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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Nappy wars

34 replies

bagelmonkey · 25/01/2012 20:21

DD is almost 1. Ever since she could roll over she's been trying to escape during nappy changes. I can't keep her on the changing mat at all. Every time I try to change her nappy she flips herself over & quickly crawls away. As you can imagine, it's a particular problem following a code brown incident, when I'm often trying to chase her around the room with wet wipes. She likes to take the clean nappy and run off with it.
How do I deal with this behaviour? I'm finding changing time exhausting.

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QueenOfFeckingEverything · 25/01/2012 20:26

We pin DS down with our legs over his arms.

CosmicMouse · 25/01/2012 20:29

It was around this age I learnt to change nappies whilst DD was standing up !

gemma4d · 25/01/2012 20:37

DD2 is at this stage. Particularly when being really awkward, give her a "high value" item. You know how babies just SENSE when they are not meant to have something and then want it soooo bad: DD1's detangling spray, my car key, the nappy cream... she won't harm herself or the item for the 1 minute it takes me to change her and I get the job done without fuss.

conorsrockers · 25/01/2012 22:55

My best friend asked me this a few years ago, and we laughed about it the other day when we reminded ourselves. She was expecting pearls of wisdom and my response was : give her a smack and tell her 'no' really strongly. Funnily enough it was the first and last time she ever smacked her!! I know alot of people don't agree with this, however as long as it doesn't leave a mark (because then it becomes illegal) and it's done in a controlled way, not when you are at the end of your tether, it works wonders. And no, I don't have violent children or an anger management problem!!!

choccybox · 25/01/2012 23:12

Smacking a child for moving? Shocking and disgusting.

duchesse · 25/01/2012 23:23

gemma's approach would my number one approach. We've also developed a silly routine of me flinging DD3's trousers over her face when I take them off her- this seems to turn the process into a game and keeps her on board.

Mspontipine · 25/01/2012 23:36

Stand up changes and pull-ups deffo :)

conorsrockers · 25/01/2012 23:48

choccy - it was too predictable that someone would find it abhorrent. I can live with that! I am sure there is enough wonderful and useful advice on this thread that the poster won't be taking too much notice of my 'shocking and disgusting' offerings!!! It was just amusing as someone asked my advice (yes, I was several kids in, she was on her first) on this topic years ago and that was the result. It's not for everyone :)

Pandemoniaa · 26/01/2012 00:14

dgd is nearly 13 months old. She's very mobile! We do the high value distraction trick and then work quickly!

StetsonsAreCool · 26/01/2012 00:21

We play Duchesse's game, the high value thing sadly wore off after a while.

Or, dare I suggest, change her in front of Ceebeebees. Works like a charm for 20mo DD. She stays lying there even after I've finished, taken the nappy out and wriggled her back into her trousers. Although that last bit usually snaps her out of the haze

ThePoorMansBeckySharp · 26/01/2012 00:27

Please ignore Conorsrockers. Nobody smacks a baby, unless they are completely mental.

Definitely be stern with her and say very firmly KEEP STILL! Don't let her think it's a game. other than that there's not much you can do besides use all 4 limbs to restrain her (I used to clamp a foot down on one of DD's arms to lock her in place).

Kiwiinkits · 26/01/2012 02:39

I sing DD (16 months) a song, "Lie down, you're rocking the boat" (choose any tune you like, and repeat ad nauseum until finished) and also give her something to hold. She likes pulling wipes out of the packet for me.

duchesse · 26/01/2012 06:17

Ah yes, I forgot the wipes thing- give her the packet to hold and ask her to pass them to you one by one. Babies like to feel involved.

I also agree you'd have to be nuts to smack a baby.

Original poster

bagelmonkey · 26/01/2012 08:05

It doesn't seem to matter what I give her to hold, as soon as she hits the mat she wants to roll over. If she's interested in it she'll just take it away with her.
I have her undressed to her nappy & everything ready, but as soon as I start to undo the nappy she starts to make her escape!
I think QueenOfFeckingEverything's vice-hold suggestion sounds most promising

OP posts:

QueenOfFeckingEverything · 26/01/2012 08:17

Honestly, it is not as cruel as it sounds! We just lie him between our legs, one arm out to either side, and then a leg over each arm at the wrist. DS capitulates quite happily to it, its almost like its a relief for him to be absolved of the compulsion to escape

We do also sing songs and make animal noises whilst changing him (he is particularly fond of DP's composition 'Wipe My Willy With a Wet Wipe' to the tune of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and he spends most of the time giggling.

