze your friends with your super compliant nappy changer!! Honestly, try it.

[LetThereBeCake]

ok - I tried stickers this morning. Had to spend the next 5 minutes chasing it round her mouth as she got it off in seconds and shoved it into her big dribbly mouth. Made nappy change time even more exciting than usual

And as far as "you don't change the nappy until they're still" goes I say "hah!" my 5yo DS1 would still be in the same nappy 4 years later if I'd followed that bit of advice. Some children just don't bloody stop. Ever.

[mathanxiety]

Did it really, really fast, with everything in place and easy to reach beforehand, including wipes in a pile and not still in the container needing pulling out and unfolding or any further sorting out. Then singing My Old Man's A Dustman (with 'corblimey trousers' at the hoisting bit). I used the front part of the nappy to do a lot of the wiping and then wipes for the rest for a poop, and didn't wipe at all if it was just a case of pee.

[beanlet]

He's 11.5 months. Cute as a button. Except for this!

Loving the Grand Old Duke of York!

[KangarooCaught]

I sing the Grand Old Duke of York. When the ten thousand march to the top I raise his legs and when they march down he feet tap the floor.

That, bottle of milk in his mouth (now he can hold it himself) or the universal pinning technique.

[howabout]

Another vote for across my lap.

[Adair]

The trick with pinning is you don't change the nappy til they are still. Then you praise and sing and change. Soon you don't need to pin. Seriously. This has worked with two dc now - if it works with the third, I'm patenting it.

[lottytheladybird]

I have now put a pile of stickers and a box of toys next to DS's changing mat! Pinning seems to be surprisingly common and not something I would have thought of before!

Oh how lovely it was when they were newborns and just lay there...

[lottytheladybird]

Beanlet - Oh my gosh!!! How old is your DS? (Just want to know how long it'll be till my DS tries this!)

[LetThereBeCake]

My 8mo DD has developed the super-fast flip and will do this as soon as I lie her on the changing mat. Usually followed by a wee on the carpet before flipping somewhere else.

I was tempted by this for DS2 and may yet succumb for DD.

If all else fails, pin em down.

[beanlet]

When I remove his nappy his hands go straight to his testicles or his bum like a guided missile. It's very difficult to stop him getting dirty fingers and I've taken to including a swab with alcohol hand gel as part of the nappy changing ritual.

[homeboys]

you can stand babies in the bath and shower them down with warm water and baby soap - much cleaner than wipes and they dont stick their hand in it and try to roll itall over the floor.

wees - learn to do it really fast with baby crawling away from you??? learn to do it standing up??? Ply baby with a treat eg strawberry or whatever they are into???

[lottytheladybird]

Beanlet - what's this about sticking fingers in poo?!! Another stage of development to look forward to?

[osd]

I am afraid to say i get my 4yo dd to hold her 1yo little bro down, which works. As i do real nappies, pull ups will not work. But lol to stickers, it really is a puzzle and now 1 yo ds thinks it's a bloody game and all the more fun to roll of sticking the tongue out. Sometime the cat can distract him or the hoover nozzle or something else forbidden that i let him hold for the duration. Otherwise i too am stumped?