fury at nappy changing time

[lornahr]

My 15-month-old daughter has been getting more and more upset/angry about having her nappy changed. It started about three months ago but has got much worse in the last few weeks. She starts to protest as soon as i lead in her in the direction of the changing mat or mention the word 'nappy', and once she's lying on her back she starts trying to escape by twisting round and slamming her legs down. She seems to be extremely strong and to keep her where she is I feel like I'm having to hold her too hard.

All this is accompanied by frenzied screaming, which is very stressful, and everything takes much longer than it needs to. Afterwards, she sometimes continues to be upset and needs a big cuddle to calm down.

I've tried changing her on the bed and the floor, playing music, singing, talking, giving her toys, ignoring it... nothing makes any difference! Advice would be lovely but commiseration would be fine too!

My ds (now 2) hates it - and has always been extremely vocal and physical with his displeasure! He has calmed down a little in the last few months - the only thing I find that works with him is singing (Old Macdonald is a favourite) very loudly - embarrassing when nappy changing out and about.

I've had to pin ds down before using my legs to hold down his arms and legs to stop him thrashing about! It was a phase, he's much better now (at just 2). He even stayed on the mat while I went upstairs for cream the other day

Yep, same here as well!
DS3 started objecting vocally and physically from about 1 year and it is only just beginning to get better again - he is now 22 months old.

No real advice, it will pass but made be dread every nappy change for some time which ment he was only changed when absolutely necessary ...

Do you interrupt her play to change her? What I mean is could she take part of what she's playing with to the c.table? I sympathise. has something (nappy rash?) set it off?, perhaps you could introduce a potty very relaxed say shall we have a go on the potty then, you could possibly use Kandoo toddler wipes to wipe her and put them straight down the toilet.

It's a phase they go through. It should pass.

I've already given up trying to get 10mo DS to lie down for nappy changes - he's been walking for about 4 weeks now. We've started using the pull ups and I crawl around the room after him to wipe his bum.

I'm sure you've already tried this!

Pull ups - change her standing up, I have had to use pull ups with DS since he was about 9 or 10 months old. I had not thought about it before it was suggested to me on MN because I thought they were just for potty training, but unless you buy special potty training ones they are fine - I find huggies little walkers best because they have velcro but also work as pull ups - the best of both worlds.

watching with interest, as I'm getting this with DS at 11 months, and can only think it'll get worse as he gets bigger/ stronger.

Can't afford pull-ups (or am maybe too mean )

At the moment I'm playing the radio reeeeeally loudly and trying to ignore it. How long can that last before I go a bit crazy?

Ooh interesting about the Huggies little walkers Bertie - DH insists on ripping the sides of the pampers pull ups and tells me he has googled this and it is the right thing to do. I just nod and keep doing what I'm doing.

But I expect he would be very excited about the huggies ones.

Can you tell we don't get out much ?

picc - give them a try. I swear I would not have believed the difference it has made (I just let DH buy some pull ups to humour him ), so much less stressful. Is definitely worth the money if you can stretch to it, just give it a try.

Yes, you can rip the pampers ones. In fact I started a thread ages ago about not being able to buy any 4+ pull ups - they do not exist! DS was stuck because the size 4s leaked, being too small, (though he had a very cute builder's bum!) and the size 5s leaked, being too big. And so I was also very excited to find the Huggies little walkers, I adjust them before putting them on and they fit DS perfectly I must dig that thread out and update it in fact

Bertie - are you my DH? Come on, fess up!

I am on a very tight budget and believe me, they are worth it - but you could always buy a small pack to try and see.

You can buy the jumbo boxes of them at Asda - though they are cheaper in the carry packs at Sainsbury's. Only about 3p more per nappy than Pampers Active fit - or you can always buy own brand pull ups.

Sorry, I xposted with you and so didn't notice your post.

I am entirely sure I am neither married nor male

Although to be fair, if you really can't afford pull ups, it is possible to change a normal nappy with the child standing up. Try reaching around from behind to do up the tabs - it is tricky but possible, and you get better at it.

Pick your battles!

at Bertie

Thank you all v much - good to know its normal. Funny enough, I tried with her standing up yesterday and she was quite a bit better but I obviously didn't do a v good job cos it leaked... We use reusable nappies in day so pull-ups would only work at night but that's a start!

Hiya, my ds has been a nightmare since he was just 5 months old...really strong and could roll over so easily that nappy changing was a nightmare. I got one of these www.rabbitts.com/ so that I could strap him down!!! Well worth the money. He still complains occasionally but it makes it less stressful. Good luck.