2 yr old hate nappy changes

[Freddiecat]

OK so no child likes it but DS who is 26 mths runs away. He is downstairs right now absolutely denying he has done a poo - when I can see it sitting right there in his nappy. When I change him it will be an absolute power struggle and I will be lucky to get it all done without him running round the house with poo all over his bum. I should also say I am 38 weeks pregnant so the power struggle is not something I can easily cope with.

I literally have to pin him down and restrain him! I do try and give him juice and put the TV on to keep him quiet and pacify him, but he's just had some juice and the more juice he has in the day then the more poos he does etc etc.

He is not ready for potty training - will wee on the loo if given the opportunity but apart from that happy to wee all over his trousers if left without a nappy.

Advice please!

the same thing as what i do everytime i have a dilemma that it behaviour based......make him a star chart...every time you have a sucessful nappy change, reward with a star. Set a limit of so many stars, then when that amount is reached, give a reward...let the child choose this before hand. Gradually you can increase the amount of stars and even carry it on through to the potty training. worked a treat for me and my 2 toddlers...still does when needs be!! good luck!

do star charts work with children as young as just 2?

Must admit I bribe my nearly 1yo with raisins on his nappy mat! It works! But not sure how long it'll last..

i used a star chart with both of mine for eating dinners from that age so it might work....what have you got to lose anyway??

Freddie, I gave in with both of mine who were DREADFUL at having their nappies changed. I used those nappies that you can step into - are they called Easy Ups? (mine are both a bit older now so may have got name wrong). It was still a battle getting them to stand still but at least I didn't have to physically restrain them with all my might (I remember once practically lying on top of ds and changing his nappy with one hand - not fun when there's a poo in there).

They are a bit more expensive but my goodness, they completely saved my sanity.

We still have the reluctance but not a huge struggle if he has a tractor/book/magazine to play with. Anything that comes to hand really - toothpaste tube, glasses, etc.

We've had high pitched screaming too but then that results in a timeout on the bench (no stairs here) until he calms down.

It's hard when you're so pregnant. We went through this when I was pregnant too and he was kicking and biting while being changed. It's a phase...

Don't tempt me with the pull-ups - we have a big investment (both financially and environmentally) in good washable nappies so pull-ups are for holidays only.

I know when he's done a poo as he won't let me in the same room as he's doing it but afterwards denies he's done anything.

Gem13 - have been kicked in the belly so many times by DS during nappy change. It's hard to do time out on that though as when the nappy is half way off it needs doing!

No real advice here, but what DH did one day (at about same age) was to get really really angry and throw DS's cracker (which he was chewing at the time) in the nappy bin and generally yelled a lot. Not my style of parenting actually, I am much more soft-hearted (sorely tempted to resort to smacking at these occasions but we have no smacking policy...) However since then, if DS struggles I remind him that DH got mad and DS says "Yes and he threw my cracker in the bin" so he knows it's bad!! Also I tell him that if I don't change him, his bottom will get really sore and he will cry. I reckon at this age they are just beginning to sort out cause and effect so this kind of reasoning has a chance of working.

Whoops I meant when DS was about the same age, not DH! DS is now 2.5yrs.