Nappy time, food time and tantrums how do you cope?

[Charleesawmummykissingsanta]

DS is 15 1/2 months, hes always been a great eater untill about 3 weeks ago that is, now he will go all day without eating at all, the days he does eat he has a couple of mouth fulls of dinner and thats it. He cries for food so wetry and feed him or let him do it himself and he just turns his head away cries he works himself up into a right tantrum, it seems he will eat things without lumps in them becuase if he has to chew it takes him about 5 mins to chew a bit of food by them hes fed up. he will also quite willingly eat chips and chicken nuggets and things like that but i dont want him eating junk food. He wont even take a mouthfull if i make him veg and meat ect uless its in a baby jar of food. So really hes not eating barley anything.

Hes not ill, he plays fine and everything, the on;y other thing is nappy changing time.
Again its never bothered him untill these last 3 weeks now if i even bring a nappy near him, he will crumple into fits of tears on the floor, he goes bright red and shakes and holds his breath. if imon my own i sometimes just have to let him run about without a nappy on because he wiggles and kicks and screams so much it makes it damn near impossible to get a new one on him, unless dp is thereto hold him while i do it.

I undersatand he must be confused about all thats happened with my mum but he started this way before she went into hopsital. Im worried he will get ill if he doesnt eat. and his nappy changing times are getting rediculous. Please let me know if you have had this or have any suggestions to get him back to how he was.

Sorry to hear that, sounds v difficult! Ds is 14 months and we are having the nappy thing as well. No idea what is causing it though. I am assuming it is just wilfulness as I don't have any circumstances to attribute it to. Will watch this thread for ideas but I am resigning myself to this being a glimpse of things to come!!

Charlee, can you change him on a high surface where he can't get away? Hold him down with one arm if you have to - but the longer you let him get away with running away from you, the worse it will make it for you.

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My DD is now 26 months but she has gone through phases of going completely ballistic about things she previously was fine about between the ages of about 14 and 19 months. One was about going to bed, and the other was about having a bath. There was absolutely no reason for either - she hadn't slipped in the bath for example, or it been too hot or anything. in both cases it lasted about 2-3 weeks and was very acute (Aaaargh at the memory). We were very firm - ran a bath each evening as normal (she and DS share a bath anyway) and even if she was only literally dipped in the bath (screaming!) she still went through the same routine. It went as suddenly as it started! I would recommend being very matter of fact about it - make sure you have all the nappy stuff ready, tell him what you are going to do, and then do it without any fuss or drama. You can hold down a 15 month old child. I am never rough or shouty, but do employ "I mean business" tactics from time to time!

I have recently had the "nappy thing". DP is still having it, and after bath time I can hear the wailing (in the manner of one being murdered) from downstairs.

He used to do it to me - you must not give in as WigWamBam says.. the more you do, the worse it will get (as DP is finding out!!). Persevere with simply placing back down each and every time and trying to get on with the task (try not to lose your temper over it - I know sometimes that is difficult when you need to be somewhere and your offspring feels the need to be naked and running round) but it really is important as they will react to your moods.

Good luck!

My dd who is now 2.3 months has run the whole gamut of difficult behaviours, some times all at once - nappy, feeding, sleeping, changing clothes, being in carseat/buggy, bathing etc Yes, she screams and writhes, goes red in the face, runs away - nice.

What can I say? These phases come and go and come back again! There are days when everything is a struggle. Well, I try to give warnings if I am about to do something eg change nappy. Then when had enough of the stalling tactics, just grab her and go ahead with it.

With nappy change, I think it could be rather unsafe to change your ds on a high surface with all those flailing limbs. You could try changing him on the floor with one leg over his body pinning him down - that is, if your dh isn't there . Must look quite a sight, I must say. That is, if you have to get on with it. Otherwise, I tend to pick my battles. With food, I would just give him what he will eat at that time. I read that with toddlers, you have to look at what they eat over a week, rather than on a day-to-day basis. It does balance out because some days they will eat more or certain foods which they otherwise refuse on another day.

Welcome to toddler-hood

would pull ups be an easier option?

my ds, now 18 months; does all these things.

for nappy changes: i keep something 'special' he can hold onto while i change him. upstairs he holds onto my glasses case. downstairs, the kitchen timer. and i change him quickly. and pull-ups do work better (less hassle) but be wary of using them at night (they've leaked a few time for us, but i know everyones different!)

mealtime: ds plays up during most meals. whether i eat with him or not. he was an excellent eater and now barely wants anything. only advice i have is; keep your cool, dont stress in front of him, and if he doesnt eat, just clear it away and get on with things. its hard. i worry too my son isnt getting enough or this or that. and try new things. gradually. its hard. i get frustrated on a daily basis. but not in front of him.
if he's gone off most of his food, is he teething? my ds wont touch solids when a tooth is cutting thru.

hang in there... you are NOT alone.

MY Ds has been having major strops over nappy changes and getting cleaned up after meals for about 10 weeks now.
For nappy changes, I have put him in the more expensive nite time nappies during the day so there are less changes to contend with. If he is soiled I just calmly and firmly pin him down and get on with it. If he is wet I let him stand up and play with toys on the coffee table and attach the nappy while he stands up which he doesnt seem to mind at all.
For meal time clean ups I have tried the works, handing him a flannel, singing songs, cleaning up his favourite toy, letting him clean me, cleaning him in front of the mirror you name it. Mostly I give him something non messy last and wipe his hands while he is distracted eating this and then pin his hands and wipe his face when he is finished.
Meanwhile I mutter the mn mantra, It's a phase, It's a phase, It's a phase!!!!