Flyingoutofcontrol · 26/01/2012 08:30

I do a variation on Queen's method in that instead of kneeling at his feet I kneel over him with his head at my feet so I'm sort of sitting on him.

Often results on tom-tom rythym on my bum tho

astreetcarnamedknackered · 26/01/2012 08:34

Sometimes I think my DS (12m) just wants a bit o nappy free time for a bit and to crawl around winking his little bum at everyone! Once he's had his fill he is usually happy for the nappy to go back on. When we are out we don't have the wiggling issue so perhaps it's their way of letting their hair down and getting down 'with their baaad selves'.

Chooster · 26/01/2012 09:05

Do it standing up and use pull ups! Easy and quick especially if they have something to distract them. Why make life hard for no reason!

Original poster

bagelmonkey · 26/01/2012 12:43

The added problem I have is that DD is a midget petite (wears 6-9 month clothes) & very quick. I'm a bit nervous of squashing her!
Worth a go though.
Thank you.

OP posts:

jollijojo · 26/01/2012 13:16

So glad to find this thread! Just had a nappy change with 11 mnth old dd, almost (no, actually) had me in tears!! She does the same thing, crawls away and if I pin her down, as Queen says, she screams blue murder. I cannot keep her still, no matter what I try. I give her anything to play with, but once she starts screaming it is the end of any chance to get her engaged in any 'fun & games' and the whole thing turns into a nightmare. She's now reach a point where she starts to protest and scream when I just walk towards the changing mat. I feel so cruel to have to manhandle her. I actually worry about hurting her, because I have to hold her so tight!! And I do get angry too! My dh works from home sometimes and he comes to help hold her down. So OTT! Isn't it? I just want to get it over and done with quickly, but it turns into this drawn out 'war'! It feels ridiculous and out of control. So this happens in every household? I wish there was an 'easy fix answer'. I will try to stock up on 'value items' next to the changing mat... Maybe I should give her to hold something valuable before we even approach the changing mat... I've tried singing, loud noises, funny noises, clapping hands, dancing - doens't work. Monkey, you have my sympathy!!!!

StrandedBear · 26/01/2012 13:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tootiredtothinkofanickname · 26/01/2012 14:03

Smacking in a controlled way... so it's acceptable then

It's annoying, especially at 6am when I try to change DS' nappy bleary eyed, and he is giggling and crawling away. He is almost 1 and has been like that since about 7-8 months. I tried pull ups but they are not very absorbent. i just distract him, it's the only time he gets my mobile to play with. I've been known to wipe pooh off his bum while he was standing up, holding the bars of his cot. So not much help OP, just try and distract him.

StrandedBear, auch at the crotch thing... I think DH would rather chase DS around with a wet wipe :o

Mspontipine · 27/01/2012 13:06

STANDING UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If putting a proper nappy on I used to then put nappy on my leg and sit ds facing away onto it (while singing There's a worm at the bottom of my garden - every time - but wouldn't consider that bit completely necessary so won't shout that bit) and fasten it around him.

Mspontipine · 27/01/2012 13:10

I think what led to this is I was completely tramatised in a baby changing room by what I saw when ds was only couple of weeks old and non-wiggly.

I saw a toddler, boy, being physically pinned down by who I assumed were his mother and grandmother trying to change him and he was kicking (with horrible heavy shoes on) and having a complete nightmare. I couldn't imagine ever doing that with ds and I never did

Also made me doubly against little (non-walking about) babies wearing shoes.

Original poster

bagelmonkey · 27/01/2012 13:25

I tried the QueenOfFeckingEverything / StrandedBear technique. It did not go well. A very angry little monkey was trapped under my legs until she managed to squirm free. She then managed to shmear shit all over my legs as well as the changing mat & herself. Luckily I managed to contain her to the changing area to clean her off before she escaped & crawled across the floor to pee.
I eventually got a clean nappy on her by standing her up in front of a chair with a phone & dirty nappy just out of her reach to keep her attention.

OP posts:

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