Awful nappy changes - advice please!

[IGIVEUPGRRR]

Hi,

My DD is 15 months old and over the last few days she’s became absolutely horrendous with nappy changes. She will kick, scream, cry and twist until she’s blue in the face to avoid a nappy change. Everything has been exactly the same so nothing has ‘happened’ to make her have a negative view of nappy changes.

I have tried distracting her, I have tried being an absolute clown but she won’t have any of it. I have tendinitis in my wrist so battling her is just so painful and mentally draining 🙈

I have thought about Pull-Up nappies but unfortunately financially I’m not in a position to switch to these.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? If so, what did you do to help/resolve it OR when did this phase end?

Many thanks! :)

I remember my daughter being like this around 12 months, absolutely terrible, poo being kicked everywhere, screaming etc. The stage didn't last long luckily. I was using a changing table and swapped to a mat on the floor which seemed to help, I remember her doing the Moro reflex as a newborn on the changing table a lot, wonder if it wobbled a bit and made her feel unsafe? No idea really. Distraction with a toy or something? Obviously can't give them food when lying down. It's hard, but doesn't go on forever thankfully!

We had this, the answer was peppa pig on my phone leant on the floor and then when she was calm and watching it was ok to be changed

Totally a phase! Mine is almost three and he went through it several times.

My trick is to change him in the bath with him standing and watching a video on my phone (I minimize the risk of mess if it's a poo and he's moving too much and I like giving him a proper wash with soap and water down there vs using wipes).

And I use pull-ups, from Lidl. They are cheap but really really good and I would totally recommend them.

I know you said you can't afford pull up nappies but I think Lidl has a baby event on now so they might have cheaper ones?

Have you tried giving LO something to hold while changing?

Asda’s nappy pants are affordable, lidl too.
I tend to sing to my son or ask him if he wants to help- wiping, putting in the bin after etc

I stand mine on the window sill and talk about the birds/trees etc or if not having any of it give him my phone to play with. It is a phase though (though my son seems to go in an out of it regularly ). Agree that Lidl and Tesco pull ups are not far off their normal nappy prices.

Start potty training ?

@Multicolouredsequins

I remember my daughter being like this around 12 months, absolutely terrible, poo being kicked everywhere, screaming etc. The stage didn't last long luckily. I was using a changing table and swapped to a mat on the floor which seemed to help, I remember her doing the Moro reflex as a newborn on the changing table a lot, wonder if it wobbled a bit and made her feel unsafe? No idea really. Distraction with a toy or something? Obviously can't give them food when lying down. It's hard, but doesn't go on forever thankfully!

I’ve always changed her on a changing mat on the floor, but I have tried changing it to a different place/room but she still hates it 🙈 I’m glad to hear that it seems to be just a phase though. I’ve never been around babies, or really known anyone that’s had one and flipping hell, it all really is a shock to my system 🙈

@user1471523870

Totally a phase! Mine is almost three and he went through it several times.

My trick is to change him in the bath with him standing and watching a video on my phone (I minimize the risk of mess if it's a poo and he's moving too much and I like giving him a proper wash with soap and water down there vs using wipes).

And I use pull-ups, from Lidl. They are cheap but really really good and I would totally recommend them.

I have tried doing a nappy change with her stood up because she clings to my neck like a koala after a round of kicking and screaming but I’m really no good at it because she’s a wiggly worm and I just can’t get it into place in order to do it up. I guess practice would make perfect maybe!

@Wole

I know you said you can't afford pull up nappies but I think Lidl has a baby event on now so they might have cheaper ones?

To be honest I’ve never even thought of Lidl for nappies.. it’s definitely worth me taking a look. Thanks.

@Shirleyphallus

We had this, the answer was peppa pig on my phone leant on the floor and then when she was calm and watching it was ok to be changed

I’m glad you managed to find something that worked for you because it’s awful! My little one isn’t interested in anything on a phone/tv so I can’t use that as a distraction :(

@Wole

Have you tried giving LO something to hold while changing?

I have indeed. She just throws it away because she’s all angry. I’ve tried sitting her up, calming her down and trying again but it’s the same every single time. Little madam!

@Danikm151

Asda’s nappy pants are affordable, lidl too. I tend to sing to my son or ask him if he wants to help- wiping, putting in the bin after etc

Second person to mention Lidl.. I will definitely be taking a look. I will also look at Asda too because that’s where I get my online shop from. Thanks! Also, I’ve tried the song thing but she’s just so angry that it makes no difference. I haven’t asked her in regards to the helping so I will try this.

@ablutiions

Start potty training ?

I have actually tried to have a little read up about potty training. I’m a FTM with no experience of babies/kids so I’m not even sure where to start with it. Does she need to understand what you’re asking in order to start it?

I use all the own brand nappy pants, Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Tesco. They are around the same price as the nappies.

Have some toys she only gets to play with while you do her bum, or say 'we're going to do your nappy now, which toy are you going to take with you' so she feels she has a choice.

Do a silly song about cleaning bottoms, we always say niiiiice cleeeean bottom and DS giggles.

Failing that, change her lying on the floor, put your left thigh over her tummy so she's kind of trapped (not squashed!) and change like that. I don't see the point of pull ups, they just cost more. Potty training can be its own kind of hell so only try if you think she's showing signs of being ready.

As they get older they go through phases of wanting more independence, you need to somehow make her think she's got a say over what is happening, thus the toy choice.

Supermarket own brand pull ups are a similar price to their tabbed nappies. Well worth a try

Both my DD were similar around that age so I think it’s an age thing. I used to put the TV on. Your about a year away from potty training anyway so putting on the TV for nappy changes doesn’t last forever.

I used to do the leg over the tummy move when it was really bad. Its just a rubbish phase and they do settle back down.

My 2yo does this, only with me though. I get kicked, she rolls over and tries to escape and just overall thinks it’s a big game. It’s very frustrating and the whole process is much longer than it needs to be. For others she will lay as still as and cooperate very well so it’s all intentional to wind me up.

I have to give her something in her hand to distract her, sometimes even a video on YouTube for her to hold and watch but even with that she finds a way to wind me up by keep pressing the Home Screen button and then she wanting me to put the video on again when clearly I’m occupied trying to clean her!

Argh it’s a battlefield

I use Lidl’s pull ups and so far so good, no leaks and easy to use, I have a wriggler! I think they are about £2.75 for 40 pull up nappies, in size 4.

What i didnt realise with the pull ups is that to get them off you just rip the sides.

Boots ones are pretty good too but I think it must depend on the shape of your baby as a friend's baby struggles with the pull ups as they end up gappy.

My 16mo has been doing it for months and it's been driving me crazy. The only thing that works is to hand him something random to hold whilst we quickly change him whilst he's distracted. Any random household thing. Better if it's something he's not seen before. Looking forward to this phase being over :)