Restrained child

[MummytoNico]

My 13month old hates being restrained in anyway whether that be when we change his nappy changing clothes or putting him in his car seat. He almost seizes up his body grabs onto the changing table and CRIES disturbingly. I've tried singing, toys iPad phone anything for a distraction but nothing distracts him. PLEASE someone tells me this is a phase which will end some time soon because it drives me to tears at times and sometimes even makes me scared of changing him in public! Any advise will help?!!

I used to get my DC interested in a book or toy on the coffee table and then change their nappy as they stood. It's not hard...takes a few goes to get it down but it's so convenient and they don't mind as much.

I'd hate it too if I was made to lie down regularly!

Hiya, you have my sympathy. I'm the mum of a boy who HATES being restrained! He's 21mo now. Things have got better than they were. I think that's partly because we've come up with ways around things, diversions and distractions. I've been using pull-up pants since he was five months and change nappies standing up/on the go! I use bribery LOTS, snack food like chocolate buttons or goodies organix popcorn to get into the car seat with a video on my iPhone, I'm a terrible mum! His big thing now that he's a bit older is videos and we are using that to our advantage, I can now have his hair cut by the home hairdresser in his highchair if he has a video, big breakthrough.

It does get better because when he was at his worst I started to avoid going places because of the dreaded car seat and god forbid a transfer into the buggy. As his concentration has got better his ability to watch videos has been very useful. Also now I feel he understands when I explain to him what is happening and what we're doing next. My boy is still a huge handful but we're getting there.

Keep saying what you're doing, what's happening next, they struggle with transitions. And just use the bribes, never thought I would but it's desperation! Good luck x

The only issue I've really had with DS is car seat/buggy - going stiff as a board a crying not to go in. What I did is he's got a really ticklish shot in his upper thigh/ groin and one touch sends him into kinks so that he doubles over enough to get him in the seat and strapped in - FAST! Then carry on the tickle once he's restrained to cheer him up and hand him his favourite toy (for that day) and by then he's usually forgotten about the drama of going in in the first place. We did it so often that now he just sits straight in good as gold but still expects to be tickled 😂 Hope this helps?